Exploration
9 reasons adventure travel is great for your mental fitness
Is your job wearing you down? Here’s why an adventure could be just the cure you need – by the people who know best.
If your nine-to-five grind leaves you feeling fed up, you’re not alone. According to one recent study, more than half (56%) of UK employees are unhappy in the workplace.
Thankfully, a cure is at hand. Adventure travel – as science rightfully points out – can have a positive effect on mental wellbeing, making us more open and agreeable. So why not mix it up with a dollop of adventure?
Adventure travel is enriching, liberating, accessible and – most of the time – fun. Here we speak to nine people who know this best, and find out exactly why it’s so good for your state of mind.
1. It pushes you to make bold life choices
Bethany Mercer left a high-flying career in London as a creative producer to pursue her dream of working in the world of adventure and action sports, setting up a photography and videography company GlobalShots with boyfriend Jay Haysey.
“I realised that without more adventure, adrenaline and fresh air I wouldn’t be fully satisfied with my career. Leaving a big city felt like a huge leap – my friends thought I was mad – but I went with my gut feeling and have never looked back. I’m now constantly challenged by filmmaking and photography adventures, from hiking ridgelines for off-piste shots to swimming in the waves with my camera. Being able to travel to new places, experience different cultures, meet new people and regularly put myself out of my comfort zone is amazing.”
2. It can change your perspective on life
"Looking down at a blanket of clouds, all my worries disappeared."
© Ujjwal Rai
Ujjwal Rai is a trekking guide in Nepal, helping others achieve adventures – while also taking on his own personal challenges.
“Trekking in the Great Himalayas of Nepal makes me feel as if nothing is impossible. After the earthquake in April 2015, I went to the mountains to explore a new trail and escape my worries. Without any trail markings, I reached Mardi Basecamp (4,500m) and felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Looking down at the blanket of clouds beneath me, all my worries disappeared and I felt pure happiness. I took my newfound positivity back down the mountain and shared it with those around me."
When there is no keyboard to hide behind, no phones to gaze into and nothing but the beauty of the wilderness to admire... Only then do you truly understand who you are and what you are about.
3. Nothing is more exhilarating than an outdoor ice bath
Traveller and writer Flora Baker threw caution – and her clothes – to the wind when she ticked off a polar plunge in Arctic Norway. Brr!
“In waters that had contained walruses only minutes before, I pushed my stiffening legs forward and immediately felt like a dozen firecrackers were exploding against my skin. The idea of dunking my head was horrific, but necessary to feel like I’d truly ‘done it’. More pain, involuntary gasps and screams... But it gave me a sense of exhilaration and an adrenaline rush I’ve never felt before. I’d achieved something I’d never expected to enjoy – and that opened up a world of possibilities.”
4. It teaches you life lessons that no school can
"Adventure has taught me about independence and innovation."
© Charlie Head
Charlie Headis circumnavigating England and Wales on a stand-up paddleboard to raise awareness for mental health. With no money or a tent, and relying on the kindness of strangers and favourable tides, his solo voyage has tested both body and mind – and proven to be a powerful teacher.
“Many people still associate intelligence with academic accomplishment. But some of the most important lessons needed for happiness come through emotional intelligence and the sort of direct interaction with the world around you that adventure offers. You learn through experience – not just about yourself but also about how you connect with the world around you on a deeper level. I’ve learned not only independence and innovation, but also how to reach out to people for help, which is one of the hardest things to do. But it has re-established my faith in humanity and connected me to people inspired by the journey.”
5. It makes you embrace fear... and reap the reward
Georgia Barker has travelled to more than 32 countries, including New Zealand, where she leapt from a 43 metre-high Kawarau Bridge in Queenstown attached to a bungee cord.
“The fear and the adrenaline rush off that bungee jump will stick in my memory always. It was genuinely one of those moments where you really feel it defines life. Sometimes you have to push yourself through pure fear in order to get the reward at the end.”
6. It’s the best cure for a breakup
A nasty breakup just before she turned 30 set Vicky Philpott on the road to adventure – and towards her happiest destination yet.
“I visited all the places I’d dreamed about – I went sailing in the Philippines, learnt to surf in Mexico, skied in Japan – and had a brilliant time meeting people and learning about different cultures. Getting dumped turned out to be the best thing that could’ve happened. It allowed me to be myself and explore an adventurous side that I’d never had the opportunity to before. I’ve never been happier.”
7. It strips you bare
George Bullard swapped life as an office worker for one of adventure – and is now a four-time World Record breaking explorer, with feats including completing the world’s longest fully unsupported polar journey. He now runs expedition company IGO Adventures.
“When there is no keyboard to hide behind, no phones to gaze into and nothing but the beauty of the wilderness to admire... Only then do you truly understand who you are and what you are about. When I was 19, I spent 113 days walking 1,374 miles fully unsupported up in the Arctic, out of mobile phone contact and in the wild where my only concerns was whether my team and I had food, water and warmth. I have had some of my happiest moments whilst on adventures. They have not only changed my life but also sculpted who I am today.”
There is often nothing to think about beyond the whirr of your wheels or the thud of your feet. You are completely immersed in the moment, thinking of only the simple things in life. For a cluttered mind, this is a godsend.
8. Even small adventures make a difference
Award-winning travel writer Sian Anna Lewis is so passionate about adventures that she’s written a book, The Girl Outdoors, about them – both big and small.
"Adventures don't have to be huge, life-changing expeditions to be beneficial – just a weekend of camping or walking in the hills can help you reset and find inner calm. One of my favourite memories is of a midnight swim on a Greek island – diving into the water beneath the stars was a great reminder to let go of worries and commitments and enjoy the moment."
9. It’s mindfulness at its best
Anna McNuff posing on the Bolivian Salt Flats
© Anna McNuff
Endurance athlete and adventurer Anna McNuff says that one of the best things about cycling or running for hours on end is that you have time to think – and learn.
“I have my best ideas on adventures, when my body is moving – it frees my mind and the creative juices start to flow. There are times when my mind is totally still. There is often nothing to think about beyond the whirr of your wheels or the thud of your feet. You are completely immersed in the moment, thinking of only the simple things in life – move, eat, sleep repeat. For a cluttered mind, this is a godsend. It brings perspective, clarity and contentment, and that’s surely all we ever want - to be content and happy in ourselves."