The Cost of NOT Traveling on Your Mental Health
What You Need to Know About Mental Health and Travel
Travel can protect and boost mental health by offering novelty, rest, and perspective
Taking time off, especially 10+ days, helps reduce stress, increase joy, and improve resilience
Even if you can’t travel far, you can recreate many of the mental health benefits of travel at home
Travel doesn’t just give us a break from work. It gives our brains a break. From building new neural pathways to helping us feel more connected to ourselves and others, travel can be a powerful mental health tool.
Positive Effects of Travel
Everyone loves to talk about where they want to travel, but not nearly enough people talk about how travel improves mental health. Research on the benefits of travel shows that travel is good not just for your physical health, but your mental health.
Travel literally helps your brain. When we’re stuck in the same daily routine, same route to work, same lunch, same inbox, our brains get bored. Travel shakes things up by creating new neural pathways. It’s brain-boosting magic, and it’s backed by research.
Novelty is nourishment for your nervous system. Whether it’s trying new foods, navigating new streets, or attempting a few words in a new language, novelty helps us stay present. And being present is really good for our mental health.
Time in nature can help process trauma. Being outside, especially in nature, can help ground your nervous system.
Maximize the Benefits of Time Off
Travel is good for your mental health, but there’s a catch. Research suggests it takes 10 consecutive days away from work for most people to fully unwind and recover. When was the last time you had a full ten days off, no emails or Slack check-ins? If you’re like many Americans, the answer might be... never.
The U.S. ranks second-to-last globally for vacation time, and even the limited PTO we do get often goes unused. According to Pew Research, many people skip vacation because they don’t feel like they “need” it, don’t want to burden coworkers, or fear falling behind.
Travel Isn’t Always Relaxing (and That’s Okay)
Let’s bust the myth that travel has to be 100% restful to be worth it. Sure, some trips involve beaches and spa days, but others? They come with missteps like going to the wrong train station (raises hand), booking dinner in the wrong neighborhood, or wildly misjudging time zones. These chaotic moments may be frustrating in real-time, but they often become our most hilarious stories.
More importantly, they build our resilience and problem-solving skills. Think of it like a workout for your adaptability muscles. Instead of putting pressure on your trip to be perfect and flaw-free, take the approach that some hiccups will happen, and you trust yourself enough to roll with it.
Travel Builds Self-Compassion and Empathy
Travel builds both self-compassion and empathy. When you're navigating a new place, trying to order lunch in another language, or panicking because you got lost (again), you learn to offer yourself a little grace.
Travel also widens your lens and builds empathy. Seeing how different cultures celebrate milestones, care for family, or share meals can help you feel more connected to the human experience as a whole. It reminds you that while the details vary, many of our joys and struggles are shared.
Gratitude Goes Both Ways
Travel can spark what I call “two-way gratitude.” On one side, you feel immense appreciation for the new places you’re experiencing: the taste of espresso in Paris, the sound of waves in Costa Rica, the energy of Mexico City.
On the flip side, travel also helps you appreciate what you have back home. There’s something special about returning to your own bed, your favorite mug, and your cozy routines.
Both types of gratitude matter, and they work together to boost your mood and help you feel more present in your day-to-day life when on vacation and when you return home.
Plan ahead to Maximize Mental Health Benefits
Start planning your trip before you leave. Research shows that anticipation is a powerful part of the travel experience.
Planning ideas like:
Mapping the streets you’ll walk
Browsing restaurant menus
Planning your travel outfits
This planned anticipation delivers psychological rewards. It can ease anxiety, help you have a sense of control, and create a sense of familiarity that helps you enjoy the trip even more once you’re there.
What If Travel Isn’t Accessible Right Now?
There are many reasons that travel might not be accessible to you, and I’m not just talking financially.
If you’re a part of a marginalized community, it’s important to check travel advisories and do your research on whether a city or country is safe for you to visit
If you’re disabled, you’ll need to research ahead of time what places offer accommodations. I’ve been shocked many times that while the U.S. ADA guidelines aren’t perfect, traveling to places with no accommodations is a nightmare for people with wheelchairs, canes, or strollers
If you have anxiety, OCD, or are neurodivergent, travel might trigger overwhelm in a way that isn’t tolerable
So if travel isn’t accessible to you, there are still ways to tap into travel’s benefits without leaving home.
Here’s how:
Change up your routine. Take a new route to work. Try a new coffee shop. Shake up your lunch or walking route. This mimics that novelty that your brain loves.
Create a travel vibe at home. Add cozy touches to your bedroom, buy candles for your bathroom, or play nature sounds while you stretch.
Stimulate your senses. Cook a new recipe, listen to music in a different language, watch a foreign film, or dive into a travel podcast.
Bonus points if you do these things with others. Having people over to watch a foreign film and inviting them to bring on-theme snacks is perfect!
Travel Improves Mental Health, But It’s Not the Only Way to Feel Better
From boosting creativity to building resilience, travel and mental health are more connected than we often realize. Travel absolutely is beneficial for your mental health. It doesn’t have to be expensive or international for you to reap the benefits.
And if you’re not able to hop on a plane this year, don’t sweat it. You can create mini moments of novelty, rest, and joy, right where you are.
Want more mental health-infused financial support? Sign up for my newsletter for emotionally sound money tips you can use, directly from me, a financial therapist.