Travel can be a great remedy for unhappiness, anxiety, and depression. There are a number of reasons it can boost mental health. 

Travel reduces stress. People become more relaxed after they have been out of their usual environment for a day or two and get the opportunity to relax. It allows them to let go of the anxieties that they deal with in their normal life. Another benefit of travel is that it broadens the mind. Exposure to other cultures can cause a person to reflect on their own assumptions and, sometimes, change their minds. Travel can also be a way of starting fresh. Symbolically, it can be a way to shed a previous life and move on from trauma. 

On a very simple level, travel is fun, and that makes people happy. Many people thrive on the new experiences that travel has to offer, which can boost good brain chemicals and neural connections. People often feel more positive when they are doing something different from their everyday experiences. One study found that people might enjoy anticipating a trip more than the acquisition of a car or another physical object. 

Yet another great advantage of travel is that it offers challenges and improves people’s problem-solving ability. While on the road, it is often necessary for people to think on their feet and bounce back quickly from setbacks to deal with quickly changing situations. They can take this same resilience with them into other settings. International travel and interacting with locals can improve people’s cognitive flexibility and make them more creative. 

Unfortunately, some of these benefits can slip away if people do not take steps to try to retain them. Travel often gives people the opportunity to realize what kinds of things they want more of in their life, whether that is being more physically active, talking to strangers, or something else. They can continue those actions back in their everyday life. It can also help to incorporate something from the trip into life back home, such as cooking a particular cuisine. 

Travel can be life-changing in many ways. It is an excellent antidote to the stress and worry of contemporary life.