Many of us have seen a quote on social media that goes something like “travel is good for the soul,” but just because you saw it on Instagram doesn’t make it true. What if we told you we had scientific evidence that quote was real? With only 46 percent of Americans using their paid vacation time and less than 40 percent of U.S. citizens owning a passport, we’re spending more of our time working than taking time to relax and taking in the world around us.
The next time you’re contemplating skipping a special occasion that requires a flight or put planning a trip on hold, you might want to reconsider that choice. Taking that trip can be beneficial to your health — especially your heart’s health.
The U.S. Travel Association found that those who don’t make time for vacation are more susceptible to developing heart disease.
Vacationing can reduce stress, increase your creativity, fuel productivity, and decrease heart health ailments, especially in women. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States, with 1 and 2 black women having some form of the disease. Women who don’t take off are at a higher risk of developing and dying of heart disease than women who make time for travel. Men also benefit from jetting off to explore their ideal travel destination. Vacationing can lower men’s risk of death from cardiovascular disease by 32 percent.
For many, travel may seem indulgent, but the reality is that traveling can benefit the mind, body, and spirit. Since depression is twice as likely to occur in people with heart disease, traveling can often ease both issues. We know that traveling isn’t always stress-free due to flight delays, lost luggage, and general travel stresses, but those issues aside: we want to encourage you to take those vacation days and make time to decompress. Your health is counting on it.