Most common travel stressors, why they test resilience, age as a factor, why the benefits of traveling outweigh the disadvantages.
Apart from missed flights and delays, common travel stressors include airport security and customs, missed connections, navigating airports, and health and safety issues. Long lines and the pressure to comply with security procedures can be stressful, as can customs, especially in foreign countries with different regulations.
Unpredictable weather, mechanical issues, or other factors can disrupt travel plans. Tight layovers can lead to missed connections, adding to the stress. According to data from the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics for February 2024, the most common causes of delays are aircraft arriving late and air carrier delays, each accounting for around 5% of all delays. National aviation system delays account for just under 5% of the total. Bad weather causes just 0.46% of all delays.
Finding your way through unfamiliar and crowded terminals can be stressful. Language barriers are also an issue.
Finally, the fear of getting sick while traveling or dealing with existing health issues can be a significant stressor. Concerns about personal safety provoke anxiety, especially in unfamiliar or high-risk areas.
Stress and romantic resilience
The above stressors lead to heightened emotions and potential misunderstandings, especially when multiple stressors compound the effect. People need more emotional support from their partners during stressful periods, which tests the partner’s ability to provide empathy, understanding, and reassurance.
Stressful travel circumstances often require changes in routes, plans, or behaviors. This tests a couple’s flexibility and adaptability. However, resilient couples are willing to adapt and make necessary adjustments, showing flexibility in their roles and expectations.
Flights are canceled and delayed more nowadays compared to 1-2 decades ago, which also means romantic resilience is put to the test more often. Contrary to popular belief, though, older people are not less resilient. You actually become more resilient with age, so dating someone older can definitely help in this context.
A number of studies have shown that taking other factors into account, older adults are at least as resilient as younger ones. A 2023 study published in Sage Journals explored the connection between age and resilience. More specifically, it looked at the effects of age, degree of urbanization, level of education, and the ability to recover or bounce back from stress on a network comprising loneliness, anxiety, depression, and mental well-being. The study was on 1,270 adults aged 55 or above. Those who were 67 or older, had a strong ability to recover or bounce back from stress, or were highly educated exhibited more resilient network dynamics.
Traveling does more good than harm
Despite all its stressors, the pluses of travel outweigh the minuses. Research published in 2023 shows that almost three-quarters of people experienced one or more health benefits when on holiday. More relevantly, traveling is good for relationships. 52% of people said their relationship with a partner improved while on holiday abroad. According to 80% of people, there was a notable drop in stress after traveling, and only a few days of vacation led to an 80% improvement in reaction time and pronounced improvements in sleep.
Traveling abroad for holidays could improve performance by 80%, and 68% of people reported feeling better after returning from a trip.
Why is this? When you travel, you change your environment, which strengthens the immune system by building more resistant antibodies.
Final thoughts
Stress can test the balance between independence and interdependence in a relationship. It challenges partners to support each other while also maintaining their own well-being.
In essence, stress tests the resilience of a romantic relationship by challenging its core components: communication, emotional support, teamwork, adaptability, conflict resolution, trust, intimacy, independence, shared goals, and coping strategies. Resilient couples emerge stronger by addressing these challenges together and reinforcing their commitment and bond.
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