This Is Your Brain on Travel

Years ago, when I was burned-out at work, a seven-day cruise to Bermuda did more for my mental health than lying on any chaise longue ever could. I cried, laughed, and enjoyed the pool and the music. I made sure I relished everything Bermuda had to offer. By the time I returned home, I was a new person.

Touring is a fantastic way to expand your horizons when visiting those iconic sites on your bucket list. But that’s only one advantage of getting away. Traveling is also a powerful remedy for improving and maintaining your mental health.

Researchers have found that traveling to destinations known and unknown can help improve brain health — even in people with dementia and depression. 

Edith Cowan University’s Centre for Precision Health and School of Business and Law conducted a study to investigate the effects of tourism on patients with dementia and other mental health concerns.

Researchers have found that traveling to destinations known and unknown can help improve brain health — even in people with dementia and depression.

The lead researcher, Jun Wen, Ph.D., a lecturer in tourism and hospitality management, found that “medical experts can recommend dementia treatments such as music therapy, exercise, cognitive stimulation, reminiscence therapy, sensory stimulation and adaptations to a patient's mealtimes and environment,” Dr. Wen said in a statement. “These are all also often found when on holidays.”

Here are some of the ways travel may help boost our brain power.