While travel junkies probably don’t need another reason to justify their wanderlust, there’s new research out showing that being a globetrotter can be a great way to prevent premature aging.
A study published by Science Daily shows that leisurely travel activities can help alleviate chronic stress, reduce overactivation of the immune system and even promote the healthy functioning of the body’s self-defense system.
“Forget about retinol night creams, researchers from Edith Cowan University believe travel could be the best way to defy premature aging,” the publication said.
Science Daily added that for the first time, “an interdisciplinary study has applied the theory of entropy to tourism, finding that travel could have positive health benefits, including slowing down the signs of aging.”
“Entropy” refers to the general trend of the universe toward death and disorder. And research suggests that tourism could trigger entropy changes, including positive travel experiences mitigating entropy and enhancing health.
Conversely, negative experiences may contribute to entropy increase and compromise health, according to the study.
“Aging, as a process, is irreversible. While it can’t be stopped, it can be slowed down,” Edith Cowan University Ph.D. candidate and study leader Fangli Hu said.
Hu added that positive travel experiences can enhance one’s physical and mental wellness through exposure to novel environments, engagement in physical activities and social interaction. As a bonus, travel can foster positive emotions.
“Tourism isn’t just about leisure and recreation,” Hu said. “It could also contribute to people’s physical and mental health.”
Anti-aging therapy
Let’s take a deeper dive into the good news from the study.
Travel therapy can serve as a “groundbreaking health intervention when viewed through an entropy lens,” Hu said.
“Positive travel experiences may help the body sustain a low-entropy state by modulating its four major systems,” she said.
That’s because tourism typically exposes globetrotters to new surroundings and, if all goes well, to relaxing activities.
These settings can stimulate stress responses and elevate metabolic rates, positively influencing metabolic activities and the body’s self-organizing capabilities. They also may trigger an adaptive immune system response.
All of this “improves the body’s ability to perceive and defend itself against external threats,” Hu explained.
“Put simply, the self-defense system becomes more resilient. Hormones conducive to tissue repair and regeneration may be released and promote the self-healing system’s functioning,” Hu said.
Some of the healthiest forms of travel include physical activities such as hiking, climbing, walking and cycling.
This physical exertion can boost metabolism, energy expenditure and material transformation — all of which is good for you.
“Participating in these activities could enhance the body’s immune function and self-defense capabilities, bolstering its hardiness to external risks,” Hu added. “Physical exercise may also improve blood circulation, expedite nutrient transport and aid waste elimination to collectively maintain an active self-healing system.”
Moderate exercise is also beneficial to the bones, muscles and joints, in addition to supporting the body’s anti-wear-and-tear system.
It’s not all good
Of course, it’s not all rainbows, butterflies and anti-aging when one travels. We’ve all had a travel setback or two. In those cases, your body may not be getting the full anti-aging benefits revealed by Hu’s study.
The research has pointed out that tourists could face challenges such as infectious diseases, accidents, injuries, violence, water and food safety issues, and concerns related to inappropriate tourism engagement.
“Conversely, tourism can involve negative experiences that potentially lead to health problems, paralleling the process of promoting entropy increase,” Hu said. “A prominent example is the public health crisis of COVID-19.”
But on balance it seems, there’s even more reasons to travel the world when you can.
