Mark Twain once said: "Traveling is an exercise with fatal consequences for prejudice, intolerance and narrow-mindedness"
Traveling not only means spending a few days of wonderful visual pleasure in landscapes never visited before, or knowing new cultures and being surprised by prejudices and paradigms, or the opportunity to take beautiful selfies in iconic places. Traveling is inspiration but it is also health.
And it does not take many scientific studies to certify how advantageous and nutritious this kind of experience is, not only for our memories, but also for our body and mind.
In an increasingly accelerated and stressful world, being able to escape from daily pressures represents an alternative almost as necessary as going to the doctor regularly.
Preparations before traveling
Having made the decision, a series of preparations must be made to guarantee a trip with the best possible conditions:
Communication
In case of traveling outside the country, It is recommended to have a mobile phone plan and Internet with roaming connectivity, because you should not depend only on the Wi-Fi of the airport or hotel.
Also the batteries of the mobiles must be always charged, especially if you go on a trip out of town, in case of an eventuality or emergency.
Itinerary and trip planning
As tempting as it may be, it is never good to improvise (so much) during a trip, especially if it is in another country, especially if it is outside of a main city.
Having an itinerary or a reasonably reasonable plan, with previously chosen sites and estimated hours, guarantees a balanced holiday.
Have a guide
Whether it's an app or a map, having basic notions of the locations you visit is of the first importance. In case of venturing into natural places outside the city, it is recommended to have the advice of a local guide.
Benefits of traveling
Reduces stress
Perhaps the main benefit, or at least the most notorious in the short term. Traveling frees you from daily tensions, especially if you come into direct contact with natural landscapes.
The importance of this lies in the fact that Continued stress can produce physiological, cardiac and neurological complications.
Traveling keeps the heart healthy
Touring new cities or walking and exploring natural landscapes can mean an average of 10.000 steps in a day, it could also represent an average of about 6 kilometers of exercise.
According to a study by the State University of New York, observations were made for more than 10 years to 12.000 people who had a high risk of developing coronary heart disease, the result was that those who did not take vacations and / or traveled had a 32% greater chance of developing these complications.
The reason is very simple: Stress levels directly affect cardiac activity.
Creativity enhancer
Changing the environment for a few days, disconnecting from the usual reality produces a very remarkable result in the levels of creativity.
This is due to the cognitive flexibility, which is the quality of the mind to process ideas through pauses. This works as a kind of background work in which the unconscious optimizes the creative process while the conscious is in another topic.
There are many artists who have produced great works after having traveled on vacation.
Help improve social skills
For many people, traveling means a social challenge.
And it is precisely to get to another city, to another country, ask directions, hear anecdotes and stories from the locals, are experiences that reinforce social skills.
It means leaving the comfort zone and taking the adventure of knowing new cultures, new idiosyncrasies, new realities.
After having traveled, the person returns home with new perspectives and points of view.
Emotional stability
Traveling produces a significant improvement in the levels of emotional stability and personal development.
According to a study by the German University of Friedrich-Schiller, they observed and compared more than 4000 students who traveled and studied abroad.
Unlike those who did not travel, they were open to sharing new experiences and more emotionally stable in their interpersonal relationships.
Planning a trip produces a sense of happiness
So is. Thinking, visualizing and planning a trip, reviewing each detail produces an immense segregation of serotonins and dopamines, which are the hormones that produce the feeling of happiness.
This happens because of the expectation of the trip, when the date approaches, more positive anxiety usually the person feels.
Keeps the mind in good condition
Social situations, speaking a new language, learning from historical sites and enjoying nature are important brain activities.
Not only does it promote the development of synaptic activity, which makes it think faster, it also causes brain protection against degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Without a doubt, it is one of the most precious activities in the world.
Because it is better to collect good experiences and memories than to collect objects.
So ... good trip!