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Forget about expensive anti-aging creams—new research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) suggests that travel could be one of the best ways to slow down the aging process. For the first time, researchers have applied the concept of entropy—the universal trend toward disorder and deterioration—to tourism, revealing that travel experiences may have positive effects on health and aging.
The study, led by ECU PhD candidate Ms. Fangli Hu, proposes that while aging is inevitable, it may be slowed through meaningful travel experiences. By introducing the entropy theory, Ms. Hu’s interdisciplinary research found that tourism can either mitigate or exacerbate the effects of aging, depending on whether the experiences are positive or negative.
Entropy and Aging: A Fresh Perspective
Entropy is often associated with disorder and decay, and as applied to human health, it relates to the body’s gradual decline. Ms. Hu explains that positive travel experiences—such as those involving physical activity, social interaction, and exposure to new environments—can help maintain the body’s self-regulating processes and even slow down signs of aging.
“Ageing, as a process, is irreversible. While it can’t be stopped, it can be slowed down,” said Ms. Hu. “Tourism isn’t just about leisure and recreation. It could also contribute to people’s physical and mental health.”
Travel as Therapy: The Entropy Lens
The concept of travel therapy is emerging as a revolutionary approach to health. When viewed through the entropy lens, positive travel experiences can keep the body in a low-entropy state, supporting its four major systems: metabolic, immune, self-defense, and self-healing. According to the research, travel can stimulate metabolic activities, enhance the immune response, and promote the release of hormones that aid in tissue repair and regeneration.
“Put simply, the self-defense system becomes more resilient. Hormones conducive to tissue repair and regeneration may be released and promote the self-healing system’s functioning,” Ms. Hu explained.
Physical and Mental Benefits of Travel
Engaging in physical activities like hiking, walking, and cycling while traveling can boost metabolism, improve blood circulation, and enhance nutrient transport—all of which help maintain the body’s “anti-wear-and-tear” system. Moreover, travel can reduce chronic stress by encouraging leisure and relaxation, which helps the body maintain a healthy metabolic balance.
“Moderate exercise is beneficial to the bones, muscles, and joints in addition to supporting the body’s anti-wear-and-tear system,” Ms. Hu added.
In addition to physical benefits, travel can foster social interactions and provide emotional relief, helping travelers develop positive mental health outcomes. Wellness tourism, health tourism, and yoga tourism are all examples of travel practices that focus on these health benefits.
The Risks of Travel
However, the study does caution that not all travel experiences are beneficial. Negative experiences, such as exposure to infectious diseases, accidents, or unsafe food and water, could increase entropy in the body and negatively impact health. Ms. Hu highlights the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of how tourism can contribute to health crises.
“Tourism can involve negative experiences that potentially lead to health problems, paralleling the process of promoting entropy increase,” said Ms. Hu.
A New Age of Wellness Tourism?
With this groundbreaking research, travel is positioned as a potential intervention to support healthy aging. Ms. Hu’s findings could reshape the way we view tourism—not just as an escape or leisure activity, but as a meaningful tool for enhancing longevity and well-being.
As people become increasingly interested in wellness tourism, this research adds another layer of understanding about how travel can improve physical and mental health, ultimately providing a natural, enjoyable way to slow down the aging process.
