Why bae-cations are great for relationships

BUHLE MBONAMBI buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za

THERE’S something about going away on a break with your partner. It’s time away from everyone and everything that is a distraction. It’s the time you need to get your relationship aligned again, a time to heal and also a time to reconnect.

We lead such hectic lives that when the opportunity comes to go on a vacation, no – bae-cation – with your significant other, you simply have to take it.

There are many reasons why going on a couple’s trip is good for your relationship. Here are some of them:

Shared travel experiences bring you closer

You might share the same bed, the same living space, but that doesn’t mean you should overlook the benefits of sharing travelling experiences. Seeing the world together puts you and your partner in unfamiliar situations where you have to rely on each other’s strengths to navigate challenges. You learn to rely on your partner more and work together as a team. – Allianz Travel

Healthier mentally

Romantic getaways are good for helping couples reduce their stress levels. People need time away to unwind. Research has shown that people who take vacations or even a little time away from work are healthier. They experience less stress and are less likely to suffer from heart disease and strokes than people who never take the time for themselves. When people take vacations with their partner, both people benefit. They are also more productive at work when they return. – Wisconsin Medical Journal

Sleeping in a new bed

Studies have shown that changing your bedtime surroundings can do wonders for your quality of sleep, and one of the reasons for this is association. Even if your bedroom is a haven of peace, there is still an element of association to nights that you’ve lain there running through to-do lists in your head, with the same crack on the ceiling, or bedside an alarm clock you’ve looked at on sleepless nights. Being in new surroundings removes you from any associations that take you away from what should be your only thought – drifting off into a deep and peaceful slumber. – Psychology Today

Memory making

Shared experiences create new memories that you can reminisce about when life is crazy, and when you don’t always feel you’re on the same page. Remembering the time you were in a foreign country without a translator might bring a smile to your face when you have an Uber driver who doesn’t speak your language. Or recalling the time you walked in the wrong direction during a downpour might make you laugh when a rainstorm takes you by surprise while walking to your car from the shop. Never take for granted shared experiences and memories. – Allianz Travel