Without proper preparation, travel can have devastating effects on your health. Staying healthy on vacation can be difficult due to factors such as jet lag, long travel days, eating out frequently, and being in a new and unfamiliar place that disrupts your daily routine.
Tips to Stay Healthy While Travelling
To help you maintain your fitness and well-being even when you're on the go, here are a few suggestions.
Keep yourself hydrated.
Drinking plenty of water while traveling is crucial, whether on a long flight or just out and about.
Water bottles are easily obtained abroad, so if you're traveling somewhere where tap water is unsafe, you can drink from those instead. Other than that, tap water is your best friend.
Furthermore, you can buy a filtered water bottle that will allow you to drink any water in the world without worrying about getting sick. I do this to safely drink water regardless of where I am.
Bring healthy snacks
Pack your snacks if you want to eat well on long car rides or plane rides. There are a few of my favorite portable healthy snacks:
- Air-popped popcorn
- Fruit leather
- Energy bars
- Dried fruit and nuts
If you bring your healthy snacks to the airport, you won't need to buy a sugary bar from a convenience store or a bag of chips and a soda to tide you over.
Relax and get some sleep.
Tiredness is a common side effect of travel due to factors such as jet lag, lugging around heavy bags, and engaging in a flurry of activities throughout the day. Lack of sleep is the worst thing you can do on top of everything else.
If you don't get enough shut-eye, you put your body in a weakened state and increase your risk of getting sick. Even though there's a lot of exciting stuff to do and see on a trip, your body will be grateful if you get plenty of rest.
The adage, "get to bed early, get up early," is universally true. If you get enough shut-eye before setting out on your journey, you'll be more refreshed and ready to take on whatever challenges.
Breakfast is key
Don't be slack and skip breakfast just because you're on vacation; it's the day's most important meal. Eating breakfast will give you the boost you need to conquer the day.
Ignore the hotel's pricey breakfast and eat where the locals do; you'll likely find a better and more reasonably priced option.
You can also save money by preparing breakfast in your hotel room with items like instant oatmeal, cereal, and fruit.
Do Your Grocery Shopping
When you're on the go, it's easy to make poor food choices, like eating at restaurants for every meal or buying unhealthy snacks or street food.
Going grocery shopping at the start of a trip helps me maintain my everyday eating habits and dietary needs.
The rent money you pay for an apartment allows you to stock the kitchen with food if you want to cook while you're there. If you're like me and don't enjoy preparing meals, you can always stock up on healthy snacks to have on hand. During the week, I frequently stop at the grocery store to stock up on granola bars, applesauce, fruit, and sandwiches to eat on the go.
Walk Around
You can maintain your fitness and health by walking everywhere on vacation. One of the best ways to get to know a new city is on foot. Walking alone will give you a much more authentic experience than riding in a tour bus or taxi.
Visit nearby hiking trails or other outdoor attractions in a more rural area. Nothing beats a morning stroll on the beach in the early hours of your beach vacation.
Exercise
You can get in shape without joining a gym. There are numerous opportunities for physical activity and exploration on the road.
In a city, you can get some exercise by riding a rented bike or running through a nearby park.
Hiking, swimming, scuba diving, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing, and so on are just some of the many physical activities that can be enjoyed when traveling to a more outdoorsy location.
Bring sanitizer
When you travel, you should assume that any surface may harbor germs, no matter how clean it appears. Airplanes, trains, buses, public restrooms, automatic teller machines, ticket kiosks, etc., are all teeming with germs. Carry hand sanitizer with you and use it frequently to avoid catching a cold or the flu.
If you plan on using public restrooms, it's always a good idea to bring along some hand sanitizer in a small bottle, just in case you find that the facility doesn't provide soap.
Skincare
Take precautions in the sun if you don't want to come home from your vacation with a nasty sunburn. Overexposure to the sun can cause painful skin burns and severe health problems. Take sunscreen with you on your trip and use it every time you go outside, whether you're going on a hike, swimming in the ocean, or just exploring a new city.
If you're going somewhere with mosquitoes or other insects, you should also bring insect repellent. A trip ruined by bug bites is one of the most annoying vacations.
Slow Down
Too rapid travel is dangerous. You could get burned out and exhausted if your vacation involves nonstop flights, trains, buses, tours, and activities. Still worse, excessive speed can negatively affect one's physical well-being.
If you can, make it a point to take it easy for a little while every day. Don't put undue pressure on yourself to see and do everything during your trip; doing so could lead to exhaustion and health problems.
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