Good news for people traveling around the world. Researchers say looking ahead to your next adventure can have positive effects on your mental health. Even if you are not sure of the day or date of your trip.
Some psychologists tout the psychological benefits of vacationing in a new location. A 2013 study of 485 U.S. adults found that traveling can improve empathy, alertness, energy, and focus. Other research suggests that the act of adapting to a foreign culture may also promote creativity. But what about the act of planning a trip? Can traveling improve your mental health before you even leave home?
Scientists talk about travel
Planning and anticipating a trip can be just as much fun as the trip itself, and there’s research to back that up. A 2014 Cornell University study looked in detail at how expectations for experiences (such as travel) can significantly increase a person’s happiness, far more so than expectations for purchasing material goods. Ta. An earlier study published by the University of Surrey in 2002 found that people are happiest when they are planning a holiday.
Amit Kumar, one of the co-authors of the Cornell University study and an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, explains that the benefits lie less in the details of the itinerary and more in the connections you make with other people. One reason? Travelers “are more likely to talk to people about their experiences than they are to talk about purchasing goods,” he says. “Compared to possessions, experiences make for better storytelling.”
(Related article: Why outdoor therapy is a wellness travel trend.)
The instant film depicts Chicago’s Loop, the historic center of downtown in 2000. Experiences, rather than possessions, tend to enrich a trip because they help you connect with others.
Photo by Jon Lowenstein, Noor/Redux (top) (left) and Jon Lowenstein, Noor/Redux (bottom) (right)
Matthew Killingsworth, Kumar’s co-author and now a senior fellow at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, says planning a trip can give you a sense of optimism.
“As humans, we spend much of our mental life living in the future,” Killingsworth says. His research focuses on understanding the nature and causes of human well-being. “Our forward-thinking is a source of joy when we know good things are going to happen. Travel, in particular, is something to look forward to.”
One reason Killingsworth thinks planning a trip can be such a positive experience is the fact that travel is temporary. “We know that a trip has a beginning and an end, so our minds tend to want to experience it before it even begins,” he says. “Sometimes people even prefer to postpone positive experiences, such as travel, to extend the period of time they can expect them.”
(Related: Plan ahead with tips and strategies for the perfect family vacation.)
There’s another reason why travel planning creates happiness. We often know enough about travel to imagine it and look forward to it, but at the same time there is enough novelty and uncertainty to keep us interested.
“In a sense, as soon as we start thinking about a trip, we start ‘consuming’ it,” Killingsworth says. “When we imagine eating gelato in a Roman piazza or going waterskiing with friends we don’t see often, we begin to experience versions of those events in our minds.”
Glacier National Park, Montana Montana’s Glacier National Park is “iconic for its breathtaking glacier-carved peaks and flowing river valleys,” says photographer Emily Poehler. The 10th most visited national park, Glacier welcomed 3 million visitors in 2018, many of whom were visitors to the famous Path to the Sun.
Photo by Emily Poehler
tips and tricks
Get inspired. No matter what type of travel you’re yearning for, there’s a world of travel books that can provide inspiration. Read some great books that will take you to paradise. Or get excited about taking it slow and enjoying the journey. Sharpen your travel planning skills. New York Times “frugal traveler” Seth Kugel visited 50 countries in six years. His book, Rediscovering Travel: A Guide for the Globally Curious, offers advice on how to deal with the vagaries of wandering around the world. National Geographic’s 50 States, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, and What to Do covers the best travel in every U.S. state, from the obvious to the unexpected. The experience is laid out. Please ask for help. Yes, people still use travel agents, and for good reason. It’s now called Travel Advisor. They can help you find great deals, arrange complex itineraries, and coordinate large group or family vacations. Collect maps. There’s nothing like a good map to help you illuminate a place and plan your trip. National Geographic publishes hundreds of maps and atlases of the world, continents, countries, and cities.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on May 14, 2020 and has been updated.
