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5 Ways Travel Is Good for Your Health, According to Experts

Let this act as your sign that it's time to take a trip.

We don't need to sit here and tell you the obvious — we all know these are stressful times we're living in. But what we do need to share with you is that there's a solution when it comes to alleviating at least a little bit of that emotional weight: Taking a trip, even if it's to a destination just around the corner.

"When elevations in stress hormones — such as cortisol — are sustained, we put our bodies at an increased risk for many ailments and chronic diseases," Dr. Kristin McKitish, a physician at Evolved Science in New York City, told Travel + Leisure . "Think high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, anxiety, insomnia, brain fog, digestive issues, and more. It is imperative that we take the time to combat these stressors and traveling can be a great tool."

According to McKitish, travel allows us to step away from our daily stressors and "reboot our bodies and minds, ultimately improving overall health."

"Traveling provides our minds with time to relax and heal, easing worries and anxiety and improving mood," McKitish added. "These benefits are not only seen during travel, but for sometime thereafter, which can lead to an improvement in focus, productivity, and mental health upon returning."

How else is travel good for your mind, body, and soul ? Keep reading to find out.

Travel can improve heart health.

In 2019, researchers followed 63 workers who were eligible for paid vacation and tracked the time off they took over 12 months. The team, which published their findings in the journal Psychology & Health in 2019, found those who took more vacation days had fewer metabolic syndrome incidences or symptoms than those who did not. The researchers even found that the risk for metabolic syndrome "decreased by nearly a quarter with each additional vacation taken by participants."

"Overall, vacations are experienced as positive events," the study's authors wrote. "This positive subjective experience may translate into physical health benefits given that vacation frequency may protect against metabolic syndrome and symptoms."

Vacations can alleviate stress for a prolonged period of time.

Sure, the act of sitting on a beach drinking a fruity cocktail will most certainly leave you feeling carefree, but it turns out that feeling may last well past your return home. According to a 2018 study , even taking a short vacation (defined here as a long four-day weekend) led to a decrease in stress for at least five weeks following the trip.

As the researchers noted, "A short vacation might be a worthwhile alternative for protecting the health of middle managers, even though reducing stress at the source should not be ignored."

Trips to nature can help us breathe easier.

Want to work those lungs and keep your breathing in tip-top shape? Head out for a nature-filled vacation. As one 2019 study published in the Journal Nature explained, "A growing body of epidemiological evidence indicates that greater exposure to, or 'contact with' natural environments (such as parks, woodlands, and beaches) is associated with better health and well-being." The scientists added, "living in greener urban areas is associated with lower probabilities of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma hospitalization, mental distress, and ultimately mortality, among adults; and lower risks of obesity and myopia in children."

And these benefits aren't just for those living directly in nature. The researchers added that city dwellers can reap the benefits too by "visiting green spaces outside your neighborhood." Need help deciding where you can go to get outside? Here are 10 trips that may do the trick .

Getting away can boost productivity and make you a better employee.

Taking a vacation may be the best thing for you if you feel like you're in a professional rut.

A 2016 report by Project: Time Off found that workers who took 11 or more vacation days per year were more likely to have received a raise or a bonus in the previous three years over those who took 10 or fewer days off from work.

"The productivity, creativity, and bringing new ideas forward isn't the person who's working crazy hours," Katie Denis, VP and lead researcher at Project: Time Off, shared with CNBC . "It's someone who's getting outside of their day-to-day life."

Seeing the world can make you more creative.

According to Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, if you're in need of a creative boost all you need to do is add a passport stamp to your collection.

In his research, published by the American Psychological Association , Galinsky and his research partners show that those who've spent significant time abroad (ie: living in a different country) have higher creative tendencies than those who don't.

Why? As Shelley H. Carson, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Harvard University, told Vogue , the act of travel "...exposes us to new experiences and new ideas. When we are creative, our vision becomes broader and the world opens to us, similar to the way our perspective broadens when we travel."

Protect Your Trip »

Why Travel Is Good For Your Health

Even a brief break can help boost your well-being.

benik.at | Shutterstock

Use your vacation days to relax, recharge and increase your physical and mental health.

Americans are forfeiting their vacation days, despite the stress, anxiety and other negative effects of not taking time off from work. In fact, a report by Project: Time Off , shows U.S. employees took about 16 vacation days in 2013, down from about 20 in 2000. Apart from depriving yourself the chance to enhance your productivity and work performance, avoiding taking a break can lead to stress overload and other potentially damaging effects on your health, experts say.

After all, vacations offers the chance to relax and restore overall well-being. But simply taking a hiatus from your demanding workday schedule isn't enough. Traveling somewhere new can enable you to immerse yourself in new surroundings, boost your brain power and fully recharge. With this in mind, here are five reasons why traveling is smart for the mind, body and soul and expert tips for making the most out of your vacation days to rejuvenate and ensure a stress-free getaway.

You'll Recharge Emotionally and Increase Empathy

According to Wallace J. Nichols, author of "Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do" vacationing – especially near the water – can help us reset our emotions and actually increase compassion. "Often associated with feelings of awe and wonder, water can boost our empathy and compassion, our connection to ourselves and those we are with, and for many — from musicians like Pharrell Williams to neurologists like Oliver Sacks – it's a steady source of creativity and insight," he says.

You'll Get Back in Shape

While some may not describe vacations as an opportunity to escalate their fitness routines, travelers may be more active than sitting in an office chair all day. Tourists may walk as much as ten miles a day while sightseeing in Europe or visiting Disney World. Travelers may also be more inclined to try new activities while in a new place, like paddleboarding or hiking. There are also fitness-centric resorts that encourage guests to get fit and try new workouts to boost physical and mental health away from home.

You'll Engage in New Surroundings and Eliminate Stress

Traveling has many advantages, with stress relief topping the list, according to Dr. Margaret J. King, the director of the Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis, a think tank focused on the ideas, products and ideas that drive consumer decisions. 'There are lots of psychological benefits from change of venue from home and work to 'third places' devoted to just experiencing the environment. With a short list of activities each day, freed up from the complexities of ongoing projects and relationships, the mind can reset, as does the body, with stress relief the main outcome. Humans thrive on novelty, and travel offers the complete package with new faces, sounds and sights," she says.

You'll Wind Down and Rest Up

Little sleep   mixed with  high stress  can lead to irritability and negative consequences on your cognitive performance and efficiency. Max Hirshkowitz, chairman of the board of the National Sleep Foundation says a vacation is a great opportunity to catch up on sleep. To feel more energized, the NSF recommends at least seven hours  of sleep per night for adults. "Reserve that time," he says. "Make it an important thing you need."

You'll Boost Your Mood

Many studies suggest that travel can improve our emotional state. A 2014 survey conducted by Diamond Resorts International found over three-quarters of respondents reported feeling happier when they planned a trip at least once a year. Dr. Leigh Vinocur, a certified physician and spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians, isn't surprised by the findings. "It's hard to sit on a beautiful beach somewhere and ruminate about paperwork or deadlines. That is why over three-quarters of respondents to the Diamond Resorts International survey reported feeling happier when they regularly vacationed. Periodic and regular vacations while taking time for yourself and your family lowers your stress level and decreases the release of all those stress hormones that contribute to degrading our mental and physical health," she says. Plus, studies show reminiscing about pleasant vacation memories may trigger happiness long after your trip. 

Tags: Travel , health , Travel Tips

About En Route

Practical advice on the art of traveling smarter with tips, tricks and intel from En Route's panel of experts.

Contributors have experience in areas ranging from family travel, adventure travel, experiential travel and budget travel to hotels, cruises and travel rewards and include Amy Whitley , Claire Volkman , Holly Johnson , Marsha Dubrow , Lyn Mettler , Sery Kim , Kyle McCarthy , Erica Lamberg , Jess Moss , Sheryl Nance-Nash , Sherry Laskin , Katie Jackson , Erin Gifford , Roger Sands , Steve Larese , Gwen Pratesi , Erin Block , Dave Parfitt , Kacey Mya , Kimberly Wilson , Susan Portnoy , Donna Tabbert Long and Kitty Bean Yancey .

Edited by Liz Weiss .

If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.

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The Many Ways Travel Is Good for Your Mental Health

A dozen reasons why hitting the road can help boost your mood.

How Travel Bolsters Your Mental Health

Americans are notoriously hardworking, sometimes to the detriment of our own health. We take fewer vacations than most other countries in the developed world. We're much less likely to travel, as well. “The average U.S. citizen has been outside the country three times. In other countries, it’s more like a dozen times,” says Dr. Joshua A. Weiner, a psychiatrist practicing in McLean, Virginia.

Though there hasn’t been a lot of direct research into this, most experts agree that travel has powerful mental health benefits. “A lot is based on making reasonable conclusions based on other things we do know,” says Dr. John Denninger, a psychiatrist, expert on mind-body science and the director of research for the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. On balance, he says, travel is “absolutely” good for mental health.

Here are 12 ways traveling boosts your mental health:

Travel is a form of behavioral activation. Depressed individuals tend to isolate themselves and avoid things that can bring pleasure, which only makes their depression worse. Increased engagement in activities that have been shown to improve mood, like travel, can help. “It can be as simple as going for a walk, but something more involved, like travel, we can say by analogy almost certainly is worthwhile,” Denninger says.

Experiences trump "stuff." Multiple research studies have demonstrated that happiness is increased much more by experiences than by things ,” Denninger says. “People think the thing that will make them happy is the new Mercedes, but in fact, what makes them happier is the trip they took to Disneyland, or wherever.” A 2014 paper in the journal Psychological Science that looked at four previous studies concluded that “people derive more happiness from the anticipation of experiential purchases and that waiting for an experience tends to be more pleasurable and exciting than waiting to receive a material good."

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[Read: A Look at Depression Around the World .]

Travel teaches resilience. Anyone who has ever traveled, even on a supposedly easy vacation, knows that a road trip is rarely fun every minute. “There are always challenges and conflicts, like in the rest of life. Travel is a chance to recognize that this stuff does happen,” Denninger says. “I try to teach my kids that you can have those hard moments, even in the midst of vacation, and it does not ‘wreck’ the vacation. It’s a moment, and you move on, and that is a good example for when you return to your regular life. Those lessons can be learned in a more concentrated way when traveling."

