Going on vacation can be a form of therapy for people with fragile mental health.
This concept of “travel therapy” is supported by recent Australian research drawing parallels between travel experiences and some of the therapies recommended for people with mental health disorders such as dementia.
What if tourism had real benefits for our mental health?
In fact, the concept of travel therapy is gaining more and more ground among health specialists.
A study by researchers at Edith Cowan University in Australia (ECU), carried out in collaboration with experts in tourism and health, explains that while vacations are a time of leisure and relaxation, they can also have a therapeutic aspect.
“Medical experts may recommend dementia treatments such as music therapy, exercise, cognitive stimulation, reminiscence therapy, sensory stimulation, and adaptations to the patient’s meals and environment,” says lead researcher Dr. Wen Jun, in a statement.
“All of these also often meet when they are on vacation.”
Going on vacation provides a change of environment and new experiences.
This leads to cognitive and sensory stimulation.
In addition, vacationers spend more time outdoors, which allows them to increase vitamin D and serotonin levels, whether they visit a cold or hot country.
On vacation, we are generally more physically active, usually walking more than usual, for example.
In addition, meals are more likely to be shared experiences, involving socializing with others, which “has been found to positively influence eating behavior in dementia patients,” says Dr. Wen.
All of these experiences combine to represent a “holistic tourism experience”.
After two years marked by the Covid-19 pandemic, “it is a good time to identify the place of tourism in public health, and not only for healthy tourists, but for vulnerable groups,” concludes the specialist. – AFP Relaxnews
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