Is Travel the Real Fountain of Youth?

Remember the mythical fountain of youth? Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon went searching for it in the jungles of Central America back in the 15th century—and may have come a lot closer to finding it than he thought.

Turns out it’s not some mystical pool hidden deep in the rainforest, but something much more common and easier to find—travel! Forget stem cells or Botox, just book yourself a trip, and voilà—you’re Benjamin Button.

OK, that’s an exaggeration, but a new study in the Journal of Travel Research found that travel can help slow aging and improve physical and mental health. “Aging, as a process, is irreversible,” said one of the Australian researchers. “While it can’t be stopped, it can be slowed down.”

No joke. Science now says that traveling, or living abroad,can slow aging, giving us longer, healthier lives. It’s probably not the cocktails by the beach—though a few might help—it’s the regular movement, mental stimulation, and relaxation that keep body and brain spry.

Time to Get Moving

The simple fact is that traveling gets you off the couch and out into the world, moving in ways that don’t involve staring at a screen or a treadmill. Whether you’re swimming in the Caribbean, hiking the Andes, or wandering European streets (bonus for getting lost), you’re exercising.

And unlike at the gym, your mind is deeply engaged in all the new sights, sounds, and experiences. Travel is often exercise disguised as fun. Who knew chasing a bus in Paris or lugging your suitcase up five flights of Roman stairs had such perks?

And here’s the kicker: the benefits last much longer than your sunburn. Exercise is known to be the closest thing we have to a youth serum, reducing inflammation, promoting heart health, and keeping muscles and joints functioning well into old age.

The Power of Relaxation

It’s not just a cliche—stress really is a killer. Of moods, youth, and even lives. Chronic stress makes immune systems go haywire, speeding up aging and leading to wrinkles and ulcers and worse.

Travel, if done right, is like hitting the pause button on the pressures of life. Even the most chill people sometimes get caught up in the day-to-day grind, which is why taking a break and kicking back on the beach or by the lake has such an impact for so many of us. 

Your overworked immune system is able to take a breather. Whether you’re soaking in sun on a beach or sipping coffee at a café, traveling forces you to leave stress behind (as long as you don’t check your work email every few minutes).

In fact, scientists say that getting into a low-entropy state—the technical term for chilling out—enables your body to function as it should. So, your next trip might actually leave you healthier, more relaxed, less inclined to scream when someone steals your parking spot, and more likely to live longer as a result.

New Experiences Keep You Sharp and Young

You know the feeling. Repeating the same routine over and over leads to your brain saying, “Eh, I’ve seen this movie before.” While there’s comfort in routine, it’s also kind of like feeding your brain stale crackers. Boredom and fatigue set in.

The curious mind craves new unfamiliar experiences and ideas, like the mental gymnastics required to read a foreign menu or navigate a complex train schedule. Travel provides that novelty in spades.

New places, faces, and foods, plus the occasional existential crisis about whether you’ll ever find that beloved secret restaurant, all make sure your brain is forced to adapt, make connections, and build new neural pathways.

Scientists have recently begun to assert that living abroad provides similar benefits. Neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Nussbaum says living in a foreign country triggers the production of new dendrites, which means more mental connections and better memory.

As we get older, acquiring new skills, such as a foreign language, helps protect us from illnesses like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Alzheimer’s researcher Dr. David Reynolds says cognitive reserve makes some brains more resilient, and being bilingual tends to boost cognitive reserve.

Basically, the mental work of travel and expat life makes minds younger. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. And yet learning something new—whether it’s how to say “thank you” in Italian or how to eat sushi with chopsticks—keeps you sharp, and young. 

We’re All Dorian Gray

Travel is no longer just an excuse to post envy-inducing photos on Instagram. It’s your own personal fountain of youth, backed by science. By keeping you physically active, mentally sharp, and stress-free, the trips you take ensure you win small battles in the endless war against aging.

The next time you feel anxiety rising or a looming crisis, skip the spa and the therapy session and just hop on a plane. The world is big, beautiful, and ready to help you age like Dorian Gray—out of sight from the world.

So, go ahead—book that flight, take that trip you’ve been waiting for, and let your dream destination work its youthful magic.

About the Author

This essay is an excerpt from EA Editor David Lepeska’s 2023 book, Desiccated Land.

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