Keep that holiday feeling

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2018/sep/03/sad-summers-over-18-ways-to-keep-the-health-humour-and-happiness-of-your-holiday-alive

4 Take a detour on your commute

Emrah Düzel, a professor of cognitive neuroscience at University College London, is studying the health benefits of combining novel experiences with physical activity, particularly in relation to dementia and cognitive decline in old age. Combining physical activity with the exploration of novel environments or novel social interactions – even something as simple as walking around a new city – “stimulates a lot of plasticity in the brain”. Think of this as holiday plasticity, which gets lost when we return to work. But even small changes could help to keep that sensation active and let you capitalise on your “new neurons”. Try walking or cycling to work a different way, or leave home early and break your journey for a walk in a park.