Hello Everyone,
I hope this week has treated you well.
I would like to share that I have just returned from a vacation and I feel great – well rested, less stressed and anxious – and ready to start again. Since it is right in the middle of summer, I thought I’d write about the benefits of travel/ vacation on our overall wellbeing. Hopefully it will push a lot of you hard workers to take a well needed break.
I am blessed to have a long history of travelling but it was only recently that I learned the true benefits of it and how the travelling process itself can teach you about life and mental health.
An example was given to me the other day. When flying in a plane, one of the first things you are told is that if you are traveling with anyone in your care and something goes wrong (for example the oxygen mask drops from the ceiling of the plane) you are to put on your mask before anyone else’s in your care. The overall lesson there is that you cannot take care of anyone else unless you take care of yourself first. To do this, an occasional break/holiday is needed.
So, what are the benefits of a holiday?
There is much research that explains the physical and psychological benefits of one. Holidays lower stress and anxiety levels, enhances mood, decreases the possibility of depression and also tends to increases one’s physical activity/ health. (I cannot even write the amount of miles that I walked during my trip – or the amount of shoes I wore out.) Creativity will increase as well as problem solving skills, inspiration and motivation.
We also tend to get more Sun (Vitamin D) when on holiday. This, as we know, helps to strengthen our bones and teeth while also protecting us from various types of diseases.
Travel allows you to meet new and exciting people. I met so many people on my trip who have actually taught me so much. There is education in travel. You learn about foreign cultures; you get to experience new people, food, languages, history, views/ sights, laws and so much more.

Travel helps to strengthen relationships – spending quality time with other people. It doesn’t matter if it’s a new relationship or a married couple of 40 years- you learn so much about that person.

Due to the usual increased activity, travel is beneficial to your physical health as well. It decreases the possibility of heart disease. A study that followed individuals over a period of 9 years revealed that men who took annual holidays were 30% less likely to have heart attacks and the women were less likely to develop coronary heart disease. Lower levels of blood pressure were also found in those that took annual vacations.

Travel allows for great memories. We all have stressful times where we feel overwhelmed and over worked. We also all have moments when we are extremely bored. Thinking back to special times can improve our mental state during these times. Finally, a break will result in higher productivity when returned as well as an increase in energy.
Yes, I must acknowledge that travel may actually be quite a stressful experience for some. There may be a fear of flying, the stresses that come with travel itself or being in an unknown country but there are precautions that one could take that would make the experience easier.
Firstly, plan ahead; be on time. Do not rush to the airport. I had that experience during my travels as I did not cater for traffic and it caused unnecessary stress! Gather the proper information before travel. When going to a foreign country, especially one with a different language, it is better to be prepared. Know where you are going and what’s near you. Find out where the nearest hospital/ health clinic is. This is especially if you have physical or mental health problems. You will feel much more relaxed if you already know where to go during an emergency.
Take a dictionary (if a foreign language is involved). There is nothing more frustrating than not being able to communicate what you need. Travel with family and friends- this makes it a lot more interesting. Take a book/ game or anything that entertains you.
I recently experienced a seven hour flight delay and it was not pretty. Put your “must needs” in the carry on as lost luggage is quite common during travel. While on vacation, be careful of overindulgence. Too much alcohol or food can result in feelings of lethargy, dehydration, headaches etc. and will actually put a damper on your holiday. Finally, get some sleep. We very rarely sleep on holidays as we want to see/ do as much as we can.
It is not only the holiday itself that causes happiness – we have all experienced the sheer excitement and anticipation that comes with the planning and waiting for the holiday period to arrive. This alone can boost good mental health and productivity. It’s important to create space between us and our familiar world – only then can we obtain new perspectives and solutions.
We free our imaginations when in new environments. They are filled with new sorts of stimuli. When we spend every day in the same physical environment, without even noticing it, we develop stable, particular ideas, beliefs and thought processes. These constrict us on a daily basis and again, only when in a foreign place can these be broken and new interpretations and views can surface.
I’m going to acknowledge that many in Guyana cannot afford to travel or go abroad but this does not mean that you can’t just take a break in general. It is extremely important to have balance in life. It’s great to work hard but relaxing from time to time is also beneficial and will ensure the endurance to keep working over a long period of time. I hope that you readers will decide to take a break this summer, you deserve it!
Thank you all for reading. Please continue to write in to caitlinvieira@gmail.com to let me know what you would like to talk about. OR come in to see me at Woodlands Hospital Outpatient Department: For drug/alcohol problems – Mondays 4:15pm or for general mental health issues – Wednesdays 4:15pm.
Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!