Habits and routines can give you stability. But on the flip side, doing something out of the ordinary can kickstart an inner shift that has the power to boost your wellbeing.

Moving out of your comfort zone to switch up your environment should do the trick. Anything from a weekend city break to a more adventurous cruise. The key is changing your location – the backdrop to your everyday life.  

Here are six reasons why swapping your usual surroundings for somewhere new could boost your wellbeing and mental health – as if you need any more excuses to pack your bag and grab your passport!

1. It creates an ‘upwards spiral of positivity’

Sounds fun doesn’t it?! But there’s real science behind the fancy phrase. Researchers at the University of Miami and New York University used GPS to track the movement of participants and asked them to report – via text message – how they felt at the time. On days when they went to a wider range of places, their positive emotions were higher.

“People feel happier when they depart from their daily routines – when they explore new places and have a wider array of experiences,” explained the study’s co-author and assistant professor Aaron Heller.

And according to the general school of thought, positivity breeds positivity. So each new place that you encounter encourages you to seek out further fresh experiences, creating the ‘upward spiral of positivity’. Let’s go!

2. It boosts creative thinking

Back in the day, artists and writers would set up residency in exotic locations to craft their latest poems, plays and paintings. They felt inspired to flex their creative muscles – and there’s a good reason for that.

Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, has carried out numerous studies into the connection between international travel and creativity. He’s found that new sounds, smells, tastes, sensations, sights and languages spark different synapses in the brain which increases cognitive flexibility. This helps the mind jump between different ideas – boosting creativity.

3. It removes unhealthy triggers

If, like most people, you have a fairly routine life – a morning walk, scrolling on your phone, work, supermarket, pilates at 7pm – you’ll probably find yourself laying down habits without even thinking about it. Some of those habits are good (the pilates) but some are not so good (the phone scrolling). Change your environment and you’ll find it easier to adopt healthier habits.

That’s because you’re not being exposed to familiar cues or triggers. There’s no breakfast radio acting as your sub-conscious trigger to pick up your phone and check your Instagram updates. You’re not confined to the four walls of your house at the end of a tiring day, tempted to slump on the sofa and trawl through Netflix.

In a fresh environment your daily rhythm switches to a new frequency. Your automatic routine and habits are disrupted and you’re open to change, perhaps even with a new perspective on life.  

4. It builds motivation

If your travel plans involve a sense of adventure with a new challenge or two to tackle, then you can expect an extra special dose of those feel good vibes.

Whether you’re dusting down your walking boots to test your hiking stamina to the limits or you’re finally plucking up the courage to go paragliding, setting a goal and then achieving it promotes a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Your brain releases a ‘reward’ chemical called dopamine. This “dopamine high” makes you feel satisfied and productive, which then motivates you to strive for more challenges.

Studies also show that we value experiences more than material purchases – so in the pursuit of happiness, we’re better off doing new things rather than buying new things.

5. It helps you adapt to change

If you’re exploring a new place that you’ve never encountered before, the payback for your wellbeing is big. You might be taking a bit of a calculated risk – perhaps you’re not sure how you’ll feel about your destination or you have a niggling concern that you’ll be out of your comfort zone. But it builds flexible thinking and that’s a life skill that comes in extremely handy, from your personal life to the workplace.

The nhs are fully behind the concept, too, explaining: “Being able to adapt and flex can stop us getting ‘stuck’.” By adapting well to change, it helps you to get away from thinking in problem-mode (seeing every challenge as a huge issue), remaining in solution-mode (a more purposeful, constructive way of dealing with problems).

6. It gives you a better sense of self

Did you know that cross-cultural experiences, often gained when travelling, can boost your sense of self, making you feel more confident? That’s the findings from studies carried out by associate professor of education and psychology, Mary Helen Immordino-Yang.

On holiday, when you encounter new (to you) cultures and interact with people from across the world, you soak up so many influences – travellers from different backgrounds, age groups, faiths and life experiences. This causes you to evaluate your own identity and the foundations on which that’s built, which then reinforces that identity. It’s a great confidence booster.

Ready to travel?

A cruise offers a continually changing backdrop to your holiday, invigorating your soul and provoking a sense of can-do adventure.

Silverseas offer a huge range of holidays, from celebrity cruises to ‘cruise and stay’ deals and all-inclusive packages, travelling to destinations all across the world.

Their latest incredible ship, Silver Ray, is one of the most spacious cruise ships ever built, welcoming just 728 guests on board.

The UK’s No.1 Independent Cruise Specialist, ROL Cruise can assist you with every aspect of the booking process. 

For more information visit ROL Cruise