It turns out that a cruise isn’t just a great way to relax and explore different destinations, it is also good for your brain.
New research shows going on a cruise holiday can have various cognitive benefits.
Analysis conducted on Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 during one of its transatlantic crossings from Southampton to New York found that just five days at sea can boost memory, logical reasoning, perceptual abilities and problem solving by 26 per cent.
The neuroscience study, conducted by research firm Human Understanding Agency, monitored 40 guests from around the world during a seven-night sailing.
Within five days, it found a 29 per cent improvement in word recall, suggesting enhanced short-term memory performance, while participants were 125 per cent better at problem solving.
Attention spans improved by 14 per cent as passengers got better at focusing on visual tasks, while self-reported relaxation rose by 158 per cent, and overall physiological stress levels decreased by 35 per cent.
Much of the improvement was attributed to the “stress-relieving impact” of the ocean.
Neuroscientist Dr Jack Lewis said: “The passengers’ time on the ship clearly reduced their stress levels, based on subjective and objective measures.
“The main stress hormone cortisol is well-known in the science research literature to interfere with various cognitive processes.
“So the boost in memory and logical reasoning capacity identified in this study is likely to be attributed to the stress-relieving impact of ocean travel. This combined with the amazing array of stimulating activities onboard the world’s only ocean liner, allows the passengers’ brains to unlock their full potential.”
Katie McAlister, president of Cunard, added: “This study reinforces what we have always known – a Cunard voyage is much more than just a holiday.”
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