Traveling can be a life changing experience in many ways, but many of those great things that go along with it can actually make you a much happier person. Here are some reasons why.

When you travel you get to learn all kinds of new things. On one hand you get to learn new things about whatever culture you might be immersed in, even if it is just another state in your own country. For another thing the process of travel itself can help you learn all kinds of new things about yourself and how you relate to the world, in both positive and negative ways that you might want to reconsider.

Studies have been done on students who choose to travel to their college years and these studies have found that the students who do are twice as likely to graduate with a degree and tend to make 40 percent more than their peers do. This could partly be due to the fact that they are motivated people to begin with, but it could also have to do with the fact that traveling expands their world and learning in such a way that puts them on a better path forward. You might be well past your college years but can still give yourself a similar boost and leg up in the professional world by expanding your horizons.

Studies have also shown that taking vacation time from work and daily life is important for reducing stress and staying happy. Going on vacation can reduce our stress in the short run, and it can also help us adapt better to stress when we get back home and back into the stressors of daily life. These studies have been proven through both self assessment of travelers and also tests done on their saliva to test for stress response in the body.

People who make time for vacations have fewer sick days than people who don’t and have an overall higher level of productivity which makes sense when you think about it. Having a trip planned is like having a goal to accomplish and people are generally more motivated to get their work done effectively and on time when they have a good reason to do so.

Traveling with a significant other when you’re in a relationship can be a great way to strengthen that bond and build memories as well. As many as 75 percent of adults say that traveling is a great way to keep their bond together with their partner. Other studies have found that traveling with children can help reduce behavioral problems, so traveling with the entire family can make everyone happier as well.

Numerous studies have also found links between travel and the reduction of heart disease in both men and women, so it might literally be a way to save your health.