“Medical experts can recommend dementia treatments such as music therapy, exercise, cognitive stimulation, reminiscence therapy, sensory stimulation and adaptations to a patient’s mealtimes and environment,” Dr Wen says. “These are all also often found when on holidays.”

He explains that being in new environments and having new experiences can provide cognitive and sensory stimulation.

Dr Wen goes further, however, and says that while exercise has been linked to mental wellbeing, we know that people tend to move more when they’re on holiday. We often walk more than usual because we’re sightseeing or travelling from hotel to beach, for example. And then there’s the fact that what and how we eat when travelling changes. “[Meals] are usually more social affairs, with multiple people – family-style meals,” Dr Wen explains. All of which is good for us.

Whether we’re exploring a warmer country or a colder climate, we still tend to spend more time outdoors, upping our exposure to fresh air and sunshine, which increases our vitamin D and serotonin levels.

Feeling burnt out? Mental health experts say it’s time to embrace “travel therapy”