It can alleviate seasonal affective disorder . By the middle of winter, everyone yearns for some warm sunshine, but those with SAD often need it to combat seasonal depression. “I have patients who, if they have some sort of SAD, I tell to make sure they go on a cruise or head somewhere sunnier every winter,” Weiner says. “It is unclear if it works because of the vacation or whether it’s the week in the sun, but either way it seems to do the trick."

It's a break from daily stress . “You are more likely to disconnect from the phone, and focus on the relationships that really matter, like family,” Weiner says.

Travel connects you with nature. A trip that includes time in natural settings has proven positive health effects. “Our experience of being on a mountain or by the ocean feels sustaining,” Denninger says. For instance, studies have found that going for a walk in nature – rather than an urban environment – can boost your mental health.

It “stretches” you. “Any time you have the opportunity to do something a little less comfortable, to expose yourself to new things, that does two things,” Denninger says. “It creates experiences that can build happiness , and it trains you to be more flexible in your daily life. Travel is often a great opportunity to do that.”

Travel encourages human interaction. “One of the most important contributors to mental health is relationships with other people,” Denninger says. “Travel gives couples, families, groups of friends and even people who meet as strangers an opportunity to connect over new experiences. That is incredibly important to mental health.”

[See: Am I Just Sad – or Actually Depressed? ]

It increases physical activity. Not all vacations are based on skiing or hiking, but on most vacations people tend to be more active. “They walk more, go out to do things, and physical activity has consistently been shown to improve mood,” Denninger says.

It challenges you. Travel often involves problem solving and creative thinking. When your navigation app sends you in the wrong direction, you have to find your way. When your flight is delayed or canceled , you have to figure out how to get to your destination. Solving problems creatively has been shown to help maintain and improve cognitive health . “This type of stress can be experienced in positive way,” Denninger says. “It’s almost like the no pain, no gain idea. If you are always comfortable, you are not growing, so a little discomfort is good. It shows you can get through it.”

It encourages gratitude. A lot of data suggests that showing appreciation, in the form of gratitude journals or diaries , is a powerful tool for mental health. “Travel is great time to keep a gratitude journal and to write down new experiences,” Denninger says. “Travel is a great thing to appreciate, to remind yourself that not everyone has the opportunity to do this. That appreciation has been demonstrated to be positive for mood and mental health.”

[See: Before You Travel: Have You Gotten Recommended Vaccines? ]

Travel may extend your life. A 2013 white paper titled "Destination Healthy Aging: The Physical, Cognitive and Social Benefits of Travel," prepared by the Global Coalition on Aging, the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies and the U.S. Travel Association, reports that travel, especially for retirees, helps prevent dementia, including Alzheimer's disease . The famed Framingham Heart Study found that women who took a vacation every six years or less had a significantly higher risk of suffering a heart attack or dying from coronary disease than women who vacationed at least twice a year. And men who did not take a yearly vacation had a 20 percent higher risk of death and about a 30 percent higher risk of dying from heart disease.

As the Destination Healthy Aging paper concludes, “Ponce de Leon visited Florida 500 years ago in search of the mythical Fountain of Youth. Though he did not find it, by traveling, he was on the right track. Travel and healthy aging, the process of remaining as vibrant as possible in body and mind, are in fact closely associated.”

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5 Scientifically Proven Health Benefits of Traveling Abroad

When was the last time you traveled abroad? Traveling for business is one thing, but I’m talking about packing your bags, logging out of your email account and disconnecting from your normal routine for a week or more.

Traveling the world isn’t just fun and exciting; there’s ample research to suggest it’s highly beneficial for your physical, mental and emotional health as well.

Check Out These Five Proven Benefits

Americans may say they like to travel, but most don’t venture abroad very often. According to a study published in the Hostelworld Global Traveler Report, Americans are half as likely as Europeans to go abroad and visit more than one country.

The average resident of the UK has visited 10 countries, Germans have seen eight, and the French traveled to five nations on average. But Americans? They tend to visit just three. In fact, 29 percent of American adults have never been abroad!

When citizens of the U.S. do move past the border, most visit Canada or Mexico. Affordability is evidently a big factor — about 71 percent of Americans say it’s too expensive to leave the country — but that’s hardly the whole story.

Given what all the travel and deal sites have to offer today, you can travel abroad without ransacking your piggy bank. Perhaps many Americans don’t grasp the benefits of traveling abroad — and there are many!

Let’s dive in and take a look at some of the health benefits that researchers have explored and verified scientifically.

1. Travel Makes You Healthier

According to a joint study from the Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, in partnership with the U.S. Travel Association, traveling actually keeps you healthier . The study found that women who vacation at least twice a year show a significantly lower risk of suffering a heart attack than those who only travel every six years or so.

The same is true for men. Men who do not take an annual vacation show a 20 percent higher risk of death and 30 percent greater risk of heart disease.

2. Travel Relieves Stress

Although missing a connecting flight or losing baggage in a foreign airport is sure to boost your anxiety, traveling has been scientifically proven to lower stress levels, and rather dramatically.

RELATED: Try These Simple 1-minute Meditations to Calm Your Mind

According to one study , three days after taking a vacation, travelers report feeling less anxious, more rested and in a better mood. Interestingly, these benefits tend to linger for weeks after the trip has ended.

3. Travel Enhances Your Creativity

“Foreign experiences increase both cognitive flexibility and depth and integrativeness of thought, the ability to make deep connections between disparate forms,” explains Adam Galinsky , a professor at Columbia Business School who has authored a number of studies that investigate the concrete links between creativity and international travel.

Travel alone isn’t enough, however. Galinsky has found that international travelers have to be purposeful about engaging.

RELATED: 7 Creative Pep Talks to Get You Through the Work Week

“The key, critical process is multicultural engagement, immersion and adaptation,” he continues. “Someone who lives abroad and doesn’t engage with the local culture will likely get less of a creative boost than someone who travels abroad and really engages in the local environment.”

4. Travel Boosts Happiness and Satisfaction

Most people tend to be happier when they’re traveling and don’t have to worry about work, of course. However, one of the more interesting takeaways from a Cornell University study is that people also experience a direct increase in happiness from just planning a trip.

Three days after taking a vacation, travelers report feeling less anxious, more rested and in a better mood.

The study found that the anticipation of taking a vacation is far greater than the anticipation of acquiring a physical possession. Thus, the benefits of traveling abroad begin well before the trip does.

5. Travel Lowers the Risk of Depression

While people tend to avoid the subject in our society, depression is unfortunately a major problem. Millions of Americans struggle with depression on a regular basis and it’s not uncommon for doctors to overprescribe medication for depression.

Luckily, healthier alternatives are available for escaping the hopelessness of a depressed state. According to research, travel may be one of them.

A study from the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin found that women who vacation at least twice a year are less likely to suffer from depression and chronic stress than women who vacation less than once every two years.

Where Will Your Travels Take You This Year?

So there are clear, scientifically-backed health benefits of traveling the world. Mentally, physically and emotionally, you can gain a lot from packing your bags and visiting places you’ve never been.

But where will you go? Thousands of places across the world are worth visiting. Here are a few that should be on your radar:

• London, England. London is a must-visit city. If you’re new to international travel and want to get your feet wet, there’s probably no better destination. Not only is there a lot to do in London , but it’s cheap and easy to get to from most major U.S. cities. There’s also no language barrier, which is a bonus for people who get nervous about that.
• Cape Town, South Africa. The beauty of Cape Town is astonishing. Not only is the landscape unique, but there’s wildlife galore, including the Big Five (lion, elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, and rhino). There’s much to see ; whether you prefer a fast pace or slow and easy, there’s an itinerary for you.
• Lucerne, Switzerland. If you’ve never been to Switzerland, Lucerne is a fantastic first city to experience. Conveniently near to the Zurich airport, the town is compact, yet lively. Not only are there lots of attractions in the city , but you can enjoy an array of hiking trails just outside of town.
• Auckland, New Zealand. Whether you want to kayak to a volcano, abseil down a waterfall, swim with sharks, or tackle challenging trails on a mountain bike, Auckland has everything an adventure lover could ask for. Oh, and it’s also a city that teems with good food and entertainment.

For many, the notion of international travel isn’t as mysterious and thrilling as it used to be. In a world accessible via YouTube, Google Earth, and virtual reality, many think they’ve already seen all the world has to offer, when they’ve really only stared at a screen a few inches in front of their face.

If you want to enjoy the scientifically proven health benefits of travel abroad, you should start planning a trip. Whether you go to London, Cape Town, Lucerne, Auckland, or somewhere entirely different, boarding a plane and flying to a foreign destination where you’re equal parts excited and intimidated is great for your growth and development.

Where will you go?

Have You Heard About The Benefits Of Travelling? Here’s What Science Says

When I say the word “Travel”, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? Food? Vacation? Meeting new people? Or taking Instagramable pictures? What if I give you another reason to add to this list? What if I tell you that there are loads of benefits of travelling?

Yes, it is scientifically proven that travelling is good for our health. And by health I don’t only mean physical health, I also mean mental health. There are many benefits of travelling that I am going to tell you today.

Travel Creates Stronger Antibodies

When you travel, you are exposed to different weather conditions and different surroundings. This means that you are exposed to new bacteria as well. Don’t worry! Your immune system is trained to fight that bacteria. When you travel from place to place, your body gets adapted to different kinds of bacteria and makes your immune system stronger. Antibodies are the main members of the immune system. Exposure to the dirt is a warm-up for them. Exposure provokes the multiplication of T-cells that guard the immune system.

Travel Helps To Lower Stress Levels

This might not surprise you. But now the fact is scientifically proven . You have plenty of free time on a vacation that eventually keeps you away from the stress and gives you time to think… to breathe resulting in stress relief. Even if you are not able to take a full-fledged vacation, try to take a break like a small trip. This will help you lower your anxiety levels and put you in a better mood.

Travel Decreases Heart Disease Risk

Travel improves your brain health.

Studies have shown there is a connection between travelling and increasing creativity. Neural pathways of our brain are influenced by new sounds, new environment, new smells, language, tastes and help the synapses in the brain to revitalise the mind. Another study shows that the people who travel more, are emotionally stable.

Travel Increases Your Life Expectancy

Travel reduces stress and increases brain health resulting in a longer, healthier life. It keeps your body healthy and that helps in increasing life expectancy.

Planning A Trip Itself Increases A Sense Of Happiness

A study from Cornell University discovered that people get more happiness from planning a trip than actually buying something. So not only going on a trip but planning one can also be good for your well-being. People are happiest for their upcoming trips. Why not?

