Maybe this advice sounds so obvious and easy, but if you know the power of a quick walk around your block, imagine the benefits that traveling has on your body and mind.

If you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed, maybe the answer is simple: it's time to take a vacation. But if you’re doubting, probably you need some scientific reasons to make that necessary room in your agenda. Below, we give you some interesting data about it:

1. Build a healthy and strong brain

When you travel your brain becomes stronger, because you train the part of the brain in charge of experiencing new adventures, learning new languages ​​and cultures.

When traveling, neuronal connections are increased and our memory strengthens. The stimulating and rewarding experiences improve the cognitive reserve, quite the opposite of what happens when we suffer stressful episodes, which weaken the neural networks.

2. You get more creative

Creativity and neural synopsis increase with adaptation to different activities and stimulation when traveling. Traveling opens the brain, makes it more plastic, more creative and gives us more capacity to understand the world. In some way, it activates it because we need to adapt to new sensations and this is good for our brain. The benefits of getting away from routine and stress, change your perspective and give you a new point of view to develop new strategies and approach problems differently. So you don’t need a specific reason to travel, you can plan an escape just because you know it is good for your health.

3. It gives you a sense of belonging

People who carry out cultural activities or experience the world through travel have a strong sense of group belonging, better self-acceptance, socialize with new people and reduce mortality rate. Social activity maintains body mobility, and thus reduces the risk of dying prematurely, because activity favors physical exercise**.

4. Keeps your heart healthy

In 1948, the famous Framingham study found that women who only took one holiday every six years, were eight times more likely to have a heart attack or develop coronary artery disease than those who went on vacation twice a year. This study was the result of following those women for 20 years.

Another study by researchers at the State University of New York looked at 12,000 men for nine years, who were at high risk of developing coronary heart disease. Those who didn’t take vacations were 32% more likely to die of a heart attack.

So, knowing this information, what will be your next trip? If you don’t have a clear idea of where you wanna go. We give you these amazing and unique options for you.

Sources *Study Group on Behavior and Dementias of the Spanish Society of Neurology. **Gerontological Research Center from Finland.