A few weeks ago, Royal Holiday Cruises looked at some of the health benefits that cruisers enjoy when they take to the high seas: sunshine and wind, relaxation, stimulating experiences, and new friends. Well, it turns out that the positive effects of traveling don’t end with building a healthier body and making friends. In fact, scientific research in recent years has shown that travel can actually improve the mind, as well.
Practically all cruises offer a variety of fascinating personal enrichment activities such as informative seminars and shore excursions. However, the mental benefits of cruising go far beyond a few Q & A sessions with a guide or instructor.
Vacations, in fact, offer some crucial positives that can actually boost creativity. Everyone knows that, aside from its healthy effects on the heart and body, a little rest and relaxation is a great way to clear the mind. Travel takes this idea a step further by putting a person in a new environment, where his or her mind can take advantage of its relaxed state and thrive.
A travel experience such as a cruise exposes a person to a huge array of unfamiliar sensations, personalities, languages, cuisines, and other “mini-adventures.” According to scientists, these kinds of experiences physically stimulate the brain. Even short vacations away from home, visiting new environments and cultures, open up cruisers to exciting new perspectives and opportunities for problem solving.
Consider all the ordinary experiences that become interesting puzzles when exploring an exotic new port of call. How do I get to that attraction? What style is this amazing music? How do I say “thank you” in the local language? What exactly is this item on the menu?
Dealing with small challenges like these makes the mind more flexible. Importantly, it also mentally separates the cruiser from work and the rest of home life. Getting away from old habits and familiar surroundings provides a new, more distant perspective—and this is what boosts creativity and problem-solving skills, according to experts.
So, next time you find yourself enjoying the sea breeze from the deck of a ship, don’t let yourself fret about work or other worries. Remember that the mental exercise of a relaxing cruise vacation could make you make you more creative and more productive when you get back home!
