Travel has long been touted as a way to broaden horizons, challenge perspectives, and rejuvenate the spirit. It can also have a profoundly positive impact on mental health. The benefits of travel on mental well-being are undeniable.

7 ways travel benefits mental health

Research shared by the World Travel & Tourism Council shares the following 7 ways travel can positively impact mental health:

1. Gives you a break from stress

Travel serves as a powerful antidote to stress, giving one a chance to escape daily pressures and dive into new experiences. Exploring unfamiliar environments and cultures can significantly boost mood and outlook on life. By providing a mental and physical break from everyday stressors, travel allows individuals to return home feeling refreshed with new perspectives.

2. Fresh environments stimulate the brain

Engaging with different cultures and environments stimulates the brain, which in turn enhances cognitive flexibility. This increased mental agility allows for more creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Exposure to diverse perspectives and ways of life can inspire new ideas and approaches.

3. Broadened horizons give you an energy high

Contrary to the misconception that time away from work hinders productivity, travel can actually boost energy levels and work performance. The rejuvenation experienced during a trip often translates into increased motivation and efficiency upon return. This renewed vigour can, in fact, lead to improved focus and productivity in various aspects of life.

4. New perspectives encourage empathy and understanding

Travel provides unique opportunities to connect with people from different backgrounds, which builds empathy and broadens one’s worldview. These interactions can help reduce biases, increase tolerance, and develop a more nuanced understanding of global issues. The result is often a more compassionate and open-minded approach to life and relationships.

5. Getting physical outdoors connects you to nature

Many travel experiences involve increased physical activity, such as walking tours, hiking, or trying new sports. This boost in exercise, often coupled with exposure to natural environments, can have significant positive effects on mental health. Engaging with nature and scenic landscapes has been shown to increase overall well-being.

6. Overcoming travel challenges can boost self-confidence

Navigating new environments, overcoming language barriers, and solving travel-related challenges can greatly enhance your self-confidence. Accomplishing personal travel goals, whether it’s visiting a long-dreamed-of destination or trying an adventurous activity, provides a sense of achievement that can positively impact overall self-esteem.

7. Travelling with loved ones nurtures relationships

Travelling with loved ones can deepen bonds and create shared memories that last a lifetime. These experiences fullfill the human need for love and belonging, as identified in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Additionally, solo travellers often form meaningful connections with fellow travellers or locals, expanding their social network and fostering a sense of global community.

By incorporating these benefits into your lifestyle through regular travel, you can significantly contribute to your mental well-being. Whether it’s a short weekend getaway or an extended international adventure, the positive impact of travel on mental health is clear.

Yes, letting loose is the whole point, but you still want to feel good on your trip—and when you get home.

Hydrating almost exclusively on Aperol spritzes. Slothing in bed until noon. Pretending the hotel gym doesn’t exist. We go on vacation to feel relaxed, and relaxing our usual routines is part of the fun.

“What makes travel so exciting is the novelty—experiencing new cultures, seeing new places, and trying new foods,” Anthea Levi, RD, a registered dietitian based in Brooklyn, tells SELF. There’s zero reason to feel guilty if your best vacation life looks very different from the schedule you tend to follow at home, Levi says (after all, that’s kind of the whole point, right?). And to be totally clear, you shouldn’t feel pressure to “stick” to certain health habits while traveling—or anytime, for that matter.

Still, many of us do feel our best, physically and emotionally, with a little consistency, whether that means regular and filling meals for energy, getting a sweet endorphin boost from working out, or clocking enough sleep. So as much as you might be looking forward to “getting away from it all,” it’s also understandable if you’re worried that shaking up your routine might make it harder to feel as good as you do at home.

But we’re here to ease your mind with a friendly reminder: This isn’t an all-or-nothing situation. Here’s some expert advice on how to commit to a few healthy-enough habits that are easy to maintain on a trip—while still enjoying yourself, Aperol spritzes (or mocktails) and all.

1. Before you go away, reject the “be good” mindset.

If you’re concerned an upcoming vacation is going to throw off your typical food routine, it’s not uncommon to start thinking about needing to be “good” to somehow “earn” your trip, Alissa Rumsey, RD, author of Unapologetic Eating and founder of Rumsey Nutrition Consulting, tells SELF. People who have this mindset are “almost precompensating for what they think is going to happen on vacation,” Rumsey says.

This approach is entirely unhelpful for a few reasons. A big one: It assigns moral value to certain foods, a core tenant of diet culture. (PSA: No foods are “good” or “bad,” and you’re allowed to eat what you want without “saving up” for it first!) Plus, when you deprive yourself of things you really love, you’re less likely to be able to eat mindfully and pay attention to your body’s hunger cues, Rumsey explains, because restriction can make you feel out of control. So if you’ve been trying to be “good” for weeks, when you finally go away, “you can have an ‘F it’ mentality,” she says—and end up feeling unwell as a result.

