Photo: Contiki
What is ‘brain rot’? Great question! Named 2024’s word of the year by the Oxford Dictionary (high accolades!), brain rot is a slang term that describes reduced attention span and the over-use of internet terms and references, caused by too much screen time.
Listen, in the age of TikTok and doomscrolling, we’re all prone to a little bit of brain rot, baby – I’m definitely guilty 😬. But life isn’t fun constantly spent in a daze! Want to get over it? Discover how travel can pull you out of your screen and back into the real world.
Take it from this BuzzFeed article: “travel isn’t just fun – it’s a full-on brain upgrade!”
We’re big believers in that, but we also don’t just pull facts out of mid-air. That would be unprofessional. We put it to the test, with science!
Looking to the experts, we partnered with MyndPlay, and sent some travellers out into the world with Myndbands on their heads – so we could read their brains! We have an article dedicated to the full science you need to know, but basically, it all boils down to measuring how travel, and all the beautiful experiences between, affect our brains.
The results? Well:
“Contiki’s experiment found that travellers experienced 10 genuine dopamine hits per day while travelling. Whether it was spotting a lion on safari, cycling through the streets of Florence, or just laughing with new friends over some good food, their brains were constantly lit up like a Christmas tree.” (BuzzFeed)
I mean, you could stare at AI-generated images of lions on your phone if you wanted, but nothing beats the real deal, hey?
Pinning every single photo you find to your endless ‘Inspiration’ board on Pinterest (we all have one)? Nah. Go see the world!
“Science literally proves Contiki travellers have a boost of creativity while on the trip. […] These creativity spikes weren’t just fleeting. They stuck around, giving travellers a new perspective that lasted long after the trip was over.” (BuzzFeed)
Listen, brain rot is all fun and games. It’s cute going around spewing the latest meme references, making your friends laugh and probably confusing your parents and older co-workers. But don’t let your brain totally melt out of your ears. “If your brain feels like a burnt-out toaster, it’s time to hit the road.”
