Does your routine make you feel like Bill Murray? Murmeltier Day: stuck in an endless loop? You wake up, go to the gym, go to work, commute home, cook dinner, go to sleep—rinse and repeat.
When the day-to-day gets boring, there’s no better way to shake things up than with a vacation. While traveling can help you get out of a slump, it can also slow down the passage of time, according to new interdisciplinary research from Edith Cowan University (ECU).
In the study, researchers applied entropy theory to travel in aging adults, and the findings were quite surprising. While entropy theory is quite complex, it simply describes the universe’s general tendency toward death and disorder. Through the lens of entropy, researchers found that positive experiences while traveling can reduce increases in entropy and improve health. On the other hand, negative experiences can compromise health.
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“Aging, as a process, is irreversible. It cannot be stopped, but it can be slowed down,” says ECU doctoral candidate Fangli Hu.
Although there are many stressful aspects of travel (like rushing to the airport, unexpected expenses, and bad weather), the positive aspects, such as exposure to new environments, engaging in physical activities and social interactions, and fostering positive emotions, are said to far outweigh the negatives. In fact, positive travel experiences can help the body maintain a low-entropy state and, in turn, trigger an adaptive immune system response, raising metabolic rates.
“Simply put, the self-defense system becomes more resilient,” Hu said. “Hormones conducive to tissue repair and regeneration can be released and promote the functioning of the self-healing system.”
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While any type of relaxing vacation can have long-term effects, research suggests the benefits of traveling that includes physical activities like walking, hiking and cycling are doubled.
“Participating in these activities can enhance the body's immune function and self-defense capabilities, and increase its resilience to external risks,” Hu said. “Physical exercise can also improve blood circulation, accelerate nutrient transport, and help eliminate waste to collectively maintain an active self-healing system. Moderate exercise is beneficial for bones, muscles, and joints, as well as supporting the body's wear-and-tear system.”
The idea that lower stress levels allow people to age better is nothing new. Studies have shown that exposure to stress can increase biological age, not just in humans but also in mice. However, once the stressor is removed, biological age decreases once the stress is resolved. For example, if you’ve had an extra stressful month at work — long hours at the office and sleepless nights — a stress-free vacation might be just what you need.