To shift your mindset, Rumsey suggests focusing on eating enough, eating consistently, and eating foods you actually like in the lead-up to a trip (and all the time!). Just remember that there may (will) still be times when you choose foods that don’t make you feel great, for example, or eat past the point of fullness. “Every eating experience is different,” Rumsey says, adding that some meals might not be the most intuitive or in sync with your body’s hunger cues, and that’s okay. “But continue practicing coming back to yourself and your body and just staying connected as much as you can,” she adds.

2. Ask yourself if you have any nonnegotiables.

Everyone has different health priorities—you might feel really anxious and overwhelmed without your twice-weekly yoga class, for example. Or maybe you struggle with gas and bloating and are nervous that new foods and routines will cause your digestive system to go totally haywire.

That’s why Levi counsels clients to think about two or three health “must-dos” before a trip: If booze makes you sleep terribly, you may tell yourself you’d like to have no more than two alcoholic drinks a day. Or, if you’re always forgetting to sip water at home, you might decide to pack a reusable bottle so you don’t get dehydrated in the gorgeous Italian sun. (Setting hydration reminders on your phone can help with that too.) You could also bring snacks that you know won’t mess with your gut, or plan to stream a couple of short, no-equipment workouts in your hotel room.

“The idea is to figure out a few simple goals you know you can commit to, no matter where you are in the world,” Levi says. Just remember that it’s also not a big deal if you don’t end up doing any of these things—you’re on vacation, baby!—so give yourself permission to be flexible. (But, like, definitely drink some water.)

3. Keep a little consistency.

Routine helps maintain a steady circadian rhythm—the so-called internal “clock” that supports sleep, metabolism, and even immune system function—so things can get seriously thrown off when you travel, particularly if you’re crossing multiple time zones.

Obviously, sticking to the exact same schedule you follow at home isn’t practical or fun—it’s not really a vacation if you can’t do what you want, when you want—but preserving some consistency can help that clock stay on track, W. Christopher Winter, MD, neurologist and author of The Rested Child and The Sleep Solution, tells SELF.

To support your internal rhythm (and hopefully, bank some restorative vacay sleep as a result), Dr. Winter suggests doing a few small things to give your days some regularity, even if you can’t do them perfectly (you’re on vacation, so you probably can’t!). For example, he recommends trying to keep the timing of your meals somewhat consistent (research shows this may help regulate the circadian rhythm). And the same with your sleep: You may not go to bed at 10 p.m. on the dot every night, but even turning in within the same two-hour window each day can help keep your body running on schedule, he says.

4. Build steps into your itinerary.

If you’re someone who thrives in (or after) a sweaty workout and wants to incorporate that on vacation, it’s easier than ever to find one away from home. Beyond the hotel gym (many of which are not-so-standard these days, with luxe amenities like climbing walls and fancy lap pools), apps like Mindbody and Classpass can help you discover local Pilates classes, spin studios, and more.

But if that feels a little too structured for your vacay vibe, simply making an effort to walk as much as you can (and want to)—back and forth on the beach, on a hike, while sightseeing—is a 10/10 way to move your body and feel good. You’ve probably heard that walking has a ton of health benefits; it’s been shown to lower your risk of stroke and heart disease, for two. And because it’s also been linked to everything from improved sleep to a better mood, a higher step count might help you feel more like yourself on your trip too.

A brisk pace (say, while on a museum tour or hitting up local shops for souvenirs) might even be as beneficial for your long-term health as a run, by the way: One large study of walkers versus runners found that moderate-intensity walking and higher-intensity running may similarly reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

5. Practice happy bowel habits.

Yet another reason to get moving: It can help keep you regular. Traveling and being out of your routine can really mess with your poop, Samantha Nazareth, MD, a gastroenterologist based in New York, tells SELF. In a 2017 study of more than 600 Boston-area travelers, for example, 40% reported the aptly named traveler’s diarrhea or other general (but still not fun) GI symptoms like constipation, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain on a recent trip. It’s especially common to have trouble pooping when you’re away from home, Dr. Nazareth says. (In that same study, 42% of the participants who suffered from general GI troubles said constipation was an issue for them.)

Frequent walks are one way to prevent yourself from getting too backed up. And while you should eat what’s satisfying and makes you feel good, Dr. Nazareth says incorporating more high-fiber foods (think adding blueberries to yogurt or choosing whole grain toast for breakfast) can keep things moving along in your gut.

