Almost everyone loves traveling. Whether it is the feeling of reaching your destination vacation or experiencing a once in a lifetime business opportunity, travel is unavoidable in the jet setter’s age. But, as fun as traveling is, it can leave you feeling tired and jet-lagged, so here is a list of a few tips that will help you stay healthy while you’re out and about.
#1 Preparation is key
It is widely known that lack of sleep and a general feeling of being tired can impact your immune system. An excellent way to combat this is to prepare with a really good quality multivitamin, especially in the days before your travels. Staying hydrated and well-rested in the days leading up to your journey is extremely beneficial to keeping you in good shape for your trips.
Don’t go to bed at 1 am before your 5 am flight! Aim for a good night’s sleep. Some travel veterans have noted that going to bed an hour earlier than usual for a few days before traveling to a place in a different timezone helps fight jet lag.
#2 Must-haves for Happy Travelers
Pack a quick mini go-to bag that can slide into your hand luggage with all your usual travel buddies. If you get motion sickness or plugged ears while traveling, make sure you have an extra pack of minty gum, cotton wool, and lip balm. These all help soothe that familiar jittery tummy feeling.
It is also worthwhile keeping a few band-aids and your preferred brand of headache medicine on hand. Magnesium supplements help to energize the body and keep muscle cramps to a minimum.
#3 When in Doubt, Stretch it out!
Before you put your backpack on and walk out the door, set aside half an hour to relax and simply stretch – here is an excellent preflight sequence that can help reduce stiffness and inflamed muscles from travels. Muscle stiffness from long haul flights and excessive walking can really make you feel groggy, cranky, and impossibly tired.
This stretch and refresh session shouldn’t make you break out a sweat; it should be enough to warm your muscles up and get your body supple for the long journey ahead.
#4 Stay Fresh
It is well known that airports and public transport aren’t the most comfortable places to freshen up when you’re sweaty and lugging your luggage around from terminal to customs and everywhere in between. Keep a travel bottle of hand sanitizer and a pack of wet wipes in your hand luggage. Put a smear of vaseline in your nose to keep out unwanted germs.
A quick wet wipe down can go a long way to keeping you feeling fresher and happier. Wash your hands whenever you can, which ensures that your chances of getting home from vacation with a cold are lower.
#5 Research!
To stay healthy no matter where you travel to, it’s important to do some planning. Do some research on your destination before you leave. If you are traveling to places where tap water is not drinkable, be prepared with bottled water for when you land. Take into consideration that different foods might impact your gut. Keep some rehydrate mixes on hand.
Invest in a water bottle for travel, fill up wherever you can get clean, safe drinking water. If you ever doubt the water supply, stick to bottled water. Be mindful that alcohol is different in every country! A beer in Bangkok might make you feel like three beers in New York!
#6 Keep Your Fitness up
Traveling should not impact your training schedule; you can do many strength and resistance training routines in the comfort of a hotel room. Consider packing in a few items to help you stay on top of your fitness. All you need is workout wear, a jump rope, and a hip circle set – you can get this gear online from places like Amazon or Victorem.
With these on hand, all you need now is a space in your hotel room and 15 – 30 minutes a day to stay fit. Exercise helps fight fatigue and will help you soothe any residual aches and pains. Working out can also help keep your body energized and keep you fueled with enough stamina to explore the city you are in.
Preparation is all you Need to Stay Healthy
All you need to stay healthy is a little preparation. Stay hydrated, stretch your legs, and don’t forget to pack a quality multivitamin. A good quality supplement is also a sure-fire way of keeping your immune system healthy and strong enough to fight off any disease. The most important part of a healthy trip is sleep – without it, you will be sure to be cranky and out of sorts. And that’s the last thing you want on your travels!