Travelling Reduces The Chances Of Depression

Our modern lifestyle includes a lot of busyness and stress that can have a really negative effect on our productivity and health. Many tests are conducted to prove that travel releases stress levels and helps in building mental health, hence reducing the chances of depression.

Travel Makes You More Creative

Travel brings out the best in you. You must have understood this by now. And if not, here is something to add on to the benefits of travelling. Studies show that the more you travel, the more creative you become in your work. Travel can act as a catalyst for your professional life. Travel allows your brain to make new pathways and connections.

Helps You Sleep Better

Helps you survive periods.

I have heard many people saying that exercise during periods is not good and you should rest as much as possible. But here is a fun fact for everyone. Travelling mostly means staying outdoors. Staying outdoors include a lot of Vitamin D, walking and releasing stress. And all these things are good for you if you want to survive your periods. Sunlight helps in reducing cramps and also provides warmth to your back and abdomen. Moderate exercise such as walking helps in increasing the blood circulation and provides relief from bloating. The endorphins that are released during travel help reduce the crankiness.

Increases Iodine In Body

A visit to coastal areas, swimming in the sea water and consuming seafood can increase the level of Iodine in your body. I don’t need to tell you how important iodine is for your body. Iodine improves immunity and influences thyroid glands functions.

So what are you waiting for? Pack your bags and start your trip for your health’s sake. Take a break and come back smiling. The positive effect of travelling will remain with you for weeks. After that plan another trip. 😉

• Travel and Health

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Travel has been linked to greater happiness, empathy, and creativity. But science suggests even just thinking about a trip can give your brain a boost.

Here’s why planning a trip can help your mental health

Even during a pandemic, thinking about travel can make you happy.

With the pandemic far from over, now may not be the right time for leisure travel. But that doesn’t mean trip planning is canceled too. There’s some good news for globe-trotters: According to researchers, looking ahead to your next adventure could benefit your mental health. Even if you’re not sure when that adventure will be.

Some psychologists tout the mental benefits of vacationing somewhere new . One 2013 survey of 485 adults in the U.S. linked travel to enhanced empathy, attention, energy, and focus. Other research suggests that the act of adapting to foreign cultures may also facilitate creativity. But what about the act of planning a trip? Can we get a mental health boost from travel before we even leave home?

Scientists talk travel

Planning and anticipating a trip can be almost as enjoyable as going on the trip itself, and there’s research to back it up. A 2014 Cornell University study delved into how the anticipation of an experience (like a trip) can increase a person’s happiness substantially—much more so than the anticipation of buying material goods. An earlier study , published by the University of Surrey in 2002, found that people are at their happiest when they have a vacation planned.

Amit Kumar , one of the co-authors of the Cornell study, explains that the benefits are less about obsessing over the finer points of an itinerary than they are about connecting with other people. One reason? Travelers “end up talking to people more about their experiences than they talk about material purchases,” he says. “Compared to possessions, experiences make for better story material.”

( Related: This singer traveled halfway around the world to witness one breathtaking performance. )

Among the pandemic’s many challenges: quarantine measures greatly reduce our ability to create new experiences and connect with other people. And we’re craving those those connections and their social benefits more than ever.

Kumar, now an assistant professor at the University of Texas at Austin, says that the social-distancing experiment the pandemic forced on us has emphasized how much humans—social animals that we are—need to be together. He even suggests replacing the phrase “social distancing” with “physical distancing,” which better describes what we’re now doing; after all, quarantine measures are designed to protect our physical well-being.

Managing emotional well-being is a different challenge. While we may not be as physically close to others as usual, we’re still able to interact with each other socially through voice and video chats. But you still need something to talk about—and plans for the future can serve as the perfect talking points for enhancing social relationships.

Kumar’s co-author Matthew Killingsworth, now a senior fellow at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, says trip-planning encourages an optimistic outlook.

“As humans, we spend a lot of our mental lives living in the future,” says Killingsworth, whose work centers on understanding the nature and causes of human happiness. “Our future-mindedness can be a source of joy if we know good things are coming, and travel is an especially good thing to have to look forward to.”

One reason Killingsworth thinks that planning travel can be such a positive experience? The fact that trips are temporary. “Since we know a trip has a defined start and end, our minds are prone to savor it, even before it’s started,” he says. “Sometimes people even prefer to delay good experiences like a trip so they can extend the period of anticipation.”

( Related: Is virtual travel here to stay, even after the pandemic subsides? )

There’s another reason travel planning can produce happiness: We often know enough about a trip to imagine it and look forward to it—but there’s also enough novelty and uncertainty to keep our minds interested.

“In a sense, we start to ‘consume’ a trip as soon as we start thinking about it,” Killingsworth says. “When we imagine eating gelato in a piazza in Rome or going water skiing with friends we don’t see as much as we’d like, we get to experience a version of those events in our mind.”

Planning during a pandemic

The post-pandemic future of travel is still unmapped. But Killingsworth recommends planning a vague itinerary (where to go, what to do)—without getting attached to taking the trip at any specific time. Then, start booking flights and hotels once experts say it’s safe to travel again. “If the experience becomes more stressful or depressing than fun, file it away for another time.”

Former clinical psychologist turned author Alice Boyes agrees the general approach is best for now, “like learning about a national park you want to visit.”

Related: iconic American destinations

While travel can be anxiety-inducing—especially in the era of COVID-19—Boyes suggests that trip-planning can be calming.

“If you’re anxious by nature, trip-planning can give you a sense of comfort and reduced anxiety,” she says. “For instance, I like to know exactly how I’m going to get from the airport to my hotel upon arrival in a foreign country. I like viewing the walking directions to places and using street view on Google maps, all in advance, so I have a good idea of what to expect and feel confident.”

“This virus can stop our travel plans, but it cannot stop our travel dreams,” says travel expert Rick Steves in conversation with the New York Times . Planning for travel—thinking about it, talking about it, imagining it—may in fact be the best thing you can do to stay optimistic and, when this is all behind us, be ready to embark on your trip of a lifetime.

Tips and tricks

• Get inspired. No matter what kind of trip you’re longing to take, there’s a wide world of travel books to nourish inspiration. Try these great reads that whisk you away to paradise —or get excited to slow down and savor the journey .
• Brush up on your trip-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 channel the whimsy of global vagabonding. National Geographic’s 50 States, 5,000 Ideas: Where to Go, When to Go, What to See, What to Do lays out the best travel experiences in every U.S. state, from the obvious to the unexpected.
• Ask for help . Yes, people still use travel agents —and with good reason. Now called travel advisors, they can help find the best deals, arrange complicated itineraries, and juggle large groups or family vacations.
• Gather some maps . Nothing illuminates a place or helps you plan a trip like a good map. National Geographic publishes hundreds of world, continent, country, and city maps and atlases.

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Brain Health

7 Ways Traveling is Actually Good for Your Health & The Earth

Did you know that travel is good for you?

It is! And it’s good for you in real and scientifically studied ways.

In fact, research indicates that traveling can improve your brain function, boost your heart health, improve your physical activity, turn on your creativity, and help you to be happier , to name a few health benefits.

And if you add eco-travel into the mix, you can experience the feel-good hormones that come from doing something positive for others .

As travel begins to open up with more vaccinations rolling out, it’s a great time to contemplate the benefits of traveling and how it is good for your health.

Let’s explore!

7 Benefits of Traveling for Your Health & The Earth

Traveling to new locations is good for your brain. According to adjunct professor of neurological surgery at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Paul Nussbaum, traveling can stimulate your brain and spur the growth of new connections within its cerebral matter. There’s a link between new experiences and the formation of dendrites, which are the branch-like extensions that grow from brain neurons.

Dendrites help to transmit information between different regions of the brain. When you have a greater number of dendrites, your brain functions better, especially its memory and attention.

When you come up against an obstacle or problem in traveling, and your brain is forced to focus on the situation to create a solution, that act both boosts dendritic growth and tests your problem-solving skills.

The newness is key. When traveling to a new location, your brain is challenged to make sense of new stimuli. Add a foreign language and your brain cognition sharpens even more!

Heart Health

Travel can reduce your chances of heart health problems.

A study conducted by The Global Commission on Aging and Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, in partnership with the U.S. Travel Association found that women who vacationed every six years or more had a significantly higher risk of developing a serious heart issue compared with women who vacationed at least twice a year.

And for men, if they didn’t take an annual vacation, they were shown to have a 20% higher risk of death and about a 30% greater risk of death from a heart health event.

Stress Relief

Travel has been shown to relieve stress , and that stress relief appears to continue even after you return home.

One study showed dramatic reductions in stress for corporate middle managers who took a vacation for just four days and the stress relief lasted four to six weeks after they returned.

When you consider that stress may play a role in 60-80% of primary care visits, stress relief is super important to your overall health. With that statistic in mind, travel takes on increased importance for your health.

Increased Physical Activity

Another factor contributing to the heart health benefits of travel may be the increase of physical activity that often goes with it. In fact, research shows that substantial physical activity may accompany active travel.

Physical activity increases even more if you adventure travel. People of all ages can build trips around physical activities, whether that’s hiking , mountaineering, rock climbing, scuba diving, surfing, skiing, golfing, or a simple walking tour. The possibilities are endless.

But even with simple exploration, sightseeing, and visiting local attractions, you’ll likely be walking greater distances, which is wonderful for both mental outlook, your brain, and your body.

Boosts Creativity

There’s a well-documented link between multicultural traveling and creativity. Exposure to other cultures presents a person with new ideas, concepts, and ways of seeing the world. This kind of exposure expands your mind and facilitates the flow of creative energy.

Of course, engaging in creative pursuits helps us to feel a greater sense of well-being , and reduces stress and anxiousness.

Increased Happiness

With all that physical activity, better cognition, and creative thinking resulting from travel, is it any wonder that travel makes us happier? This was reflected in a survey of 500 people conducted by Washington State University earlier this year. It showed that people who regularly take trips are happier than respondents who rarely travel.

Yet, it may come as surprise to learn that even thinking about travel makes us happy. A Cornell University study explored how thinking about an experience such as a trip can increase a person’s happiness even more than the anticipation of buying material goods. Another study found that people feel greater well-being and happiness in anticipation of a holiday.