If you already know travel constipation is something you struggle with, you can also consider packing a stool softener, just in case. Just know that some OTC laxatives can be really intense (and some may, er, have the opposite effect by giving you the runs), so talk to your doc if you’re not sure what makes sense for you. (Dr. Nazareth likes magnesium citrate, a relatively gentle saline laxative that softens your poop so it’s easier to pass.)

And very important: “Don’t resist the urge to go because it’s a new place,” Dr. Nazareth says, warning that holding in your poop, as SELF previously reported, is a really great way to become constipated. That’s because the longer stool sits in your colon, the hardier and drier it gets—and more painful to push out. We know, easier said than done when you’re waiting in line for the airport bathroom or desperately hunting down a Porta Potti, but answering nature’s calls is always the right move.

6. Keep your fluids up.

Not only is plane air super dry, thanks to those famously low humidity levels, but you may be drinking more alcohol on vacation than you would at home. Plus, it’s all too easy to forget to refill your glass or water bottle when you’re out of your regular routine, sightseeing, and generally thinking about more fun stuff than what color your pee is. All together, it’s a recipe for dehydration.

This situation can be super serious (severe symptoms like confusion, rapid breathing, and shock require a 911 call, FYI), but even a mild case can make you feel tired, dizzy, and overall not great. And not drinking enough water can also throw off your sleep, digestion, and mood.

You should aim for around 11.5 to 15.5 cups of liquid per day, according to the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. But keeping your fluids up doesn’t need to look like a massive water bottle that you sip on nonstop (although great if that’s your thing!). Along with regularly drinking plain H2O (or flavored water or seltzer), eating lots of high-water content fruits and veggies can also help you meet that daily hydration goal, Lauren Twigge, RD, a registered dietitian based in Dallas, tells SELF. (Watermelon, cucumber, pineapple, sliced peppers, and cantaloupe all fit the bill).

Another (delicious) option: Chocolate milk. “Research shows it can hydrate better than water because of its naturally occurring electrolytes, high water content, and ideal three-to-one carbohydrate-to-protein ratio,” Twigge says.

7. Pack some snacks—or full-on meals—you love for travel days.

It’s hard to stick to your usual routine in general on vacation, but doubly hard on travel days—which are long, unstructured, and can leave you feeling extra out of sorts. You can’t control a flight delay or the limited food options in your terminal, but you can plan ahead with a few pre-packaged snacks in your carry-on.

Bringing a few foods you know you like “allows you to honor your hunger when it emerges,” Rumsey says. That might include easy grab-and-gos like granola bars, beef jerky, nut butter packs, trail mix, and oatmeal, but she also points out that many people forget they’re totally allowed to bring actual meals through security. (TSA just limits liquids above 3.4 ounces; food is fine.)

So if you know airport food doesn’t always appeal to you (or you just want to save money—it’s freaking expensive!), consider packing things like grain-based salads and sandwiches, Rumsey says. That way, you’re less likely to wind up eating a meal that doesn’t sit well with you out of desperation, or turning into a hangry demon.

A final note before we send you on your way: Give yourself permission to ditch even the loosest definition of a “health routine” if it’s not serving you. As solid as the advice above is, if we do say so ourselves, you’re still away from home and that means things won’t always go as you planned. But “it’s a week or two, in the scheme of things,” Rumsey says. “You’re likely going to be in a different routine, and yeah, it might feel uncomfortable at times—but it’s not the end of the world.”

An one of the world’s priciest nations, Singapore demands a thrifty travel strategy. Uncover every avenue to cut costs and make your visit budget-friendly

According to a new global survey, Singapore and Zurich have surpassed New York to become the world’s most expensive cities this year. Singapore is a vibrant and exciting destination with a modern skyline, diverse cultural experiences, and delicious cuisine. However, as one of the world’s most expensive cities, tourists must spend smartly.

We have compiled an extensive guide to ensure you make the most of your trip to Singapore without overspending. Follow our tips and tricks, and you can manage your finances efficiently while enjoying all Singapore offers.

Be An Early Bird

To save money on your trip to Singapore, buy bundled tickets in advance for major tourist attractions or explore free activities such as hiking or visiting places of worship. Avoid booking hotels during Singapore school holidays and public holidays such as Chinese New Year, National Day, and Formula 1 Grand Prix. Check Singapore’s annual public holiday calendar to identify long weekends and avoid peak rates.

Find Cheap Accommodation

Consider budget accommodations like hostels or hotels in Little India or Chinatown. Use online booking platforms to compare prices. Accommodation in Singapore is expensive. A bunk bed in a crowded hostel dorm costs INR 1,248 (SGD 20) or more. Opt for hostels over hotels to save money. Couch surfing with expats is a great way to sleep for free and get local insights on budget travel in Singapore.

