With 1 in 3 of us suffering from some form of mental health issue in our life, rest and relaxation have now become more important than ever. Whether it is relaxing at home or travelling on a weekend getaway, this can all benefit you and keep you feeling great all year round. So, before you begin filling in your e111 renewal form, allow us to give you some insight into how travelling can help to improve your mental health.

Promotes Independence

One of the biggest benefits of travelling is the independence that you gain from it. By travelling a lot in your younger years, perhaps on a gap year from university, you learn valuable skills such as money management and communication that you cannot learn in a classroom. These valuable skills help you to grow as a person and learn to know yourself as you travel. If you are travelling alone, this is a great time to be at one with your emotions and understand why you are feeling the way that you do. This is key to growing independently as you have no one to rely on during your adventure.

Lowers Stress Levels

Much the same as a holiday, travelling for a long amount of time is the perfect way to beat stress. If you have a stressful job that takes up a large amount of your life, this could lead to you losing sleep and neglecting the rest that your mind and body need. By leaving your phone at home and disconnecting, you are allowing your mind to truly unwind as you are not able to access social media or your emails. This is what is needed from time to time to keep your mind happy and maintain a stress-free lifestyle to return to work feeling as refreshed as possible.

Brand New Experiences

In addition to the reduction in stress levels, there is also brand-new experience that can positively affect your mental health. As you begin to take yourself out of your comfort zone, you begin to grow in confidence and fully understand what you are capable of. By challenging yourself at least once a day to try something new, you are then able to gradually grow your confidence and experience something new every day.

Enhances Creativity

The final way that travelling can improve your mental health is to encourage creativity. By experiencing new surrounds and brand-new activities, you are giving your brain the stimulation that it needs in order to grow. This is particularly beneficial for those that work in creative fields as this can help you to fix writer’s block. Whether you love photography, design or even writing, travelling is the perfect way to refresh your mind and enjoy new things/. Whether you are a fan of skiing holidays or you are looking to spend some time soaking up the sun, this can all help you feel great when you return to work.

Whether you are looking to travel in the near future, or you are planning your gap year ahead of your graduation in 2020, there is no denying that there are a number of benefits to jetting off on your next adventure. Where will you be travelling to first?