Eco-travel Benefits Well-Being and the Earth

For example, in the Amazon Rainforest, there are several ecolodge, adventure travel options. The income from these operations can help restore rainforest areas and support local communities, helping them to refrain from rainforest destructive practices such as gold mining, logging, and slash and burn agriculture.

Knowing you’re making a difference by helping others and the earth can help boost your own mental well-being. It’s a win for all involved.

Time to get planning! Better health and new adventures await.

At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD .

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Why travel is good for your brain

Going on an exciting adventure is a great way to stay active and see the world. But it can also keep your brain sharp. Here’s how.

People travel for many reasons: to relax, explore new places, meet people, visit loved ones — the list is endless. But travel does much more than broaden your physical horizons. It can also be a boon for your brain health , especially if you’re heading into your golden years.

Since physical activity helps your overall health, getting out and about is always a good thing. But other aspects of travel, such as making new memories, engaging in social interactions , participating in new experiences, and just having fun, can also be beneficial for your brain.

“Planning a trip and doing a group tour, with an itinerary and historical destinations to learn about new cultures — this is going to be a great workout for your brain,” says David A. Merrill, M.D. He’s a geriatric psychiatrist and director of Pacific Neuroscience Institute’s Pacific Brain Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “It will activate the circuits of learning new things, remembering things you may have learned about in years past in school, and experiencing new smells and sights and sounds.”

Read on to learn how your next big trip can help keep your brain sharp.

Did you know that BrainHQ may be included with your Medicare Advantage plan?  Check your eligibility today .

How travel works out your body (and your brain)

A key, brain-boosting element of travel is all that built-in exercise. If you’re flying, just walking through airport terminals can give your fitness tracker a workout. A sprawling resort can also help you ratchet up your steps as you go exploring.

Then there are your day-to-day activities, such as:

• Strolling through a museum
• Touring a historical site or ruins
• Walking along the beach or nature trail

All these movements have a payoff, both for your body and your brain. According to a review published in Neurology Clinical Practice , exercise leads to improvements in global cognition, processing speed and attention, and executive function (those are skills that help you plan ahead, meet goals, and display self-control, among other things).

All that moving you’re doing helps with blood flow and keeps your muscles active, says Dr. Merrill. And it sends signals to the brain to maintain its sharpness. “The fact that travel is an active thing will signal to the brain to stay in shape,” he says.

How you can boost your brain health on vacation

Traveling isn’t just a way to exercise your body, it’s also a great workout for your brain . “Having scheduled activities will really maximize time as a brain workout,” Dr. Merrill says. That can include everything from sightseeing and museum-going to catching a play or concert to just engaging in a different culture.

And you don’t have to travel to Timbuktu to get these benefits; you can do them while car camping or day-tripping or on a bus tour. Simply being there will offer you opportunities to learn something new .

That could mean digging into a city’s history (open that guidebook or do searches online for more information). Maybe the people in the place you’re visiting speak a different language or have a different dialect. And while you’re away, try engaging in a new skill or two, like dancing or taking a cooking class. (If you’re camping, try building a fire or setting up your tent without peeking at the directions.) Lifelong learning opportunities help to fight cognitive decline by increasing mental stimulation and social interaction, notes a paper published in the Delaware Journal of Public Health .

Traveling to a new place can benefit your memory. One study showed that being in a new place could increase your empathy, energy, focus, and attention, which helps build strong memories. People often have stronger memories of a trip than they have of their own day-to-day.

Meeting new people while traveling has a similar effect on the brain. (Maybe you meet some fellow campers during that cooking class.) Being social and maintaining friendships can help prevent cognitive decline and reduce the risk of dementia . So, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with the people hanging out at your neighbor’s campsite, sitting nearby on a tour bus, or waiting to be seated at a busy restaurant.

Access to BrainHQ’s brain exercises may be included with your Medicare Advantage plan at no additional cost. Check your eligibility.

Build in rest time for the brain

Of course, you don’t have to be active the entire time you’re traveling. Similar to when doing regular physical activity, schedule time for working out your brain and time for rest and recovery.

“Try to be selective, and maybe focus on one activity per half day,” Dr. Merrill says. “And if you’d like to include some downtime, schedule that in too.”

Traveling allows you to explore new places, meet new people, and discover new cultures. And the big bonus: It helps boost your brain health. So go on vacation; it could be the healthiest move you make all year!

Looking for more ways to build a healthy brain? Try BrainHQ, a brain-training program designed by leading scientists that rewires the brain to help you think faster, focus better, and remember more. And it may be included at no cost with your Medicare Advantage plan. Check your eligibility today .

Additional sources: Exercise and brain health: Neurology Clinical Practice Study on travel and attention: International Journal of Cross Cultural Management Learning and cognitive decline: Delaware Journal of Public Health

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Is Travel Good for Your Health?

Travel has long been celebrated as a means of relaxation and adventure, a break from the daily grind. But did you know that travel can also have significant positive impacts on your health and well-being? 

From reducing stress to boosting mental agility, exploring new destinations can offer a plethora of health benefits. In this article, we'll delve into the various ways travel can contribute to your overall well-being.

1. Stress Reduction: A Ticket to Relaxation

One of the most immediate and noticeable benefits of travel is stress reduction. The simple act of using a trip planner , anticipating the adventure, and finally stepping out of your daily routine can significantly lower stress levels. A change of scenery allows your mind and body to unwind, giving you a break from the constant stressors of everyday life.

But it's not just the anticipation of travel that's therapeutic; being in a new environment can work wonders too. Whether you're basking on a sun-kissed beach, hiking through a lush forest, or exploring a bustling city, the change in surroundings promotes relaxation and reduces stress hormones like cortisol.

Research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found that travel, especially vacations, leads to significant reductions in stress and related symptoms, such as tension and fatigue. So, if you find yourself overwhelmed by the demands of work or life, consider planning your next getaway as a way to unwind and rejuvenate.

2. Mental Stimulation: Sharpening the Mind

Travel isn't just about rest and relaxation; it can also be mentally stimulating. Visiting new places, learning about different cultures, and navigating unfamiliar surroundings all require mental agility and adaptability. These cognitive challenges can help keep your mind sharp and agile.

When you travel, you're constantly exposed to new experiences and situations. You might need to decipher a foreign language, navigate intricate public transportation systems, or plan your itinerary on the fly. These mental exercises stimulate problem-solving skills, enhance creativity, and foster a sense of adaptability - all of which are beneficial for your brain's health.

Additionally, immersing yourself in a new culture can broaden your horizons and enhance your perspective. This exposure to diverse ideas and customs can boost your cognitive flexibility and increase your cultural intelligence, making you more adaptable and open-minded.

3. Physical Activity: Stay Active While Exploring

Travel often involves physical activities, whether it's hiking in the mountains, walking through historic cities, or swimming in pristine waters. These stress-free vacation activities provide an excellent opportunity to stay physically active while enjoying your vacation.

Engaging in physical activities while travelling not only helps you burn calories but also promotes cardiovascular health, improves muscular strength, and boosts endurance. Exploring new destinations on foot allows you to fully immerse yourself in the culture and experience the local way of life. You'll discover hidden gems that you might have missed while travelling by car or public transport.

For instance, exploring the ruins of Machu Picchu in Peru involves a challenging hike along the Inca Trail, providing a great cardiovascular workout. Similarly, snorkelling in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia allows you to witness stunning marine life while engaging in low-impact physical activity.

4. Social Connections: Building Meaningful Relationships

Travel offers opportunities to forge new social connections and strengthen existing relationships. Whether you're travelling solo and making new friends along the way or embarking on a trip with loved ones, these interactions can have a profound impact on your emotional well-being.

Meeting people from diverse backgrounds and cultures can broaden your perspective and deepen your understanding of the world. It fosters empathy, tolerance, and a sense of interconnectedness. These social connections can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation, which are detrimental to mental health.

Travelling with family or friends also allows you to create lasting memories together. Shared experiences, such as hiking to a mountain peak, exploring a bustling market, or savouring a local delicacy, can strengthen your bond and provide a sense of belonging. These positive memories contribute to emotional resilience and overall happiness.

5. Improved Mood: A Natural Antidepressant

Travelling can be a natural mood enhancer. It offers a break from the monotony of daily life and introduces novelty and excitement. Exploring new destinations and engaging in novel experiences trigger the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.

Moreover, being in natural settings, such as forests, mountains, or beaches, can have a calming effect on the mind. Nature is known to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Researchers have found that spending time in natural environments decreases activity in the prefrontal cortex, the brain region responsible for rumination, which is often associated with depression.

A study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology found that just a 90-minute walk in a natural setting can reduce neural activity associated with negative thought patterns. Imagine the mood-boosting effects of an entire vacation immersed in nature!

6. Enhanced Creativity: Inspiring New Ideas

Travel has the power to spark creativity and inspire new ideas. Being in unfamiliar surroundings, exposed to novel experiences and cultures, can stimulate your imagination and encourage innovative thinking.

When you travel, you're more likely to step out of your comfort zone and embrace new challenges. This willingness to take risks and explore the unknown can lead to breakthroughs in your creative endeavours. Whether you're an artist seeking inspiration from a foreign landscape or an entrepreneur brainstorming new business ideas, travel can provide the fresh perspective you need.

In conclusion, travel is not merely a leisure activity; it's a powerful tool for enhancing your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. From reducing stress to stimulating creativity, fostering social connections, and promoting overall happiness, the benefits of travel are undeniable. So, if you've been contemplating your next adventure, remember that it's not just a vacation - it's an investment in your health and happiness. 

Don't feel bad about taking some time away from the day-to-day - embrace it. Not only will it give you a well-needed break, but it will make you feel much better when you return. Bon voyage!

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Before You Travel

Before you travel, take steps to prepare so you can stay safe and healthy during your trip.

Check CDC’s destination pages for travel health information . Check CDC’s webpage for your destination to see what vaccines or medicines you may need and what diseases or health risks are a concern at your destination.

Make sure you are up-to-date on all of your routine vaccines . Routine vaccinations protect you from infectious diseases such as measles that can spread quickly in groups of unvaccinated people. Many diseases prevented by routine vaccination are not common in the United States but are still common in other countries.

Know Your Health Status

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider or a travel health specialist  that takes place at least one month before you leave. They can help you get destination-specific vaccines, medicines, and information. Discussing your health concerns, itinerary, and planned activities with your provider allows them to give more specific advice and recommendations.

Learn About Blood Clots

Airplane travel, especially flights longer than 4 hours, may increase your risk for blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Learn how to prevent blood clots during travel.

