In the words of Madonna, “we live in a material world” but does that mean that happiness really lies only in the things that money can buy? When you think about it, it seems that all of us go to work each day just in order to get enough money to buy the things we think we need. But, what does science says about it?
Well, studies have shown that the happiness achieved through material possessions fades away quickly. Surely, buying the latest model of iPhone will make you feel good, but it won’t last for too long. It seems that travels are what our heart really wants.
You don’t think so? Well, here are 5 science-backed facts that prove that holidays can make you a happier person! I’m sure that by the end of this article you’ll want to grab your favorite suitcase and jump on a plane to your favorite holiday destination!
Holidays Make You Happy Even Before They Start
The levels of serotonin go up as soon as you start thinking about a pleasant situation that’s gonna happen in the near future. Basically, anticipation has almost the same effect on your happiness as the actual event. This is why you’re gonna feel happy days or even weeks before your holiday.
If this doesn’t think too logical, let’s take lottery for example. The chances that you’d win it are second to none. However, as soon as you buy a ticket, you start feeling more optimistic about your life. Millions of possibilities are borne in your mind as long as there’s hope that your life can change for the better.
You might wonder what does this have to do with traveling. Well, each holiday is a unique adventure that can easily change your entire life – you might end up falling in love, meet new best friends, and so on.
Holidays Can Improve Your Health
Physical and mental health are interlinked more than you might’ve imagined. A study done by the Global Coalition in 2014 showed that happy people are less likely to suffer from serious diseases. In fact, the same research proved that those who went on holidays at least once per year had less chance to suffer a deadly heart attack than others.
Considering that most holidays involve a lot of time spent outdoors, travels can boost your immune system. Moreover, visiting new places around the planet can make you immune to certain diseases. In the same manner the vaccines work, when you get exposed to certain viruses and bacteria, your body reacts and creates a defensive mechanism that will keep you from those diseases in the future.
Breaking Your Comfort Zones
Holidays will help you get out of your comfort zones and explore new things. This way, you will be able to shake some action and move away from your routine that might be slowly crushing your soul. Gaining new experiences is bound to keep a smile on your face long after the trip is over. The best thing is that you can expect unexpected situations on every holiday. Whether it’s trying to haul a Taxi in Paris, or ordering sushi in broken Japanese, you can be certain that some memorable moments will happen.
You Make New Friends
Because trips will take you out of your comfort zones, you will feel free to do whether you want. When you’re away from home, you don’t have to worry too much about your appearance, manners – this is your opportunity to express yourself. In turn, you are likely to make some friends, which will love you for who you really are.
Being Away Makes You Appreciate Family and Friends
Spending some time at the other end of the planet can help you understand which are the things that you cherish the most in your life. For instance, people tend to take some things for granted, like their family and friends.
But, when you’re away in a strange land, you’re guaranteed to realize how much you actually miss them. This lesson will come in very useful when you get back. It will give you the direction to the path your life should take. Rather than spending your evenings binge-watching TVs, this experience might make you want to spend more time talking with the people you love.