By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger
This article was written by a human from personal experiences and a press release distributed by Texas A&M University. No AI or ChatGTP was used to create lor help write this article.
A study, released by Texas A&M University, shows that travel makes people happier, healthier and have less stresss than not traveling.
Initial findings were funded by three U.S. Travel Association grants. Subsequent research investigated how travel affects heart health by monitoring 20 students on a cruise. The students wore smartwatches that included a health monitoring app developed by College of Engineering associate professor Farzan Sasangohar, designed to track heartbeats, movements and activities.
“We had students keep hourly diaries detailing their activities,” said Dr. James Petrick, a professor and associate department head for research in the Arch H. Aplin III ’80 Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism at Texas A&M. “We used the accelerometer and gyroscope in the watches to determine what type of movements they were doing so we could match up movements with what was going on with their heart health.”
Well now, nothing against the fine folks in Aggieland – gig ’em! – but I and many other travelers do not need a study to tell us that travel is good for the mind and body After the stress of getting to a place (airport security lines, making a flight, ground transportation and so forth) there is a certain adrenaline rush of being some place other than home. Personally, I am out the door in a flash, eager to explore, see the sites, meet people and, as is the case with all PubcClubbers, to hit the most fun pubs and clubs. It’s exhilarating and that is always important for good health.
Certainly being on a cruise does not lead to a lot of stress. Everything is right there for you; you don’t really have to go anywhere and if you just want to chill then take a snooze in a lounge chair by the pool. That’s not exactly like third-and-10 against Texas.
I also found it interesting that the U.S. Travel Association funded this fun “research” with three grants. Personally, I think the money could have been better spent paying us judges who worked 30+ hours each year evaluating entries for its annual ESTO Destination Awards, then ponied up a few extra bucks to send us to the awards event.
Anyway, what a great experience it was for those lucky students who participated in the study. It is certainly true that nothing educates people like actually going to a place and experiencing it first hand. Now, if Texas A&M would like to host me during one of its football games to meet those students and professors so I can express my feelings to them, then let it be known for the record that I will gladly accept an invitation.
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