Share the following information about yourself or your trip with your provider:

• Special conditions such as pregnancy, allergies, or chronic health problems.
• Destinations on your itinerary.
• Type of accommodations (hotels, hostels, short term rentals).
• Type of travel (cruise, business, adventure travel).
• Timing and length of your trip.
• Planned activities.

Take recommended medicines as directed. If your doctor prescribes medicine for you, take the medicine as directed before, during, and after travel. Counterfeit drugs are common in some countries, so only take medicine that you bring from home and make sure to pack enough for the duration of your trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. Learn more about traveling abroad with medicine .

Plan for the Unexpected

Sometimes unexpected issues occur during travel. Learn what you can do before you leave to protect yourself and your travel companions.

Get travel insurance.  Find out if your health insurance covers medical care abroad. Travelers are usually responsible for paying hospital and other medical expenses out of pocket at most destinations. Make sure you have a plan to  get care overseas , in case you need it. Consider buying  additional insurance  that covers health care and emergency evacuation, especially if you will be traveling to remote areas.

There are different types of travel insurance such as trip cancellation insurance, travel health insurance and medical evacuation insurance. Learn more about travel insurance .

Enroll with the Department of State’s  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  (STEP) . Check for and monitor any travel advisories for your destination. Enrolling also ensures that the  US Department of State  knows where you are if you have serious legal, medical, or financial difficulties while traveling. In the event of an emergency at home, STEP can also help friends and family contact you.

Prepare for emergencies. Leave copies of important travel documents (e.g. itinerary, contact information, credit cards, passport, proof of school enrollment) with someone at home, in case you lose them during travel. Make sure someone at home knows how to reach you in an emergency. Carry your emergency contacts with you at all times.

Some other tips to prepare for emergencies:

• Write down the contact information of people or services you may need while abroad.
• Check in with someone regularly during your trip.
• Dial 1-888-407-4747 if calling from the United States or Canada,
• Dial 00 1 202-501-4444 if calling from overseas, or
• Let family members know they can contact the embassy or consulate for help if they are worried about your safety while abroad.

Prepare a  travel health kit  with items you may need, especially those items that may be difficult to find at your destination. Include your prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines in your travel health kit and take enough to last your entire trip, plus extra in case of travel delays. Depending on your destination you may also want to pack a mask ,  insect repellent , sunscreen (SPF15 or higher), aloe, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, water disinfection tablets, and your health insurance card.

More information for some travelers who may need to take extra precautions:

• Traveling with a disability
• Travelers with a weakened immune system
• Traveling with a chronic illness
• Pregnant travelers

Follow CDC’s guidance on how to stay safe during travel and after travel .

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5 Ways Travel Is Good for Your Mental Health

Here’s why experts say you should consider making time for a vacation this year.

Travel lovers, rejoice. As of Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lifted the requirement for airline passengers to test negative for COVID-19 before boarding a flight into the United States. After more than two years of stay-at-home orders and other travel restrictions, the majority of Americans are ready to venture out and explore, according to Tripadvisor’s annual travel forecast . And that actually may not be a bad idea, because research has found that satisfying our collective wanderlust has a surprising number of benefits for our mental — and possibly even physical — health.

It’s not only because time away from work and the responsibilities of daily life helps us shed stress. Our brains, it seems, are happier when we take them to new, far-flung places — though it’s best to check the CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination before booking any trips to check travel restrictions.

How does travel benefit us? Here are five ways your next trip may contribute to your overall health and well-being.

1. Travel Makes You Happier

People who travel regularly (defined as trips at least 75 miles away from their home) report being about 7 percent happier than those who travel rarely or not at all, according to research on a Taiwanese population published in January 2021 in the journal Tourism Analysis .

Even before the pandemic, researchers identified a link between travel and happiness. They tracked the location of 132 adults for several months. The results, which were published in May 2020 in Nature Neuroscience , indicated that people who spent time in a variety of places reported more positive emotions than those who didn’t venture out as much. About half the subjects also underwent MRI scans near the end of the study, and the scans showed a strong association between visits to diverse places and activity in the hippocampus and the striatum, two parts of the brain that process novelty and reward.

Simply looking forward a trip may increase happiness. Results from a study published in the journal Psychological Science found that consumers experienced more positive feelings when they anticipated spending money on an upcoming experience (“doing”) than on a possession (“having”).

2. Travel May Lower Your Risk of Depression

You’ve likely heard that you “should” take your paid vacation time, but perhaps you’ve wondered if there’s actually evidence to back it up — and there is. Research published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal found that, of 1,500 women, those who took vacations more frequently reported less stress and depression .

Recent research supports these findings. In a study published in January 2019 in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment, and Health ,  experts observed positive results among a group of 3,380 working men and women ages 45 to 52. They found that 10 extra days of paid leave decreased the likelihood of depression by 29 percent for American women (there was no association in men).

“Travel can help with depression in that it gets people out of the rut of their everyday lives,” says Heidi McBain , a licensed marriage and family therapist in Flower Mound, Texas. “It can also be a great reminder of our own humanity, and seeing other people’s pain in the world as a whole can be a great connector when it comes to compassion for self and others.”

3. Travel Makes You More Creative

If you’re feeling burned out , travel may be useful for getting back on track. Adam Galinsky, a social scientist at Columbia University in New York City who studies the relationship between travel and creativity, has found a positive connection between the two. Adapting to different cultures, as often happens naturally and necessarily while traveling, can be powerful enough to foster creativity.

A study Galinsky cowrote, which was published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , found that living abroad can facilitate a process called multicultural learning, which allows you to solve problems in new ways, increase your awareness of your surroundings, and reduce rigidity — all of which, researchers discovered, contribute to creativity.

Novel experiences may prompt you to be more creative, as you may have to think differently to navigate new situations, says Saba Harouni Lurie , a licensed marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles. “The novelty of travel, including people, cultures, customs, and places, can broaden a traveler's perspective, increasing positivity and allowing for creativity. Travel also offers us distance from a problem or situation, which can then give us the possibility of a new perspective.”

Recent research supports this view. A study published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2021 assigned 274 workers to self-report their creativity before and after vacation. Researchers noted that while workers reported less creativity the first day back at work (while trying to tackle accumulated tasks), they felt overall more creative two weeks after a vacation when handling new tasks.

4. Travel Can Strengthen Your Relationships

If you feel closer to your loved ones after a vacation, you’re not imagining things. There is some research to suggest travel can bring you closer together. “Couples who travel together report more satisfaction, experience better communication, and have longer-lasting relationships. This also seems to be true for friendships and families. More time spent in leisure activities, which is more accessible when traveling, enhances our relationships,” explains Lurie.

Women who took two or more vacations per year had a higher level of marital satisfaction than those who took a vacation every two years or less, researchers reported in the Wisconsin Medical Journal . And couples who vacation together are more cohesive and flexible as a unit, with lasting effects well after they return home. The more positive vacation experiences you have with your partner — like communication, shared moments, and affection — the better your day-to-day functioning at home will be post-vacation, noted researchers after studying 112 couples for a study from December 2019 in the Journal of Travel Research .

5. Travel Relieves Your Stress

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but long-term or chronic stress can negatively impact both your mental and physical health, per the  American Psychological Association .

Even a short vacation may lower your overall stress, according to a  study of 40 German middle managers published in July 2018 in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . The small study concluded that a four-day solo stay at a wellness hotel had a significant, positive, and immediate effect on stress and well-being (and suggests short vacations can be as effective as long ones).

Other research indicates that even looking forward to a planned vacation may blunt the effects of stress. Fifty-four workers completed surveys and wore devices to monitor their heart rate in the weeks leading up to and after a vacation. The results indicated that they were less affected by stress in their everyday lives the closer they got to their approaching vacation, according to a study published in August 2020 in the journal Psychology & Health .

The stress-busting effects of a well-timed vacation may be due, in part, to how it increases your connection to the present moment, which means travel can share similarities with the practice of mindfulness, says Elizabeth Jarquin, PhD , a licensed therapist in Dania Beach, Florida. “Individuals who are stressed usually have a lot going on in their minds and are unable to connect with the present. But when people travel, they are in a brand-new environment, one that is out of the ordinary.” This, she says, can lead them to be more mindful of what is going on around them, and may result in a greater connection with the people around them, their surroundings, and the moments they are living in.

The Takeaway

After two years of staycations, now may be a good time to dust off the old passport, or plan a weekend or day trip somewhere new. As COVID-19 restrictions relax somewhat in the United States, a summer getaway could be just what the doctor ordered, and for good reason. Research shows that taking a vacation has multiple potential benefits for your mental health. Not only does some research indicate it can increase happiness and help prevent depression, but it can also help you recover from burnout, heighten your creativity, and expand your horizons — literally, of course, but cognitively, too.

Before you use up those vacation days, though, be sure to glance over the CDC’s guide to COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination in order to help keep you and your family safe.

• Relationships

Why Travel Is Good for Your Relationship Health

The relationship benefits of traveling and four tips to do it well..

Posted April 10, 2024 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

• Why Relationships Matter
• Find a therapist to strengthen relationships
• Relationship partners often establish routines that define their day-to-day, week-by-week interactions.
• Self-expansion theory suggests that a break from the routine might benefit romantic couples.
• New research found that self-expanding vacations predicted higher post-vacation relationship quality.
• Tips for vacation planning include traveling together and focusing on quality, not number, of vacations.

Does a getaway sound appealing? A week away could be just the escape we all need from the day-to-day drudgery. Think of the possibilities: You could sleep in, take a break from your commute, or forgo cooking for a few days; you might try snowboarding, see a stunning vista, indulge in fine cuisine, or soak some sun. No matter the destination, the goal is generally the same: Restoration and revitalization.

Not surprisingly, vacations can improve your personal health and well-being (De Bloom and colleagues, 2009). We might readily think of the many personal benefits of a vacation, but there are other reasons to take a break. Scientists have identified the critical ways in which travel can benefit your romantic relationship (Coffey and colleagues, 2024).

Vacations Break Relationship Routines

Routines help us move easily and smoothly from day to day. For romantic partners, routines include how partners divvy up responsibilities (for example, who does the planning or who does the chores), how they manage children or pets , and how they organize their week. For partners who live together, routines define the rhythm of a household. No doubt routines are beneficial, creating helpful expectations for what gets done and when. This is important when juggling the pressures of work, family, kids, and everything else that life might throw at you.