Travel Smartly

Tourists often forget to buy Singapore’s transportation card, which can reduce extra expenses. You can easily buy an EZ-Link card for INR 748 (SGD 12) at train stations or INR 624 (SGD 10) at 7-Eleven minimarts. The card is versatile and can be used on both LRT and MRT trains and buses. With EZ-Link, you only pay for the distance you travel, making your transportation experience in Singapore more affordable and convenient.

Shop Carefully

Singapore has many shopping malls, and even Changi Airport is one. They can be expensive, so shop at affordable stores in Chinatown and Little India instead. Remember to haggle. For snacks, drinks, and toiletries, visit the large supermarkets in major malls. VivoMart, under VivoCity, often has special deals.

Frugal Meals

Singapore has safe tap water, a cost-effective alternative to bottled water. You can refill a small bottle for free at hotels or directly from the tap. Singapore is famous for its food courts, halls, and hawker street stalls. Street food is safe and essential to the Singaporean experience. Street food quality is higher than in many other Southeast Asian countries. You can have a satisfying meal for under INR 375 (SGD 6) at food halls or even under INR 190 (SGD 3) for noodle soup. For budget-friendly options, visit the Chinatown food centre or the Lau Pa Sat food centre near the Raffles MRT stop.

Witness Free Attractions

Discover free art displays, public performances, and street performers along the riverfront, esplanade, and city centre. Keep an eye out for waived museum entrance fees on special exhibition days. Consider tourist passes for discounted entrance fees at various attractions, but only if you plan on indoor sightseeing.

If you have a heart condition and are planning to travel soon, preparation is essential. Evaluate your risks, pack necessary medications, and plan ahead to manage your heart health effectively.

Travel is an integral part of life, whether it’s for a vacation, visiting family, or embarking on a spiritual journey. While it can be enjoyable and exciting for most, there are certain considerations people with pre-existing health problems need to make. For those with heart conditions, careful planning and weighing the risks and benefits of travel are essential, as their health status may pose greater challenges compared to someone who is otherwise healthy.

Risks Heart Disease Patients Should Consider While Travelling

Travelling can introduce several challenges to heart disease patients. These include changes in altitude, long periods of immobility, and increased stress.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), sitting immobile on long plane flights or car, train, or bus rides can increase a person’s risk of blood clots in the legs. This is more prevalent in people who have an associated medical issue like Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) or a history of heart failure.

Additionally, while high altitudes may exacerbate symptoms for those with existing heart conditions, dehydration caused during long travels, disruptions to medication schedules, and difficulty accessing emergency care in unfamiliar locations can also pose further challenges, said Dr Kumar.

Hence, patients should consult their cardiologist to discuss travel plans, assess fitness for travel, and understand the potential risks based on their specific condition, he advised.

Travel Safety Tips Heart Disease Patients Should Consider

To travel safely, planning is essential.
Dr Kumar recommended carrying a detailed medical summary, including your diagnosis, medications, and emergency contact information. He advises staying hydrated and avoiding excessive caffeine or alcohol, which can impact heart health.
Moreover, moving around or stretching every 1–2 hours during long trips can help improve circulation and reduce clot risks. If flying, request an aisle seat for easier mobility and avoid carrying heavy luggage to prevent strain.
Stress management is equally important—practise relaxation techniques and allow extra time to avoid rushing.

If you are a heart disease patient, your medical supplies also matter a lot during your travel. These include:

• Your prescribed medications in their original containers, and extra doses in case of delays.
• A portable blood pressure monitor or heart rate monitor to track vital signs.
• Prescribed nitroglycerin tablets, anticoagulants, or emergency medications.
• A copy of your medical records, health insurance details, and contact information for your cardiologist.
• If you have a pacemaker or implanted device, carry your ID card with details about the device.
• A small first-aid kit with basic supplies for minor issues.

Monitoring Heart Health During Travel

Monitoring your symptoms during travel includes paying attention to signs like chest pain, shortness of breath, or unusual fatigue. Use a smartwatch or portable health device to track heart rate and activity levels. Stick to your medication schedule, even across time zones, and consult your doctor for guidance on adjusting timings if needed. Avoid overexertion, particularly in extreme weather or high altitudes, and ensure you have access to emergency services wherever you are.

How To Manage Heart Disease During Travel

“Incorporating simple lifestyle changes can help manage heart disease effectively while traveling. Engage in light exercises like walking or stretching to improve circulation and maintain mobility. If your trip involves extended sitting, perform seated leg exercises or wear compression stockings to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis,” Dr Kumar shared.

He added, “Stick to a heart-healthy diet, choosing foods low in salt and saturated fats. Avoid overindulging in rich or unfamiliar foods, which may aggravate symptoms. Adequate rest is equally important—aim for 7–8 hours of sleep and plan for downtime in your itinerary to avoid fatigue.”