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By Collin Elder

The summer season is synonymous with vacationing. People travel all over the world to soak in sunshine and splash in salt water, but what kind of vacations are best to recuperate? Dr. David Ludden, associate professor of psychology at Georgia Gwinnett College, says it boils down to science.

“People need vacations to destress, but not all vacations are created equal,” said Ludden. One type of vacationing he advises against is the “goal-oriented” trip. These breaks are filled with one destination or activity after another, with little downtime for relaxation.

“The more relaxed vacation is better for your health,” said Ludden. “Going somewhere for a few days, sitting back, and taking in some sunshine and scenery do a world of good for your mental wellness.”

Ludden says that stress is a very important factor in the human life. It’s important as a safety measure, but allowing it to fester without treatment can lead to anxiety, insomnia and depression. Vacations are a primary way to work on releasing some of that pent-up stress.

“There’s this scientific philosophy called ‘biophilia’ which explains that humans love and want to be in nature,” Ludden said. “That doesn’t necessarily mean we all want to go live in a jungle, but it does mean that some of the more traditional styles of vacationing, like camping or traveling to state parks, are usually better for people looking to unwind.”

Those options conveniently also limit the campers’ abilities to work in the wilderness, which is something Ludden also points to for people not feeling relaxed after a beach trip.

“It’s important to leave the source of stress out of the vacation. Working from the hotel room isn’t a good idea if you’re trying to relax.”

One of the things people do right, however, is involving the whole family. Vacations are an excellent opportunity for families to reaffirm their bonds and relationships, and it doesn’t require a Disney trip every year. Renting a cabin in the mountains or making a day trip to a lake are all healthy and relatively cheap ways to involve the family.

“This isn’t something unique to America,” said Ludden. “We’ve got roughly a third of the average time off of European countries, which is interesting. Europeans actually travel more than Americans, and I think a large part of that is because of their average of six weeks off versus our two.” Europeans are able to do those “goal-oriented” trips because they have enough time to be present in the countries or cities for a few days, rather than making a city-by-city trip one day each.

“Americans deserve to unwind. Camping might not be for everyone, but everyone needs something to help them reset and get new perspectives on matters in their lives.”