Time to boost your mental well-being. Take a vacation!
Monotony is not beneficial to mental health, so it’s important for everyone to try to plan some time for taking a break. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

I recently learned about an organization called Wheel the World, which makes vacationing — adventures, really — accessible to people who use wheelchairs.

If they can do it, so you can you!

If you haven’t had a vacation lately, you’re not alone. A 2023 Pew Research Center study found that more than 40% of people who receive paid time off from their employers don’t use up all of their vacation in a given year. Based on data from 2018, a statistical analysis revealed that Americans wasted some 768 million vacation days.

Admittedly, it’s hard for some folks to get time off. If a gig worker or ride-share driver isn’t putting in the hours, they aren’t getting paid. Many people have jobs that don’t provide paid time off.

Still, the Bureau of Labor Statistics tells us that 79% of people employed in the private sector get paid vacation. And a growing number of companies are offering the benefit of unlimited paid time off, in part to stay competitive in a tight hiring market.

“We can’t overlook the importance of recreation,” says Mary Anne Ehlert, president of Protected Tomorrows in Lincolnshire, which helps special needs families plan for their financial future.

“We sometimes focus on everyday issues and lose sight of the need to have fun.”

Even those who are handicapped are able to enjoy a vacation. Nowadays, most cruises are wheelchair accessible even if people want to travel alone

With May being Mental Health Awareness Month (and with Memorial Day and summer being right around the corner), it’s a good time to talk about the mental health benefits of travel.

First, though, a note of caution: For all of its benefits, travel is not a substitute for therapy. If you are feeling anxious or depressed, talk to a mental health professional. Online services such as BetterHelp.com are readily available, or you can call or text 988 to reach a listening ear at the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Now, why take a vacation? Let me count the whys.

Traveling can lift your mood

Feeling like one day is just like the one before, and the one before that? That monotony is not helpful to mental well-being. Travel breaks up the routine, lets you see new places, meet new people and experience new things. Just anticipating a vacation can help you feel lighter and happier.

Traveling refills your emotional and mental reservoir

Sometimes you’re just running on empty. A vacation — whether it involves a relaxing

cruise or a strenuous hike (I’ll take the former!) — can send you back to work feeling like you’re up to every challenge.

Traveling can lower the risk of depression

Mental health experts say there’s research to support the link between travel and happiness. One study found that women who vacation at least twice a year are less likely to suffer from depression and chronic stress than women who vacation less than once every two years.

Traveling lets your brain reset

What do you do when your computer goes all wonky on you? You reboot! The same goes for your brain, which is just a really sophisticated computing device. If you have chronic stress, your memory and goal-setting abilities are negatively impacted. Taking time to go somewhere and get away from work can help you feel more productive and focused when you get back.

Traveling might let you sleep better

One-third of us don’t get enough sleep, which is linked to heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and depression. Getting away from your routine at home, even for a weekend, can help reset your sleep pattern by disrupting any habits that negatively affect sleep quality, like bring your phone to bed with you.

Traveling with family improves feelings of belonging

Isolation is another factor that isn’t helpful to mental well-being. Traveling with loved ones and sharing experiences with them enhances connections with them and helps meet the need for love and belonging.

To be beneficial, travel doesn’t have to be extensive or all that expensive. Even a short getaway to Wisconsin or a weekend downtown might be enough to recharge your batteries. For ideas on local and regional outings, visit www.enjoyillinois.com.

Can travel be stressful itself? You bet. But there are also things you can do to minimize travel stress: Plan ahead for whatever life throws at you, bring all of your medications, pack healthy snacks, stay hydrated and practice mindfulness so you can be “in the moment.”

Those memories are the best souvenirs.

• Teri (Dreher) Frykenberg is a board-certified patient advocate. A critical care registered nurse for 30+ years, she is founder of NShore Patient Advocates (www.NorthShoreRN.com). She is offering a free phone consultation to Daily Herald readers; email her at teri@northshorern.com.