This Country Is Now Prescribing Travel as Medicine—Here’s How It Could Improve Your Health

If you’re looking for new ways to improve your sleep, circulation, or serotonin levels, you may want to talk to your physician about visiting Sweden—and tell your boss this PTO is doctor’s orders.

Sweden has launched a first-of-its-kind initiative to encourage visitors and doctors to take advantage of the health benefits of traveling to the country. Based on research from Karolinska Institutet and a new global YouGov survey, many Swedish settings and activities, like using saunasforaging, and seeing outdoor art, can “reduce stress, improve heart health, regulate sleep, and boost mood,” according to Visit Sweden.

The unique initiative has gotten support from doctors around the world, including Stacy Beller Stryer, associate medical director for Park RxAmerica. “Nature, social settings, and culture have restorative powers, and evidently Sweden has these assets in abundance,” she said in a press release shared by Visit Sweden. “I would welcome discussing with my patients how Swedish nature and lifestyle could benefit their health—and am open to prescribing a visit to the country if my patients request it.”

Visit Sweden prepared a Swedish prescription guide for patients to present to their doctors, who can recommend everything from forest bathing to cycling on national trails or visiting serene art museums. The guide includes explanations on how 14 specific areas of Swedish life and travel can improve overall wellbeing, along with spaces for doctors to add personalized prescriptions.

To target sleep and mood concerns, consider a trip to northern Sweden. In the summer, the midnight sun “can help reset the body’s circadian rhythm, improving sleep patterns and supporting mood regulation,” according to Visit Sweden’s guide. A winter journey can likewise “foster a sense of awe and emotional release” thanks to the Northern Lights and powerful starshine.

The guide also suggests snagging tickets to see Sweden’s renowned musical acts—including metal bands. “Studies show that even extreme genres like death metal can reduce anger,” the pamphlet says. The country has approximately 428 metal bands per million residents, making it a global leader in the genre. If mosh pits and soaring decibels aren’t your thing, rest assured “there’s a music event for every taste, from city festivals to countryside festivities dedicated to everything from rock to social dancing.”

If your trip to Sweden feels far off in the distance, get a small taste of the culture’s therapeutic benefits by embracing some traditions at home. Coffeefor example, is a cherished Swedish habit of slowing down to enjoy a small refreshment and the company of others.