One of the biggest challenges of travel is that it removes you from the routine and environment that you’re comfortable with — and that can be stressful, says Kenneth Koncilja, MD, a geriatric medicine specialist at Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
For people with MCI, navigating complex environments and making timely decisions can be a challenge because of changes happening in the brain.
Cognitive Load
The mental effort and memory resources necessary to navigate busy highways, airports, or hotels places significant cognitive load on travelers. Getting “from here to there” requires constant processing of new information — interpreting signs, following schedules, or adjusting when plans change.
“Travel can strain several areas of thinking at once, including executive function, which requires attention, working memory, and cognitive flexibility,” says Nimit Agarwal, MD, division medical director of geriatric medicine at Banner University Medical Center Phoenix and associate clinical professor at the University of Arizona.
For example, difficulties sustaining attention can make it hard to focus in busy environments, says Dr. Agarwal. “Airports, train stations, or crowded rest stops — with multiple announcements, people, and visual distractions — can overwhelm a person with MCI. This may lead to confusion or an inability to follow directions.”
Short‑term memory problems can cause individuals to forget where they are going, what they are doing, or how to return to a familiar person or location. For example, you may walk to the restroom and then be unable to remember how to get back to your starting place, which can lead to wandering or panic in unfamiliar surroundings.
Issues with problem solving can be challenging when plans change — for example, gate changes or delays — when the brain is already working overtime in an unfamiliar environment, says Agarwal.
These factors can add up to cognitive overload. “When a person’s cognitive load exceeds capacity, they can begin to feel disoriented, anxious, or have a desire to withdraw from activities,” he says.
Sensory Overload
Crowded, noisy environments can add another layer of stress; subway stations, sports arenas, or busy city streets can feel overwhelming. Interacting with strangers in loud environments may heighten anxiety, Khan says.
Overstimulation may cause agitation; you may feel yourself becoming more irritable in these situations. Too many stimuli from surroundings can also feel scary, especially when they are out of your control.
Loss of Environmental Cues
At home, many tasks are done almost automatically. You know where the bathroom is, where your keys are kept, how your kitchen is arranged. Travel removes those familiar anchors.
“When individuals lose familiar environmental cues — such as predictable surroundings or recognizable landmarks — the brain must work significantly harder to maintain orientation,” Agarwal says.
Crossing time zones can add another challenge. People with cognitive impairment may already have some disruption in their sleep–wake cycle, and shifting schedules can worsen confusion, agitation, or sundowning behaviors, he says.
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