Why travelling makes us healthy and happy
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Everyone who regularly travels the world knows that travelling is good for the body and soul. But what exactly is behind it?
Do you know this too? At home you feel tired and stressed, maybe you're plagued by headaches and tension, you're lacking energy and unmotivated - but then the next holiday comes along and all of a sudden you're bursting with energy, all the aches and pains are forgotten and your soul breathes a sigh of relief. Travelling is simply good for us - why and how exactly we benefit psychologically and physically from it, you will find out in the following.
- exercise with fun
It has long been known that regular exercise and sport is one of the easiest ways to counteract everyday stress and promote personal health - yet we often find it difficult to integrate enough of it into our everyday lives at home: In the morning we want to sleep longer, in the evening we are tired, and at the weekend we have the household, family and friends on the agenda - and to fit in regular visits to the fitness centre or the like between all these things often creates more stress than the sport itself reduces. On holiday, however, things look quite different: On city trips, you often walk around for kilometres for days and hardly notice how many steps you take between the many sights, natural sights have to be reached on foot, and then of course there are sporting activities themselves - from yoga classes in the hotel to surf sessions, trips to the underwater world, cycling tours, adventures on the slopes and more. Hardly anyone moves less on holiday than at home!
Do you feel like going on an active holiday right now? Then read on right here: Swiss Alps: The 10 most beautiful places for hiking and more
- discover new hobbies
Let's face it: one of the best things about travelling to foreign countries is trying out new things that can then become part of your everyday life at home - and we don't just mean memories of delicious food or exciting sights: Have you ever tried yoga in an all-inclusive hotel, for example? Or archery? Or jazz dance? Or did you go climbing for the first time while travelling? Or cross-country skiing? Or scuba diving? And did you enjoy it so much that you wanted to continue at home? If so, you know exactly what we're talking about - and hobbies are perfect stress relievers!
All-inclusive resorts are great for trying out new activities and sports. Click here for 9 top places for a cheap all-inclusive holiday in Bulgaria!
- back to nature
Picture this: You are walking through a lush green forest, the air smells of fresh leaves and damp earth, the wind rustles softly through the leaves, birds sing and the undergrowth crunches under your feet with every step. Well, don't you already feel the stress falling off you when you read this? People need regular time out in nature - whether in the mountains, in sun-drenched forests, on the beach or on boat trips across the sea and river. Holidays give us time to do just that, with hikes, day trips or even camping weeks where you can leave the city and its stressful lifestyle behind for several days at a time.
If you're looking for some truly unique natural destinations, here's the perfect article for you: The 20 most spectacular wonders of nature
- have new experiences
Humans are curious by nature and a healthy mind always needs new challenges and new experiences to stay young, active and flexible. In other words: New experiences are essential for our mental well-being - and where could you gather more of them than during stays in unfamiliar environments and distant countries? Discover architecture you've never seen before, be enchanted by new tastes, experience the view from the top of a mountain - or into the caldera of a volcano - for the first time, experience first-hand what it feels like to float in the Dead Sea, or visit the most surreal landscapes in the world and feel like you're on a completely different planet. The world is full of adventures just waiting to be experienced!
Great holidays don't have to be expensive - especially if you use our handy search tools. Find out more: Save on your flight booking with Skyscanner's 'Whole Month' and 'Cheapest Month' tools.
- get to know other perspectives
But travelling doesn't just open up new experiences, it also opens up new perspectives - after all, it's not called "other countries, other customs" for nothing. Travelling abroad and getting involved with the local art, culture, language and society opens you up to new perspectives, broadens your horizons and teaches you to understand others better and to approach them with more tolerance. Moreover, travel teaches you that your own experiences do not always correspond to the general truth - or did you know, for example, that in some regions of the world a nod means "no" while shaking your head means "yes"? Or that blowing your nose is far ruder than pulling up in some countries? And these are just two of many, many examples ...
If you don't know where exactly to start discovering a country, take a look at the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here we present some of the highlights: The top UNESCO natural and world heritage sites.
- time out and rest
We all need a little relaxation now and then - far, far away from the stresses of everyday life, work and all those pesky commitments - and while quiet evenings at home or fun weekends with friends or hobbies definitely help to reduce stress, they are no match for a proper holiday away from home, where you really don't have to worry about anything, not even the household chores, for a few days. Time out and rest don't always have to mean doing nothing - but they can. For many, sightseeing tours, hikes or sporting adventures are the absolute relaxation A-and-O, while others simply want to spend a week in the sun or in the pool - you know best what really does you good!
You don't have much time but need to relax a lot? Then these destinations are probably just right for you: Get out of the daily grind: The 10 best short trips with a long-distance effect
- time for you, and only you
Self-discovery and self-reflection are two other key words that should be given top priority when it comes to mental well-being, and travelling also helps with this. In everyday life, you are often so caught up between work, money matters, social obligations and whatever else comes up on a regular basis that you gradually become more and more unhappy without even having the time to really think about why you don't feel well. All that remains is a feeling of emptiness - as if something is missing. On holiday you can really leave all the mental noise behind, live a change of scenery, really take time for yourself - whether it's yoga, hiking or simply sitting for hours by the sea or looking at the impressive mountain landscape. You can reflect in peace and quiet on what you would like to achieve, where you would like to develop - professionally or privately - and whether the things to which you are currently devoting your time are really relevant - or whether they are more likely to get in the way of your goals. By the way, such a journey of self-discovery works particularly well if you really go off on your own - just for one day when your companions do something else, or for the whole holiday.
A holiday all by yourself, where you really don't have to take anyone into consideration, sounds like a dream? Then let yourself be inspired here: Travelling the world alone: 5 destinations for solo travellers
- gain a sense of achievement
It may not seem like it, but planning and executing an entire trip is no easy feat: Tickets, hotels and more have to be booked - even if we are happy to help you with that - itineraries have to be thought through, possible excursion destinations have to be found, and if something does turn out differently than planned, then you have to react quickly and find solutions. And of course, some trips are small challenges in themselves: the first dive in the sea, the ascent into the mountains, a safari that brings you into close contact with wild animals, ... Those who travel have fun and gain incredible experiences, but at the same time they also experience constant successes. Enjoy them and bask in them!
You can also feel successful if you really have got hold of the absolute cheapest tickets for a particular trip. Here's how we can help you: The best time to book flights? We have the answer!
- make dreams come true
Finally, it's good for our souls when we can finally fulfil our dreams after a long time. For example, have you always wanted to swim with dolphins? Or take a romantic photo with your loved one in front of the Eiffel Tower? On holiday, these wishes can come true and show us that dreams don't have to stay out of reach forever.
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