Holidays – They’re Good For Your Health

As caravanners and motorhomers will undoubtedly agree, holidays are often the highlight of the year – whether they’re for a weekend or a whole season. But as well as being relaxing and fun, travel is quickly emerging as being good for your health (even with a sunset glass of vino or two in your awning!). Here’s a few of the ways your trips are keeping you in good nick:

They give your body a chance to repair itself

According to Karen Matthews of Mind Body Center at the University of Pittsburgh, taking a break from your normal routine or work schedule allows your body to repair and replenish itself on a physical and mental level. The centre surveyed 1,399 participants recruited for studies on cardiovascular disease, breast cancer and other conditions, and found that leisure activities, including taking vacations, contributed to higher positive emotional levels and less depression among the participants.

Exposure to the outdoors makes your immune system stronger

For a long time, the key to an illness and allergy free life was a sterile, totally clean environment. However, studies now show that without regular exposure to relatively harmless dirt, pollen and germs, the body becomes less adept at battling illnesses. The more you travel, particularly through rural locations, the stronger your body becomes as it tackles all the microbes it comes in to contact with. This is especially beneficial for children growing up – so next time the kids arrive at the caravan covered in mud, take a breath and think of the health benefits!

A change of scenery encourages a healthy memory

Holidays give us pleasant memories, which we often bring back to the forefront of our minds for reminiscing. When we’re in our day-to-day routine, there can often be whole weeks go by without something significant to look back on. Having memories you like to think back to works the brain like a muscle – and keeps the your memory function in good shape!

Planning your trips keeps you sharp

In a similar way to the point above, thinking of something new challenges the brain and keeps it in great condition. Planning out a route, researching sites and locations, booking ferries etc all push your mind. Even once you’ve arrived, your brain keeps ticking away to get you familiarised with a new place.