Last Updated on September 29, 2021
Traveling for those who love to do it is always an adventure no matter the destination, no matter if it is for work or for leisure, and no matter the plans or what you have to do while you are at your destination. But taking the time for our health when we travel can be one of the farthest things from our minds, even if it is an important work trip that does not leave you much time for yourself. Taking a few moments to think about your health when you are preparing for your trip can make the difference in your trip and how well it goes, and can even continue into your life beyond traveling.
On a recent trip to Idaho for work, this particular topic came up for me in a big way. While my trip was only a three-day hop across the country and back, there are things that I did not think of and should have prepared for that would have made my trip much more comfortable. The weather in Boise was beautiful, typical for September, with warm, sunny days and mild nights. However, at the time I went to Boise, there were still wildfires raging in Oregon that were affecting the quality of the atmosphere and environment in the area.
After the second day of being there and feeling the difficulty of catching my breath and the layer of grime on my face after a day outside, I realized I should have planned better. Here are some travel health and wellness tips that would have helped me and may help you in your travels, whether those are within the U.S. or you are jetting off to a beautiful city in Europe.
Take Your Vitamins
And by this, I mean both take your vitamins on a daily basis, and take your vitamins with you when you travel. Finding a great regimen of vitamins for women, including a multivitamin, means choosing based on your needs and what works best for your body. What I take at home and should have remembered to take with me includes magnesium, vitamin D, folic acid, and a good sleep supplement that includes melatonin. All of these things could have made my experience better, from my quality of sleep to the ability of my body to fight through the difficult air quality.
Sleep!
While sleep is the last thing on my mind when I travel, even when I work, it is so important to get good quality sleep. We have all been around the block enough times to know that sleep deprivation affects everything. So instead of forfeiting your good night’s sleep to spend another night on the town so you can see all the sights, set yourself up for a great night of sleep which will allow you to get up earlier and with more energy to take in more views on the morrow.
Stretch and Breathe
Many of us try to pack too much into travel time. Even when I am traveling for work as I did in Idaho, I had a list of 10 things I wanted to do or see before I had to get back to the airport for my return flight. While I enjoy having busy days, I definitely feel those busy days when I get home, especially if I have had a super busy vacation or work trip of seeing sights and driving around. Long flights can cause body stress alone because you are sitting for hours and then basically running through a busy airport, dodging bodies and travel carts. Take some time at the beginning of your day of travel and throughout it to stretch, take deep breaths, and center back to yourself.
Any one of these things would have made my trip to Idaho much less stressful, and if I had been mindful enough to incorporate them all I don’t think I would have noticed so much that the haze was so thick you could barely see the mountains. I still was able to take in some beautiful scenery, and next time I will be much better prepared to make my journey enjoyable and easy.
