86% of expats report being stressed out, but study suggests they may also cope better with burnout

It's not easy to pick up your life and move overseas to work abroad, but it can also be very rewarding.

As someone who recently moved from the United States to Singapore, I am the first to say that while the opportunity to do so is a privilege, it also comes with its own unique set of challenges.

Being a 16-hour flight from your closest family is daunting, but having the chance to completely immerse in a new culture and having the time to focus on yourself are priceless.

"The globally mobile – individuals living and working overseas – are an increasingly important element of workforces in most markets," according to the Cigna Healthcare Vitality Study released April 2024.

"We have also seen a growing appetite for this lifestyle, with nearly a third (30%) of people who still live in their home country saying they are likely to live overseas," according to the study.

The study surveyed more than 10,000 people, including more than 2,600 globally mobile individuals across 12 markets: the U.S., U.K., Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Kenya, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, mainland China, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Globally mobile individuals tend to display a higher than average vitality score — 71.7 out of the maximum score of 100, compared to people who live in the home market — 66.7.

The vitality scores used in this study are based on The Evernorth Vitality Index, which provides a measure of "people's capacity to pursue life with health, strength, and energy," according to the report.

The survey asked questions to gauge respondents' sense of physical, spiritual, emotional, environmental, social, occupational, financial and intellectual well-being.

Additionally, this group reported better mental well-being than their