Yet, routines can also quietly become problematic. If we don't keep them in check, routines can become so entrenched that they strip away novelty from daily life. Partners who once sparkled in each others' presence can find it difficult to maintain passion when routines define their every interaction. Habituation makes for dullness and dullness tends to make unhappy relationships.

One way to disrupt these routines is to take a vacation. Whether it's soaking in the sun, exploring a new city, or cruising on the open sea, time vacationing is time spent outside of typical routine. Might this serve as a booster shot for relationship health?

Vacations May Trigger Self-Expansion

It can be new! It can be exciting! A vacation is a shift away from the typical. The power of such newness may work to revitalize our relationships.

The idea is anchored to self-expansion theory . Self-expansion theory suggests that people are innately motivated to grow and that we can grow through our relationships, gaining new skills, ideas, and perspectives (Aron and colleagues, 2022). And it's not just individuals who can change, it's relationships as well. A strong body of evidence suggests that when couples jointly engage in self-expanding activities, doing so leads to many positive outcomes, including greater relationship satisfaction, passion, and sexual desire (Aron and colleagues, 2001; Muise and colleagues, 2019). Prior research focused on non-vacation activities. The question then, is how vacations might fit into this picture.

Vacations As a Pathway to Better Relationships

Can vacationing benefit relationships? Researchers investigated this question across two studies, the first with 234 individuals and the second with 204 couples (Coffey and colleagues, 2024). Study 1 compared vacationing alone versus with a partner, and in both studies, the extent to which people engaged in self-expanding activities while vacationing was assessed. Vacationing was linked to:

• Higher Relationship Satisfaction . When partners vacation together (not alone), their relationship may experience a boost in relationship satisfaction. In Study 1, engaging in self-expanding activities while vacationing with a partner predicted higher post-vacation relationship satisfaction (Coffey and colleagues, 2024).
• Higher Romantic Passion . Looking to keep the spark alive? Evidence showed that a vacation with a partner, including self-expanding activities, predicted higher post-vacation romantic passion (Coffey and colleagues, 2024).
• More Physical Intimacy. Affection might change day to day and this new research suggests stepping away from routines might encourage physical connection. Evidence from Study 2 showed that romantic partners who shared more self-expanding activities while vacationing together reported more post-vacation physical intimacy (Coffey and colleagues, 2024).

The Keys to a Relationship-Benefiting Vacation

Forget about personal benefits, vacationing may offer ways to improve your relationship. Consider these important tips for planning a relationship-benefiting vacation, drawn from recent research (Coffey and colleagues, 2024).

• Anyone can benefit. The links between vacationing and relationship quality were present regardless of participants' relationship length (Coffey and colleagues, 2024). This suggests that whether partners have been together for three months or 30 years, their relationship might benefit from vacationing together.
• More vacations aren't the answer . It's not the number, but the quality of the vacation that appears critical to encouraging relationship health. The researchers (Coffey and colleagues, 2024) showed that what people did during vacations (that is, the extent of self-expansion) mattered more than how often they took them.
• Take vacations together, not alone . While solo vacations might help you grow personally, solo vacations are unlikely to help your relationship. The link between self-expanding vacations and relationship quality was limited to vacationing with a romantic partner (Coffey and colleagues, 2024).
• Focus on novelty and excitement . There are so many different types of vacations, how do you decide what to do? The current research suggests prioritizing vacations that offer self-expanding activities. Try something new together. Happily, this suggests that budget-friendly vacations can be just as relationship-rewarding as budget-breaking vacations; what matters is doing something interesting and new with your partner.

Relationship well-being doesn't happen by itself, it takes work to maintain a healthy and satisfying relationship. The current research suggests that the work of relationship maintenance can include taking a vacation.

Aron, A., Lewandowski, G., Branand, B., Mashek, D., & Aron, E. (2022). Self-expansion motivation and inclusion of others in self: An updated review. J ournal of Social and Personal Relationships, 39(12 ), 3821–3852.

Aron, A., Norman, C. C., & Aron, E. N. (2001). Shared self-expanding activities as a means of maintaining and enhancing close romantic relationships. In Close romantic relationships (pp. 55-74). Psychology Press.

Coffey, J. K., Shahvali, M., Kerstetter, D., & Aron, A. (2024). Couples vacations and romantic passion and intimacy. Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights , 5 (1), 100121.

De Bloom, J., Kompier, M., Geurts, S., De Weerth, C., Taris, T., & Sonnentag, S. (2009). Do we recover from vacation? Meta‐analysis of vacation effects on health and well‐being. Journal of Occupational Health , 51 (1), 13-25.

Muise, A., Harasymchuk, C., Day, L. C., Bacev-Giles, C., Gere, J., & Impett, E. A. (2019). Broadening your horizons: Self-expanding activities promote desire and satisfaction in established romantic relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 116 (2), 237–258

Theresa DiDonato, Ph.D., is a social psychologist and a professor of psychology at Loyola University Maryland.

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Travel Insurance

Cheapest travel insurance of April 2024

Mandy Sleight

Heidi Gollub

“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.

Updated 9:52 a.m. UTC April 11, 2024

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WorldTrips is the best cheap travel insurance company of 2024 based on our in-depth analysis of the cheapest travel insurance plans. Its Atlas Journey Preferred and Atlas Journey Premier plans offer affordable travel insurance with high limits for emergency medical and evacuation benefits bundled with good coverage for trip delays, travel inconvenience and missed connections.

Cheapest travel insurance of 2024

Why trust our travel insurance experts

Our team of travel insurance experts analyzes hundreds of insurance products and thousands of data points to help you find the best travel insurance for your next trip. We use a data-driven methodology to determine each rating. Advertisers do not influence our editorial content . You can read more about our methodology below.

• 1,855 coverage details evaluated.
• 567 rates reviewed.
• 5 levels of fact-checking.

Best cheap travel insurance

Top-scoring plans

Average cost, medical limit per person, medical evacuation limit per person, why it’s the best.

WorldTrips tops our rating of the cheapest travel insurance with two plans:

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheaper travel insurance plan of the two, with $100,000 per person in emergency medical benefits as secondary coverage and an optional upgrade to primary coverage. It’s also our pick for the best travel insurance for cruises .
• Atlas Journey Premier costs a little more but gives you $150,000 in travel medical insurance with primary coverage . This is a good option if health insurance for international travel is a priority.

Pros and cons

• Atlas Journey Preferred is the cheapest of our 5-star travel insurance plans.
• Atlas Journey Premier offers $150,000 in primary medical coverage.
• Both plans have top-notch $1 million per person in medical evacuation coverage.
• Each plan offers travel inconvenience coverage of $750 per person.
• 12 optional upgrades, including destination wedding and rental car damage and theft.
• No non-medical evacuation coverage.

Cheap travel insurance for cruises

Travel insured.

Top-scoring plan

Travel Insured offers cheap travel insurance for cruises and its Worldwide Trip Protector plan gets 4 stars in our rating of the best cruise travel insurance .

• Worldwide Trip Protector offers $1 million in emergency evacuation coverage per person and a rare $150,000 in non-medical evacuation per person. It also has primary coverage for travel medical insurance benefits, which means you won’t have to file medical claims with your health insurance first.
• Cheap trip insurance for cruises.
• Offers a rare $150,000 for non-medical evacuation.
• $500 per person baggage delay benefit only requires a 3-hour delay.
• Optional rental car damage benefit up to $50,000.
• Missed connection benefit of $500 per person only available for cruises and tours.

Best cheap travel insurance for families

Travelex has the best cheap travel insurance for families because kids age 17 are covered by your policy for free when they’re traveling with you.

• Free coverage for children 17 and under on the same policy.
• $2,000 travel delay coverage per person ($250 per day) after 5 hours.
• Hurricane and weather coverage after a common carrier delay of any amount of time.
• Only $50,000 per person emergency medical coverage.
• Baggage delay coverage is only $200 and requires a 12-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for seniors

Evacuation limit per person

Nationwide has the best cheap travel insurance for seniors — its Prime plan gets 4 stars in our best senior travel insurance rating. However, Nationwide’s Cruise Choice plan ranks higher in our best cheap travel insurance rating.

• Cruise Choice has a $500 per person benefit if a cruise itinerary change causes you to miss a prepaid excursion. It also has a missed connections benefit of $1,500 per person after only a 3-hour delay, for cruises or tours. But note that this coverage is secondary coverage to any compensation provided by a common carrier.
• Coverage for cruise itinerary changes, ship-based mechanical breakdowns and covered shipboard service disruptions.
• Non-medical evacuation benefit of $25,000 per person.
• Baggage loss benefits of $2,500 per person.
• Travel medical coverage is secondary.
• Trip cancellation benefit for losing your job requires three years of continuous employment.
• No “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) upgrade available.
• Missed connection coverage of $1,500 per person is only for tours and cruises, after a 3-hour delay.

Best cheap travel insurance for add-on options

AIG offers the best cheap travel insurance for add-on options because the Travel Guard Preferred plan allows you to customize your policy with a host of optional upgrades.

• Travel Guard Preferred upgrades include “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage , rental vehicle damage coverage and bundles that offer additional benefits for adventure sports, travel inconvenience, quarantine, pets, security and weddings. There’s also a medical bundle that increases the travel medical benefit to $100,000 and emergency evacuation to $1 million.
• Bundle upgrades allow you to customize your affordable travel insurance policy.
• Emergency medical and evacuation limits can be doubled with optional upgrade.
• Base travel insurance policy has relatively low medical limits.
• $300 baggage delay benefit requires a 12-hour delay.
• Optional CFAR upgrade only reimburses up to 50% of trip cost.

Best cheap travel insurance for missed connections

TravelSafe has the best cheap travel insurance for missed connections because coverage is not limited to cruises and tours, as it is with many policies.

• Best-in-class $2,500 per person in missed connection coverage.
• $1 million per person in medical evacuation and $25,000 in non-medical evacuation coverage.
• Generous $2,500 per person baggage and personal items loss benefit.
• Most expensive of the best cheap travel insurance plans.
• No “interruption for any reason” coverage available.
• Weak baggage delay coverage of $250 per person after 12 hours.

Cheapest travel insurance comparison

How much does the cheapest travel insurance cost?

The cheapest travel insurance in our rating is $334. This is for a WorldTrips Atlas Journey Preferred travel insurance plan, based on the average of seven quotes for travelers of various ages to international destinations with a range of trip values.  

