Are you one of the many people who travels? A total of 66,960,943 Americans traveled outside of the United States as of 2016, which raised by five million from 2015. There are so many positive health benefits of traveling abroad, as more people are figuring out. Although traveling around the world at any age is amazing, visiting other countries at a younger age creates an even bigger impact on life and the way things are seen. Traveling the world teaches appreciation for other cultures and helps learning become more interesting. In my opinion, here are the most important reasons to travel; health benefits, learning about other cultures and learning about yourself.

Mental health benefits are the one of the most important if not the most important benefits of traveling. First of all, walking is the main means of transportation. Using cars, taxis, buses and trains can get expensive, so walking can save money as well as help you see the world more. Along saving money, walking in nature can help relieve stress. In one study, around three days after taking a vacation, travelers reported feeling less stressed and in a better mood (NBCUniversal News). This positive mood has the tendency to linger around for about two weeks after the sed vacation. Traveling can also help prolong death. It is shown that women that travel at least twice a year are at a lower risk of suffering from a heart attack than women who only travel every six years. The same goes for men, but men who don’t travel annually are 20% more likely to die sooner (NBCUniversal).

Being able to appreciate and learn about other cultures can help make life more interesting in my opinion. Traveling to a new and exciting place becomes more memorable when you learn about the culture. Just by people asking for directions or small interactions on the sidewalk can even help with learning new things. Most people learn better by hands on experiences or being in the new environment. Being there in person can help you connect the new culture to your life.

Lastly, traveling can help discover things about yourself that maybe you didn’t know yet. These things could be like trying a new food from some foreign country that you never thought that you would try, or maybe falling in love with a new culture that you never knew existed. Also, connecting with the people and being able to respect their ways can help you when you go back home to respect others.

Traveling the world, even if it’s not many places, is very empowering for the body and learning new things can inspire creativity. Don’t miss out on life changing opportunities like visiting new countries you never knew existed or meeting new people that you’ll never forget.

Works Cited

Peterson, Hannah. “6 Reasons Why Traveling Abroad Is Important for Young People.” Greenheart Travel, 2015.

Wood, Jennifer. “A Record Number of Americans Traveled Abroad in 2016.” The Points Guy, The Points Guy, 4 Jan. 2017.

Alton, Larry. “5 Reasons Traveling Abroad Is Seriously Good for Your Health.” NBCNews, NBCUniversal News Group, 19 May 2017.