From Fiji to France—a startling distance of approximately 16,507 kilometers (about 10,257 miles)—marks the furthest I’ve traveled from my birthplace. After spending the last nine years exploring new lands, my cognitive skills have never been better. Science supports this claim, in addition to my personal and professional experience.
Every journey we undertake offers more than just a change of scenery—it can fundamentally transform the workings of our brain. This transformation is rooted in a concept known as brain plasticity.
Let’s understand how this happens.
To understand how this happens, we first need to know what brain plasticity is.
Brain Plasticity
Brain plasticity, or neuroplasticity, is the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
This ability was illustrated by the pioneering research of Dr. Marian Diamond. The renowned neuroscientist who studied Albert Einstein’s brain. Dr. Diamond’s experiments in the 1960s showed that the brain could grow and adapt, influenced significantly by the environment.
So, what does this have anything to do with traveling?
The Traveling Brain
Travel, by its very nature, plunges us into enriched environments. It’s not just about leisure; it’s a dynamic form of education that engages and rewires the brain. When we travel, we’re exposed to novel experiences that stimulate our senses and challenge our preconceptions.
Whether it’s navigating a bustling street in a foreign city, trying exotic cuisine, or attempting to communicate in another language, each new experience feeds our brain with fresh stimuli.
This leads our minds to become more agile.
Enhanced Mental Agility
These stimuli activate our cognitive networks in ways that everyday familiar settings cannot.
Clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Paul Nussbaum explains that when you expose your brain to an environment that’s novel and complex, the brain reacts by being stimulated to adapt. This adaptation involves creating new connections between nerve cells.
In essence, travel acts as a workout for the brain, enhancing its flexibility and depth of thought.
Further emphasizing this point, Dr. Adam Galinsky, a professor at Columbia Business School, has found that foreign experiences increase cognitive flexibility—the mind’s ability to jump between different ideas, a key component of creativity. His studies suggest that the more we engage with new and different environments, the better our brains become at making deep connections between disparate forms.
So now we know traveling does great for the brain, but could we do more while we travel?
How to Really Pump Your Brain While Traveling
Here are 7 Traveling Tips to Max Your Mental Growth, if you are interested in understanding things you can do to grow mentally while traveling.
According to Dr. Michael Merzenich, a pioneer in the field of neuroplasticity, stepping outside one’s comfort zone and embracing the unfamiliar is crucial for brain health.
Continuous learning and exploration, as experienced through travel, are key in preventing cognitive decline.
He emphasizes that our brains are capable of lifelong learning and adaptation, and engaging consistently in new and complex experiences, like travel, is not just beneficial but essential for keeping our minds agile as we age.
In conclusion, travel doesn’t just enrich our lives with memories and experiences—it enriches our brains, making them more flexible, creative, and capable. As we continue to explore new horizons, our brains continue to grow and adapt, proving that the journey itself is as important as the destination.
Having said that, have you thought about where your next adventure is taking you and you could grow through it? Let me know, I am curious!
Good Luck & Happy Travels!
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