There is good news for those of us who love going on holiday scientists now say holidays can help us live longer, so best get that break booked ASAP. A recent study has found a link between travel and increased happiness and better health, which suggests trips could even be prescribed in the future as a way to beat depression.
The study which was conducted at Victoria University in Australia found that travel can affect three different elements of happiness, meaning the joy of a holiday extends well beyond the time you enjoyed away and could help prolong our lives.
The expert in travel and wellbeing at Victoria University, Dr Sebastian Filep, found that motivations for travel, experiences at the destination and the post-holiday reflection all contributed to the pleasure of a break abroad. With the first causing positive emotions in the traveller, the second giving them a sense of purpose and the third giving them a sense of involvement which are all key ingredients of happiness.
Dr Filep, said of the study: “I see an opportunity for a greater connection between tourism and health where holidays become a more important factor in leading a healthy lifestyle, we from studies in the US that experiencing positive emotions reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease, or that optimists live longer than pessimists. So happiness is good for overall physical and mental health and holidays are a good vehicle for experiencing happiness.”
He also noted: “Holidays may possibly lead to people living longer, as holidays make people happy. Happiness is the opposite of depression. If thinking about a holiday, going on a holiday and remembering a holiday plays a role in making people happy, than I certainly think prescribing holidays or travel could help beat depression. “
