Physical therapy and regular exercise are ways to invest in your long-term health, but so too may be taking some time to see the world, according to a new study.
The study, published in the Journal of Travel Research, suggests that positive travel experiences may help to slow a person’s biological clock, so to speak. To come to this conclusion, researchers focused on the concept of entropy – which is a measure of chaos and disorder in physics. More entropy, or elevated levels of disorder in the body, can accelerate aging and lead to decreased overall health, while lower entropy can do the opposite.
Researchers say that when we are traveling, we tend to be more physically and socially active than normal, both of which can help to counter entropy increases and contribute to healthy aging.
“Overall, travel might offer a valuable opportunity to nurture both physical and mental health, potentially slowing down the biological aging process,” said Fangli Hu, lead author of the study and a research and PhD candidate at the School of Medical and Health Sciences at Edith Cowan University in Australia, in an email to VeryWell Health.
Of course, if your travel experiences aren’t great, it can have the reverse effect. Negative travel experiences full of stress or illness can lead to poorer health outcomes, researchers say.
Perhaps best of all, researchers found that you don’t need to be an international jetsetter in order to reap the health benefits of travel. Simply carving out some time to travel up north or visit your favorite place with your family can reduce entropy and chaos within our bodies.
“It doesn’t have to be an international trip,” said Hu. “Local travel or weekend escapes might work well too. The key is to tailor travel plans to what best suits individuals’ lifestyle, personal preferences, and health status.”
Traveling And Your Health
Taking a vacation and physical therapy sessions have more in common than you may realize, so we’re not surprised that both of these actions can be great for your health. Researchers surmise that vacationers are oftentimes more physically and socially active, and it’s obvious how being more physically active can be great for your health. Getting your heart pumping, strengthening certain areas of your body and burning calories are great for your health, and if you’re doing this through a PT routine or while hiking on vacation, your body will be better off for it.
Travelers also tend to be more socially active than they are at home, or at least their social involvement differs from the normal conversation they may have at the watercooler with their coworkers every Monday. The conversations we have when we’re traveling tend to take our mind off the stressors in our lives, whereas conversations back home can remind us of all our regular obligations. These lighter conversations can reduce stress levels in our body and promote an overall healthier way of living.
Physical therapy also helps to reduce stress levels, but in a different manner. PT can help you overcome the physical challenges you are experiencing, help you return to athletics or work sooner or help you maintain a high quality of life, all of which can help to combat feelings of stress. It’s no wonder that a great PT session and a great vacation can leave you feeling like a new person by helping to reduce stress.
So get out and travel for your mind and your body. And if travel is becoming more difficult because of physical challenges, let us help to improve your physical health. For PT assistance in the greater Twin Cities area, connect with the team at OrthoRehab Specialists today at (612) 339-2041.