Costa Rican explorations fill our proverbial bucket. And that’s only one of the many health benefits of travel!
Travel is restorative. Travel is a salve for a dulled sense of wonder. Travel is a balm for the weary soul. Because travel is good for us. This renewal, this wonder, this restoration – these are the things we crave, thanks to the health benefits of travel. And these are things we know we’ll receive, both intuitively and thanks to science.
The truth is that travel offers so many advantages, so many wonders, so many deviations to our everyday. And all this newness, all this breathtaking beauty, all this challenge to our routine and to boredom and to the everyday — these are the things that wake us up and improve our mood and boost our well-being. These are the promises of travel, especially to Costa Rica.
But you don’t have to take our word for it. Science and evidence and travelers themselves have all the proof that you, and we, need.
Benefit #1: You’ll Spend Time Outdoors
There’s no denying the difference between indoor activity and outdoor explorations; it’s the contrast between summer and winter, between the treadmill and forest trails, between tile flooring and the sand between your toes.
Being outside, even when we’re doing the same or similar activities that we would do inside, feels different. It makes our lungs expand and our muscles stretch, our minds to wander and our hearts to sing. It feels amazing.
And so, it’s easy to see why, at least with travel to Costa Rica, you’ll love exploring the great outdoors. You’ll relish swimming in the Pacific Ocean and hiking through the rainforest you’ll look forward to grilling on your pool terrace and watching the sunset over the ocean. And you’ll wake up every morning to a new adventure — to catamaran sailing and whitewater rafting, to beach wanderings and waterfall chasing, to Pacific surfing and estuary paddling.
If all that’s not enough to be considered a benefit, then know that being outdoors is proven to keep us healthier and that regular travel, especially outdoor travel, can significantly improve our health. (The studied metrics included risk of heart attack and mortality.)
Benefit #2: You’ll Leave Your Stress Behind
You may into it it but did you know that it’s been shown, scientifically, that travel can reduce your stress? It’s true! Multiple studies have demonstrated that stress reduction is one of many health benefits of travel.
In fact, one study showed that just three days away from your everyday life, traveling anywhere but to work, can help you feel less anxious, improve your mood, and boost your feelings of restfulness.
But, even more interesting – and, perhaps, more importantly – The stress reduction imparted by travel persists for long after you return home. In other words take a vacation and you’ll not only reduce your stress for the duration of vacation, but for days and weeks to come. And, as almost any overworked adult will tell you, that is a huge benefit to life!
Benefit #3: You’ll Also Boost Your Happiness
Happiness can be hard to quantify but it’s easy to feel: when we travel, we are happier. Scientists believe that the “happiness quotient” of travel comes down to two main factors: anticipation and the subsequent satisfaction of your anticipation.
One of the more interesting takeaways from a Cornell University study demonstrated that even planning your upcoming travel can make you feel happier. But the real quantification came later, during travel: vacationers reported greater happiness from their travel experiences than had they purchased a physical possession. In other words, we’re happier spending money on experiences than on stuff.
What’s more, Wisconsin’s Marshfield Clinic did a study that showed how well travel can reduce our depression: Among their results, they were able to demonstrate that women who vacation at least twice annually experience lower rates of depression and are less likely to report chronic stress, when compared to women who vacation less often than once every-other year.
Benefit #4: You’ll Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
The health benefits of travel are not always intuitive or easy to grasp. And, when it comes to nudging, pushing, or even leaping outside our comfort zones, it can be hard to understand how this is beneficial, when it’s not our natural state or desire.
But it’s been proven, time and time again, that flirting with the boundaries of our known world can be very good for our mental health and emotional well-being. The good thing is that you can design your own boundary-pushing. You don’t need to bungee jump into the unknown or white water raft a Class V river; the new and the unknown can be as wondrous as snorkeling for the first time or experiencing a humpback whale calf follow its mother through the Pacific.
The key is in your approach: are you willing to try something new in Costa Rica? Because, if you are, then you may just find yourself learning a new turn of phrase or having dinner with a new friend, experiencing a wildlife first or hiking to a heretofore unknown waterfall. And all these experiences, all these firsts, even when they’re more wondrous than challenging, can and do benefit your overall wellbeing and outlook on life.
Benefit #5: You’ll Cultivate Gratitude
Sometimes, it’s all about perspective: We don’t fully comprehend our place in the world, or our little blessings, or our many joys, until we earn a little perspective.
And yes, we say earn. Because perspective is something we have to work for; It’s something that we challenge ourselves to obtain and to cultivate. Travel is one of the ways we do this.
When we go somewhere new, we learn about people whose lives and circumstances and perspectives are different from our own. We learn about life’s differences but, often more importantly, we learn about all the overlaps between us and others. We realize that no matter who we are or where we’re from, we humans all have a lot in common. We are more alike than different.
And all this — these similarities and differences, these contrasts and overlaps – help us understand and appreciate our own circumstances. When we return home, we see our routine and our house and our life through, if not fresh, then fresher eyes, and we push the reset button on our gratitude.
This outlook, this thankfulness – they make all our post-travel days a little better, a little happier, a little more thankful. And that does great things for our quality of life.
Experience the Health Benefits of Travel for Yourself!
Whether you’re venturing off the beaten path or sticking firmly to it, we can help you make the most of your time here – even and especially if you’re traveling Costa Rica on a budget. We’ll make you feel at home, everywhere and anywhere you find yourself adventuring.