Why sightseeing might be better for you than you think

New evidence suggests that just visiting a variety of different locations can result in a higher sense of wellbeing. A recent study, published in the academic peer-reviewed journal BMC Psychiatry, found that the more varied locations are that people visit, the better they feel about their emotional and psychological wellbeing.

The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Basel, Switzerland studied 106 participants (mean age 35yrs, 52% male) who had a history of mental health disorders and who carried a GPS-enabled smartphone for one week. Researchers measured distance, the number of destinations visited and variability of destinations and correlated their findings with a validated wellbeing questionnaire (the Mental Health Continuum – Short Form (MHC-SF)). The researchers found that greater movement in space and time appeared to coincide with a greater sense of wellbeing, even though the symptoms of mental health issues remained largely the same. In particular, higher levels of emotional wellbeing and to a lesser degree psychological wellbeing were associated with greater movement patterns. Interestingly, social wellbeing was not associated with any movement pattern.

Our take at Strive Stronger

When most of us think of mental-boosting activities, we imagine deliberate and strenuous exercise, like going to the gym, a jog, a bike, or a swim, but this study suggests that also visiting a variety of different locations is associated with a higher sense of wellbeing in people with depression or anxiety. Of course, while the study suggests that it’s the movement that mediates wellbeing symptoms, it is possible here that those with a better sense of wellbeing just moved the most. However, given the importance of physical movement on mental health and general health, this study points to the fact that patterns of movement (e.g., distance, number of destinations, variability of destinations, etc.) may serve as a marker of functioning and wellbeing. If this association between visiting a variety of different locations and a sense of wellbeing holds in the general population, that it may partially explain why recent COVID-19 lockdowns have been so tough for so many of us, especially our mental health. So, need an excuse to go sightseeing? This study may be your ticket.

Reference: Gloster, A.T., Meyer, A.H., Klotsche, J. et al. The spatiotemporal movement of patients in and out of a psychiatric hospital: an observational GPS study. BMC Psychiatry 21, 165 (2021). 

Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-021-03147-9