As today is World Mental Health Day we are looking a little closer at the role travel plays in helping to maintain a positive and healthy mindest - for once we aren’t talking about corporate travel, so that blink of an eye business trip to Hong Kong doesn’t count!

As pressure mounts on staff to to hit targets and meet deadlines an increasing number of workers are forfeiting their annual leave days. This choice for some may lead to success, career progression, bonus payments and promotion – but it does come at a price! Are you one of the many people struggling to maintain what has become known as the work/life balance? Apart from depriving yourself of the chance to enhance your productivity and work performance, avoiding taking a break can lead to stress overload and other potentially damaging effects on your health. People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their emotions and their behavior. They are able to handle life’s challenges, build strong relationships, and recover from setbacks. But just as it requires effort to maintain physical health, so it is with mental and emotional health. Good mental health isn't just the absence of mental health problems such as depression or anxiety. Rather, it's the presence of positive characteristics, such as being able to cope with life's challenges, handle stress, build strong relationships, and recover from disappointments. Mental and emotional health problems often arise when your nervous system has been compromised by overwhelming amounts of stress. Anyone can suffer from mental or emotional health problems—and over a lifetime most of us will. This year alone, reports claim one in five of us will suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder. Many of us spend so much of our daily lives feeling stressed, we're no longer even aware of it. Being stressed feels normal. But when stress becomes overwhelming, it can damage your mood, trigger or aggravate mental and physical health problems, and affect your quality of life.
Travelling somewhere new can enable you to immerse yourself in new surroundings, boost your brain power and fully recharge. According to researcher and author Wallace J. Nichols taking a holiday – especially near the water – can help us reset our emotions and actually increase compassion. "Often associated with feelings of awe and wonder, water can boost our empathy and compassion, our connection to ourselves and those we are with, and for many — from musicians like Pharrell Williams to neurologists like Oliver Sacks – it's a steady source of creativity and insight," he says.

While for some a holiday is the opportunity to relax and do nothing, most of us – especially those of us spending much of our working day sitting at a desk – become far more active on holiday, escalating our levels of fitness. Tourists may walk as many as ten miles a day while sightseeing in capital cities. We are also more inclined to try new activities on holiday, like hiking or kayaking. There are also fitness-centric resorts that encourage guests to get fit and try new workouts to boost physical and mental health away from home. Traveling has many advantages, with stress relief topping the list, according to Dr. Margaret J. King, the director of the Center for Cultural Studies & Analysis "With a short list of activities each day, freed up from the complexities of ongoing projects and relationships, the mind can reset, as does the body, with stress relief the main outcome. Humans thrive on novelty, and travel offers the complete package with new faces, sounds and sights."
If your working week consists of little sleep mixed with high levels of stress you could be in danger of suffering from heightened levels of irritability along with negative consequences on your cognitive performance and efficiency. Max Hirshkowitz, chairman of the board of the National Sleep Foundation says a holiday is a great opportunity to catch up on sleep. To feel more energized, the NSF recommends at least seven to eight hours of sleep per night for adults. "Reserve that time," he says. "Make it an important thing you need." Many studies suggest that travel can improve our emotional state. A 2014 survey conducted by Diamond Resorts International found over three-quarters of respondents reported feeling happier when they planned a trip at least once a year. Over three-quarters of respondents to the Diamond Resorts International survey reported feeling happier when they were on holiday. Taking time for yourself and your family lowers your stress levels and decreases the release of all those stress hormones that contribute to degrading our mental and physical health - plus, studies show reminiscing about pleasant holiday memories may trigger happiness long after your trip. Did you know Traveleads has a luxury leisure travel department? Our team of well-travelled experts can advise and guide you on where to go and how to get the very most out of your time away from the office.

Being emotionally and mentally healthy doesn't mean never going through bad times or experiencing emotional problems. But just as physically healthy people are better able to bounce back from illness or injury, people with good emotional health are better able to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. Whatever factors have shaped your mental and emotional health, it's never too late to make changes that will counteract any risk factors and improve your psychological well-being. If you or those around you are concerned about your mental and emotional health, then it's time to seek professional help. Input from a knowledgeable, caring professional can often motivate us to do things for ourselves that we're unable to do on our own. Make an appointment with your GP for a relaxed informal chat, share your concerns with someone who is there to help. There are many websites offering help, support and advice to millions of people, from all walks of life, who may be worried about their emotional well-being - why not take a moment to visit one of them, even if you have no concerns for yourself, understanding the challenges and learning to recognise the signs of someone who may be suffering in silence might help you save the life of someone you love. Visit: http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ for more information.