Odd Bonus of Travel: It May Slow Aging

An unexpected perk of travel? It may also involve a side trip to the fountain of youth. That’s what a new theoretical study out of Australia’s Edith Cowan University published in the Journal of Travel Research suggests. Per the Washington Post, the study sought to see what effects traveling for fun may have in disrupting entropy, the process of decline. Many aspects of leisurely travel—socializing, engaging with nature, mental stimulation, walking, and eating well—are associated with longevity and recommended by health experts. “Tourism isn’t just about leisure and recreation,” lead author Fangli Hu tells the Post. “It also plays an important role in individual health and public health.”

While the body doesn’t stop aging when we’re in vacation-mode, positive effects from travel—more mental stimulation, increased exercise, reduced stress—can make a physical difference on the body and put the brakes on entropy. “Aging, as a process, is irreversible,” Hu says. “While it can’t be stopped, it can be slowed down.” But travelers should also beware: the study notes that tourism comes with a certain amount of risk—including diseases, accidents, animal encounters, and violence—and stress from these risks can expedite aging. “A prominent example is the public health crisis of COVID-19,” says Hu, per Science Daily. (We tend to age dramatically at ages 44 and 60.)