Factors that determine travel insurance cost

There are several factors that determine the cost of travel insurance, including:

• Age and number of travelers being insured.
• Trip length.
• Total trip cost.
• The travel insurance plan you choose.
• The travel insurance company.
• Any add-ons, features or upgraded benefits you include in the travel insurance plan.

Expert tip: “In general, travelers can expect to pay anywhere from 4% to 10% of their total prepaid, non-refundable trip costs,” said Suzanne Morrow, CEO of InsureMyTrip.

Is buying the cheapest travel insurance a good idea?

Choosing cheaper travel insurance without paying attention to what a plan covers and excludes could leave you underinsured for your trip. Comparing travel insurance plans side-by-side can help ensure you get enough coverage to protect yourself financially in an emergency for the best price. 

For example, compare these two Travelex travel insurance plans:

• Travel Basic is cheaper but it only provides up to $15,000 for emergency medical expense coverage. You’ll also have to pay extra for coverage for children.
• Travel Select will cost you a bit more but it covers up to $50,000 in medical expenses and includes coverage for kids aged 17 and younger traveling with you. It also offers upgrades such additional medical coverage, “cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage and an adventure sports rider that may be a good fit for your trip.

Reasons to consider paying more for travel insurance 

Make sure you understand what you’re giving up if you buy the cheapest travel insurance. Here are a few reasons you may consider paying a little extra for better coverage. 

• Emergency medical. The best travel medical insurance offers primary coverage for emergency medical benefits. Travel insurance with primary coverage can cost more than secondary coverage but will save you from having to file a claim with your health insurance company before filing a travel insurance claim.
• Emergency evacuation. If you’re traveling to a remote location or planning a boat excursion on your trip, look at travel insurance with a high medical evacuation insurance limit. If you are injured while traveling, transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility could cost in the tens to hundreds of thousands. It may make sense to pay more for travel insurance with robust emergency evacuation coverage. 
• Flexibility. To maximize your trip flexibility, you might consider upgrading your travel insurance to “ cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage . This will increase the cost of your travel insurance but allow you to cancel your trip for any reason — not just those listed in your policy. The catch is that you’ll need to cancel at least 48 hours before your trip and will only be reimbursed 50% or 75% of your trip expenses, depending on the plan. 
• Upgrades. Many travel insurance plans have optional extras like car rental collision and adventure sports (which may otherwise be excluded from coverage). These will cost you extra but may give you the coverage you need. 

How to find the cheapest travel insurance

The best way to find the cheapest travel insurance is to determine what you’re looking for in a travel insurance policy and compare plans that meet your needs.

 “Travel insurance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Every trip is different, and every traveler has different needs, wants and concerns. This is why comparison is key,” said Morrow.

Consider the following factors when comparing cheap travel insurance plans.

• How often you’re traveling. A single-trip policy may be the most cost-effective if you’re only going on a single trip this year. But a multi-trip travel insurance plan may be cheaper if you’re going on multiple international trips throughout the year. Annual travel insurance policies cover you for a whole year as long as each trip doesn’t exceed a certain number of days, usually 30 to 90 days. 
• Credit card has travel insurance benefits. The best credit cards offer perks and benefits, and many offer travel insurance-specific benefits. The coverage types and benefit limits can vary, and you must put the entire trip cost on the credit card to use the coverage. If your trip costs more than the coverage limit on your card, you can supplement the rest with a cheaper travel insurance plan.
• The coverage you need. When looking for the best travel insurance option at the most affordable price, only buy extras and upgrades you really need. A basic plan may only provide up to $500 in baggage insurance, but if you only plan to take $300 worth of clothes and accessories, you don’t need to pay more for higher coverage limits.

Is cheap travel insurance worth it?

Cheap travel insurance can be worth it, as long as you understand the plan limitations and exclusions. Taking the time to read your policy, especially the fine print, well before your trip can ensure there won’t be any surprises about what’s covered once your journey begins.

“If a traveler is looking for coverage for travel delays, cancellations, interruptions, medical and baggage — a comprehensive travel insurance policy will provide the most bang for their buck,” said Morrow. But if you’re on a tight budget and are only worried about emergency medical care and evacuation coverage while traveling abroad, stand-alone options are cheaper.

Before buying travel insurance, you should also consider what your health insurance will cover. 

“Most domestic health insurance plans, including Medicare, will not cover medical bills abroad,” said Morrow. Even if you’re staying stateside, you may find value in an affordable travel insurance plan with medical coverage if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). 

A cheap travel insurance plan is better than none at all if you end up in a situation that would have covered some or all of your prepaid, nonrefundable trip expenses.

Methodology

Our insurance experts reviewed 1,855 coverage details and 567 rates to determine the best travel insurance . From those top-scoring travel insurance plans, we chose the most affordable for our rating of the cheapest travel insurance.

Insurers could score up to 100 points based on the following factors:

• Cost: 40 points. We scored the average cost of each travel insurance policy for a variety of trips and traveler profiles.
• Medical expenses: 10 points. We scored travel medical insurance by the coverage amount available. Travel insurance policies with emergency medical expense benefits of $250,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Medical evacuation: 10 points. We scored each plan’s emergency medical evacuation coverage by coverage amount. Travel insurance policies with medical evacuation expense benefits of $500,000 or more per person were given the highest score of 10 points.
• Pre-existing medical condition exclusion waiver: 10 points. We gave full points to travel insurance policies that cover pre-existing medical conditions if certain conditions are met.
• Missed connection: 10 points. Travel insurance plans with missed connection benefits of $1,000 per person or more received full points.
• “Cancel for any reason” upgrade: 5 points. We gave points to travel insurance plans with optional “cancel for any reason” coverage that reimburses up to 75%.
• Travel delay required waiting time: 5 points. We gave 5 points to travel insurance policies with travel delay benefits that kick in after a delay of 6 hours or less.
• Cancel for work reasons: 5 points. If a travel insurance plan allows you to cancel your trip for work reasons, such as your boss requiring you to stay and work, we gave it 5 points.
• Hurricane and severe weather: 5 points. Travel insurance plans that have a required waiting period for hurricane and weather coverage of 12 hours or less received 5 points.

Some travel insurance companies may offer plans with additional benefits or lower prices than the plans that scored the highest, so make sure to compare travel insurance quotes to see your full range of options.

Cheapest travel insurance FAQs

When buying travel insurance, cheapest is not always the best. The most affordable travel insurance plans typically offer fewer coverages with lower policy limits and few or no optional upgrades. Add up your total nonrefundable trip costs and compare travel insurance plans and available features that cover your travel expenses. This strategy can help you find the cheapest travel insurance policy that best protects you from financial loss if an unforeseen circumstance arises.

Get the coverage you need: Best travel insurance of 2024

According to our analysis, WorldTrips , Travel Insured International and Travelex offer the best cheap travel insurance. Policy coverage types and limits can vary by each travel insurance provider, so the best way to get the cheapest travel insurance plan is to compare several policies and companies to find the right fit for your budget.

A good rate for travel insurance depends on your budget and coverage needs. The most comprehensive travel insurance plan is usually not the cheapest. But cheap trip insurance may not have enough coverage or the types of coverage you want. Comparing different levels of coverage and how much they cost can help you find the best cheap insurance for travel. 

The average cost of travel insurance is between 5% to 6% of your total travel expenses for one trip, according to our analysis of rates. However, you may find cheaper travel insurance if you opt for a plan with fewer benefits or lower coverage limits. How much you pay for travel insurance will also depend on the number of travelers covered, their ages, the length of the trip and any upgrades you add to your plan.

Travel insurance covers nonrefundable, prepaid trip costs — up to the policy coverage limits — when your trip is interrupted or canceled for a covered reason outlined in your plan documents. Even the cheapest travel insurance policies usually provide coverage for:

• Medical emergencies.
• Trip delays.
• Trip interruption.
• Trip cancellation.
• Lost, stolen or damaged luggage.

However, if you’re looking to save on travel insurance, you can shop for a policy that only has travel medical insurance and does not include benefits for trip cancellation .

Even when you buy cheap travel insurance, you can often use upgrade options to customize your policy to meet your specific needs. 

Some common travel insurance add-ons you may want to consider include:

• Rental car damage coverage. 
• Medical bundle.
• Security bundle.
• Accidental death and dismemberment coverage.
• Adventure sports bundle.
• Pet bundle.
• Wedding bundle.
• “Cancel for work reasons” coverage.
• “Interruption for any reason” (IFAR) coverage.
• “Cancel for any reason” (CFAR) coverage .

Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy . The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.

Mandy is an insurance writer who has been creating online content since 2018. Before becoming a full-time freelance writer, Mandy spent 15 years working as an insurance agent. Her work has been published in Bankrate, MoneyGeek, The Insurance Bulletin, U.S. News and more.

Heidi Gollub is the USA TODAY Blueprint managing editor of insurance. She was previously lead editor of insurance at Forbes Advisor and led the insurance team at U.S. News & World Report as assistant managing editor of 360 Reviews. Heidi has an MBA from Emporia State University and is a licensed property and casualty insurance expert.

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Aries Daily Horoscope Today, April 17, 2024 predicts travelling on the cards

Read aries daily horoscope for april 17, 2024, to know your astrological predictions. financially you are good and your health is also intact., aries - (21st march to 19th april), daily horoscope prediction says, put in efforts to keep the romantic relationship steady.

Put in efforts to keep the romantic relationship steady. No major professional challenge will be there. Financially you are good and your health is also intact. Your love life will get stronger today. Settle the issues at the office and focus on the performance. Financially, you will be good and your health will be intact. 

Aries Love Horoscope Today 

A new love affair will turn your fortune. Look for immediate results in the love affair. Some relationships will turn into marriage with the consent of parents. No major argument should take place today and you should also value the opinion of the partner in crucial affairs. Some love affairs require more open communication. Those who are in touch with an ex-lover must ensure that it doesn’t hurt your existing love affair. 

Aries Career Horoscope Today 

You can be serious about relocating to a new city for a job. New opportunities will come up and utilize them to the best of. Those who are into sales and marketing will travel and IT professionals will have a tight schedule. Be productive today and show the willingness to take up new tasks. This will keep you in the good book of management. Some deadlines may be tougher to achieve but you need to strive to prove your commitment. 

