MUSCAT: As the world slowly crawls out of the pandemic, people are packing their bags to beat lockdown blues and reset mind and body. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes mental health as “a state of well-being in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” Clearly mental health is integral to have a fulfilling life.
A 2020 study found that people who were consciously aware of the vistas and objects around them on a walk reported being more hopeful and upbeat than other walkers. What could be better than savouring exotic food, enjoying the wonderful scenery of a new destination on a hiking route or while skiing down a beautiful slope?
Another German study revealed that people who travelled for at least one week a year get sick much less than people who did not travel. People who did not like to travel called in sick 23 days a year compared to 14 days by travellers who saved money on health insurance.
Holidays have benefits on the performance of employees in particular and on the country’s economy in general. Time away from work can increase your energy and productivity at work. A Harvard Business Review study of over 400 travellers found that 94 per cent of respondents had as much or more energy after coming back from a good trip.
Many people who travel reported a reduction in stress and felt good. This extends for several weeks after finishing the trip. So many of these research findings and studies confirm what we knew already.
To learn about the impact of travel on stress levels, researchers at the Marshfield Medical Research Foundation in Wisconsin, USA, conducted a study partially funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety on two groups of women. Researchers compared psychological stress, quality of marital life and disruptive home life due to work among women who take vacations frequently and those who do not.
The results revealed that the first group who took vacations was less likely to feel tired and stressed, as well as less prone to stress and depression. They also had good relationships with their husbands, unlike other women. The study also showed that these benefits lead to an improvement in the quality of life as well as an improvement in their performance of work.
Staying away from the routine grind everyday life even for a short time provides relief and improves work, study and life.
In recent years, both psychologists and neuroscientists have begun to study the impact of travel on cognitive ability as well as creativity. Travelling and spending a lot of time in different places leads to a change in a person’s mindset and perception as s/he is exposed to new sounds, different smells, different languages that provoke the different synapses in the brain cells. This will enhance the cognitive flexibility of the person.
Travel provides an opportunity to know different countries and cultures as well as learn about food and people.
But travelling for work on long distance flights may expose frequent travellers to several health risks. Several recent studies have shown that such people face hearing damage, dehydration, sleep deprivation due to jet lags and deep vein thrombosis in limbs. They should take steps to limit the impact on their mind and body by regulating the sleep and drinking plenty of fluids
Covid-19 is still among us. So are other infectious diseases. One should follow health protocols and take vaccines before embarking on travel whether for work or travel.
