Researchers say you can forget about expensive retinol creams and other anti-aging solutions and suggest that travel could be your best anti-aging secret.
A groundbreaking study from Edith Cowan University has discovered that travel can have significant health benefits, including slowing down the signs of aging.
The research, which applied entropy theory to tourism for the first time, found that positive travel experiences can help mitigate the effects of aging.
Entropy is the concept of the universe’s tendency toward disorder and decay.
The study suggests that tourism can trigger changes in entropy, with positive experiences potentially enhancing health and slowing down aging.
Aging can be slowed down
According to ECU PhD candidate Fangli Hu, “Aging is an irreversible process, but it can be slowed down.”
She noted that positive travel experiences can improve physical and mental well-being through exposure to new environments, physical activity, social interaction, and positive emotions.
This aligns with the growing popularity of wellness, health, and yoga tourism.
Hu emphasized that tourism isn’t just about leisure and recreation; it can also contribute to overall health.
Travel therapy as a health intervention
The study proposes that travel therapy can be a powerful health intervention. Positive travel experiences can help the body maintain a low-entropy state by modulating its major systems.
Tourism often involves exposure to new surroundings and relaxing activities. These novel settings can stimulate stress responses and elevate metabolic rates, positively influencing metabolic activities and the body’s self-organization capabilities. This can also trigger an adaptive immune system response, improving the body’s ability to defend itself against external threats.
Hu explained that “the self-defense system becomes more resilient. Hormones conducive to tissue repair and regeneration may be released, promoting the self-healing system’s functioning.”
Leisurely travel activities can also help alleviate chronic stress, dampen overactivation of the immune system, and encourage normal functioning of the self-defense system.
Physical activities like hiking, climbing, walking, and cycling can boost metabolism, energy expenditure, and material transformation, all of which help coordinate self-organizing systems.
Potential challenges and dangers
However, the research also highlighted potential challenges that tourists may face, such as infectious diseases, accidents, and injuries.
These negative experiences can contribute to entropy increase and health problems, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Overall, the study suggests that travel can be a valuable tool for promoting health and well-being, but it’s important to approach it with caution and consider potential risks.
Transformative experience
It widely believed that travel can be a transformative experience at any age, but it can be particularly rewarding for older adults. Here’s why:
Benefits of traveling in later life
- Mental stimulation: Exploring new places and cultures can keep your mind sharp and active. It challenges your brain to learn new things and adapt to different environments.
- Physical health: Travel often involves walking, exploring, and trying new activities, which can help maintain physical fitness and prevent muscle loss.
- Social connection: Meeting new people and experiencing different cultures can enrich your life and provide opportunities for social interaction.
- Stress reduction: Traveling can be a great way to relax and unwind, providing a break from everyday routines and stressors.
- Sense of purpose: Traveling can give you a sense of purpose and fulfillment, as you explore new places and experiences.
SOURCE: Edith Cowan University. “Travel could be the best defense against aging.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 September 2024. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240905121025.htm>.
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