Aries Money Horoscope Today 

No major monetary issue will crop up today. Financially you are good and the second part of the day is good to settle the dues. You may have a minor argument over money with a friend. Businesspersons can think about expanding the business to newer territories that may bring in more profit. Some Aries natives will also renovate the house. 

Aries Health Horoscope Today 

No major medical issue will trouble you. But those who have asthma or breathing trouble must be careful about dusty locations. Skip both alcohol and tobacco today. Keep yourself away from any stress and strain as it is not going to be beneficial for you. Take all the necessary precautions to improve your health and your family’s health. Pregnant females should also avoid adventure activities while on a vacation, especially underwater sports. 

Aries Sign Attributes 

•  Strength: Optimistic, Energetic, Sincere, Multitalented, Venturesome, generous, cheerful, curious
•  Weakness: Reckless, Argumentative, Loud-mouthed, Impatient
•  Symbol: Ram
•  Element: Fire
•  Body Part: Head
•  Sign Ruler: Mars
•  Lucky Day: Tuesday
•  Lucky Color: Red
•  Lucky Number: 5
•  Lucky Stone: Ruby

Aries Compatibility Chart

•  Natural affinity: Gemini, Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius
•  Good compatibility: Aries, Libra
•  Fair compatibility: Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, Pisces
•  Less compatibility: Cancer, Capricorn

By: Dr. J. N. Pandey

Vedic Astrology & Vastu Expert

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 9811107060 (WhatsApp Only)

Choose sun sign to read horoscope

Dr. J. N. Pandey a Vedic Astrology and Vastu expert, having more than 25+ years experience and clients across the globe. He holds a Doctorate and Master Degree in Vedic Astrology from B. H. U. Varanasi and was selected as National Scholar by U. G. C. of India, in 1992, to conduct research in Vedic astrology. He has served as Assistant Editor of Almanac (Vishwa Panchangam) published periodically by the B.H.U and was also teaching graduate students in the same university. Dr Pandey provides astrological advice on career, finance, health, romance, marriage, child birth, business and lot more. ...view detail

• Horoscope Aries

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35 Best Toys and Gifts for 4-Year-Olds

Think of these unique ideas when birthdays or other gift-giving occasions roll around.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

"At 4 years old, kids can better distinguish between fantasy and reality, so dress up costumes, puppets and even things like play scarves allow them to pretend and imagine a variety of games," says Jacque Bogdanov, PsyD, child psychologist and founder of ChildBehaviorClinic.com . "Puzzles with greater complexity are appropriate for 4-year-olds as they develop better fine motor skills, coordination and greater problem-solving skills. Construction-type toys, like wooden or foam blocks, larger LEGO sets and magnetic tiles also further encourage problem-solving skills. Play-Doh is another great option as it builds kids’ creativity, as well as finger strength for writing, which they will soon be working on."

The good news is that means there's so much to choose from. The bad news is that means there's so much choice, it can be overwhelming. Luckily, the Good Housekeeping Institute can step in to help. In advance of its yearly Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards , Lab experts evaluate hundreds of toys each year, checking everything from safety to durability to whether a parent might want each toy in their home.

Then the Good Housekeeping Institute passes the toys on to the real experts — actual 4-year-olds — to assess how fun they are to play with, paying particular attention to which toys kids go back to again and again. When the results came in, these were the best toys and gifts to give 4-year-olds in 2024.

Skillmatics Foil Fun

Kid testers couldn't get enough of this unique art project — testers reported that, at picnics and get-togethers, this brought all the little ones together. Kids rub the foil sheets onto the included puffy stickers and, — like magic — the shiny colors transfer over. The kids can use the stickers to make different animal scenes. Ages 4+

Melissa & Doug Scissor Skills Activity Book

Being able to use scissors is a sign of kindergarten readiness, and this activity book was designed to help kids learn to use scissors safely . Included in the kit are mazes, puzzles, animal art, sequencing activities and a pair of plastic safety scissors that help build motor and cognitive skills. The best part? It costs less than $10 , so it's great when you need just a little something. Ages 4+

Big Feelings Pineapple

This pineapple isn't just pretty — it's a great tool for social-emotional learning. When kids use the pieces to make a face, they can compare it to a chart of faces to try and identify and name the emotion. Then, they can look in the pineapple-shaped mirror to see how the expression looks on their real face. Parent testers loved how it gave them the chance to help kids learn the names for their feelings. Ages 3+

Learning Resources Coding Critters

This adorable set is the perfect way to introduce your 4-year-old to coding. Each critter has a set of arrows that help kids "code" its next moves . Kids can follow along with the storybook's directions at first, but they can eventually create their own coding rules for even more fun. There's even a play mode for kids to simply take care of the pets. If they don't like dogs, you can also get the Coding Critters in the shape of a cat , a rabbit or a dinosaur , and Learning Resources also has MagiCoders , which come as a unicorn and a dragon. Ages 4+

VTech Storytime with Sunny

Its amazing how expressive the face on this story-and-joke telling lamp is, and kids love switching out her disks to hear different stories, jokes and activities. Parents loved that it's actually a working night light and alarm clock, which made it easier to start morning and bedtime routines. Ages 3+

Orboot Earth Augmented Reality Globe

Not only is this interactive toy a Lab favorite, but it's also the best-selling globe on Amazon. At first glance, all kids see is the land masses, with no labels or borders. With the free Orboot App, kids can hover their tablet over different parts of the world and learning various tidbits about different countries (from animals and weather to monuments and more). It's a great introduction to social studies. Ages 4+

How to Count to ONE

This picture book had Good Housekeeping Institute testers laughing and laughing. “There were so many giggles while we were reading it!” one reviewer said. The silly counting book has different fanciful illustrations, but always prompts the reader to find a lone item. For example, on the second page, there's a drawing of two whales, one of which has a sausage riding on its spout. Of course, the book asks, "How many sausages do you see?" The answer? Simple, yet hilarious. Ages 3 – 6

RELATED: Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Awards

Playstix Construction Toy

If you're looking for a new building set that they might not have a million of already, this one has long, grooved pieces that lock in with each other. The pieces are color-coded by length, so it's easy to follow along with the instructions and see how different models are built. Or, they can use them for open-ended building and can go wherever their imaginations take them. Ages 4+

BumBumz Plush

The adorable shapes of these plushies won over Good Housekeeping testers. They come in sets of five in different themes — from breakfast foods to groovy symbols like lava lamps and peace signs — and they're perfect for any kid with a collection of cute stuffed animals. Ages 3+

This fun game helps your kids develop language and word recognition skills thanks to the yellow chips with words and images on them. The red Zinger dispenses the chips, and the players race to fill up their board first. It has two levels of play, so kids can continue to enjoy as they grow older. Ages 4+

Quadrilla 'Race to the Finish' Marble Run

Since this toy's layout can be moved around plenty of times, there are endless possibilities so your 4-year-old won't get bored. The different colored blocks have various actions, like spins, drops and spiral funnels. If they like it, they can move on to more complex Quadrilla sets . Note: Since this toy uses marbles, it should be kept out of reach of children under 3 years old. Ages 4+

Crayola Light Up Activity Board

Kids can experiment with mixing colors and combining shapes with this board, which illuminates artwork as they create it. By layering transparency sheets, they can come up with all sorts of designs. In addition to the board, it comes with three markers, 22 shape clings and three “Complete the Scene” transparency sheets. Ages 3+

GeoSafari Jr. Talking Space Explorer

Fans of the ever-popular, best-selling GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope can go from looking into inner space to gazing into outer space with this new toy telescope. Kids look with both eyes, so they don't have to try to keep one closed, and when they do, they'll be treated to actual night-sky images from NASA . Then, the voice of Emily Calandrelli from Netflix's Emily's Wonder Lab offers fascinating facts about the images. Ages 4+

Land of Dough 7 oz Cups

Each of these cups of dough comes with a whimsical picture and design on top — that kids get to smush together, giving them a satisfying sensory experience. The cup also comes with a lot of dough for their creations (seven ounces is more than you think), along with a wooden scooper to use. Parents liked that Land of Dough kept sustainability in mind when choosing ingredients and packaging materials, but kids loved the smell most of all. Ages 3+

Highlights Jumbo Book of My First Hidden Pictures

They'll be hard at work hunting — plus doing mazes, drawing pictures, connecting dots and working on other fun activities — with this hidden picture book geared towards younger readers. And it'll last: This one clocks in at more than 250 pages. Ages 3+

LEGO Disney 100 Celebration Train

Mickey fans young and old will delight in the favorite Disney characters on this LEGO train, including Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Woody, Moana and, of course, Mickey and Minnie themselves. When 4-year-olds snap the 200 pieces together, they can make a parade and feel like they're right on Main Street in Disneyland. Ages 4+

Design & Drill Bolt Buddies Farm

This is an imaginative playset and a STEM construction toy in one! Kids can use a toy, battery-operated drill to put together the farm, including the crops and fences. After they play, they can use the drill to take it all apart again. The farmer is even a screwdriver if the kids want to use that instead of the drill (and get even more practice on their fine motor coordination). You can also get a take-apart tractor to go with it, complete with a farmer and chicken. Ages 3+

Good Housekeeping 123 Cook!

If the kids dream about competing on Top Chef or The Great British Baking Show , this is the gift for them. It offers 50 easy recipes they can use to get started. In addition to instructions for how to make things like Ooey-Gooey Glazed Cinnamon Rolls or Totally Twisted Pasta with Cherry Tomato Sauce, it also offers tips from Good Housekeeping experts on kitchen tools and techniques. Once they've mastered these, they can move on to Good Housekeeping Kids Cook! Ages 4+

Sink N’ Sand Game

Kid testers loved that this board game uses Kinetic Sand as part of the gameplay: At first, the colorful sticks hold up. But, as the game goes on, players remove the sticks and the pieces go tumbling to the bottom level. Parent testers were pretty amazed at how long the sand stays up too. Ages 4+

Micro Kickboard Mini Deluxe Eco Scooter

Good Housekeeping Institute experts appreciated the stability of Micro's three-wheeled scooters, along with the way the height can adjust as kids grow. Parents might also appreciate that the "Eco" version uses components created from recycled ocean plastic. The Mini Deluxe is for kids ages 2 – 5, but if you want to go bigger, the three-wheeled Maxi Deluxe Eco ($150) is for kids ages 5 – 12, so it'll last them into the tween years. Ages 2+

RELATED: The Best Scooters for Kids

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years , overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. 

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