Why Traveling With Your Family is Good for Your Health

Traveling With Family-Chispa MagazineThere’s nothing quite like a road trip—the freedom of the open road, the joy of finding new and exciting things in even the most familiar areas and the pleasant company of friends or family as you travel. It’s a great way to spend some vacation days and get away from the daily grind. But did you know that traveling with your family is good for your health? Here are a few points for you to consider as you’re planning your next road trip, vacation or weekend getaway.

A Relationship Strengthener
One of the most important reasons to consider regular vacation with your family is that it helps deepen your connection to both yourself and to the people around you. Whether you’re having conversations with the locals or deep introspective talks with your family while you take in the stunning scenery, getting away from home will improve your relationships.

Additionally, getting out of your comfort zone when you’re traveling alone or with family is a great way to affirm your own personal identity, which is a great confidence booster as well.

If you’re traveling with little ones, it’s important to make sure that they’re safe and secure while you’re on your way to and from your vacation. Stressing about your child’s safety won’t help you bond with your family much. Before you hit the road, for those with little ones, make sure to inspect your child’s car seat for any signs of wear or damage, and don’t forget to check the expiration date! Vacations are great, but there’s nothing more important than making sure everyone gets to their destination safely.

An Emotional Recharger
Do you ever notice that you tend to feel better about the world after you come back from a vacation? Stepping away from the stresses of life and work is a great way to recharge your emotional batteries.  Studies show that even a short break from the everyday helps you revitalize. Teachers surveyed before and after a break from school reported that they felt more energetic and less burnt out than before their vacation.

This bit of emotional recharge is a great way to help you reconnect with the people in your life, because it also encourages compassion and empathy that you might not feel otherwise, especially if you’re burnt out and exhausted.

A Stress Reducer
Do you feel stressed?  Chances are, the answer is yes. Well, you’re not alone.  Upwards of 44 percent of Americans have reported feeling more stressed currently then they have in the past five years. Furthermore, 1 in 5 adults experience extreme stress, which is accompanied by symptoms like heart palpitations and depression.

A vacation, even one as short as a couple of days, is the solution to all that stress. Studies have found that a short vacation can help to reduce stress levels and improve your overall health and wellbeing.  Plus, as an added bonus, these effects last for weeks after you’ve returned to your normal day to day routine.

An Immune System Booster
Getting out there and taking a vacation with your family is a great way to bring you all closer together, but it’s also a boost to your immune system.

When you travel outside of your home area, your body—and subsequently your immune system—is exposed to new and exciting bacteria, giving your immune system a run for its money. While you shouldn’t sacrifice basic hygiene in favor of a strong immune system, spending a few days away once or twice a year is a great way to bolster your immune system.

A Mind Sharpener
According to a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people who spend time traveling abroad with family often experience higher levels of creativity and increased personal growth. Immersing yourself in different experiences pushes your mind further, and like any other muscle in the body, the mind needs exercise if it’s going to stay sharp and keen. By taking a vacation with your family, you’re effectively creating a whetstone for your mind.

A Creative Advancement
If you find yourself stuck beneath an enormous writer’s block or unable to access your creative vision, consider a trip with your family. Studies show that vacations, especially ones to foreign countries, can increase overall creativity by nurturing your cognitive flexibility, or the ability of your mind to make intuitive leaps between very different ideas. This is the key to creativity.

Traveling alone is a great way to discover yourself and work toward improving your self confidence and personal identity, but there is nothing better than traveling with the people that you love the most. Now you’ve got even more reasons to enjoy that next vacation with your family—it can improve your health as well as give you tons of amazing stories and pictures to share when you get home.

Photo by Nathan Anderson

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Mia Guerra

Mia Guerra

Executive Editor at Chispa Magazine
Executive Editor at Chispa Magazine, Mia Guerra is a writer at heart. Regardless the topic, she loves to investigate, encourage, and ruminate on topics that can make us better people. Aiming to live a Proverbs 31 life, Mia is ecstatic to be following her calling with Chispa. At home she is her husband's sidekick and together they are raising a God-fearing family in Atlanta.

Mia Guerra

Executive Editor at Chispa Magazine, Mia Guerra is a writer at heart. Regardless the topic, she loves to investigate, encourage, and ruminate on topics that can make us better people. Aiming to live a Proverbs 31 life, Mia is ecstatic to be following her calling with Chispa. At home she is her husband's sidekick and together they are raising a God-fearing family in Atlanta.