Traveling is a favorite activity for many people, as research indicates that 7 in 10 Americans planned to travel in 2022. Indeed, traveling is beneficial, as it allows you to recharge and destress. Moreover, a break from your routine can benefit your mental health. Several studies also link travel to decreased risks of cardiovascular diseases. Likewise, it boosts your immune system, allowing your body to fight against disease-causing organisms. Despite these, it’s easy to lose yourself when on a trip. It’s not unusual to forgo your usual health routine as you indulge in various fun activities. However, you’ll find it helpful to continue your health practices. Here are some helpful ways to do so.
Consult your healthcare provider before leaving
You may be excited to finally embark on your long-awaited trip. However, you don’t want to do so without consulting your doctor or other healthcare providers. For starters, you can get the needed immunizations to reduce your risks of contracting infections or illnesses in a foreign country. Also, certain health conditions are common among travelers, including diarrhea, altitude sickness, motion sickness, and malaria. However, you can safeguard yourself against them by obtaining the necessary medications. You can also determine if travel is safe, especially if you have an existing medical condition. Additionally, your healthcare provider can educate you on basic water and food safety to enhance your overall experience.
Seeing these benefits, you want to visit your doctor before setting off. Since some vaccines need several weeks to become effective, scheduling your appointment early is essential. Experts advise visiting your doctor six to eight weeks before your trip for the best results. Consequently, don’t hide any information from them. Instead, inform them of your travel plans, activities, accommodation options, and the travel duration. Likewise, inform them of your vaccine history, medical condition, etc.
Research your chosen destination
Perhaps, your chosen destination holds an appeal that you wish to explore at all costs. However, it’s also not uncommon that some areas are more unsafe than others. Therefore, don’t limit your research to the area’s activities, tourist sites, and restaurants. Instead, also ascertain if certain diseases are common to the place. This way, you can decide if you can get the needed vaccine or change your destination altogether. As a tip, visit your country’s website for advisories and warnings regarding your destination. Alternatively, check your destination’s tourist boards or view independent travel sites to ensure you aren’t at risk of contracting any disease.
You can also email an experienced travel blogger for their experiences, so keep this in mind. Another thing you don’t want to overlook is your destination country’s climate. If it’s too hot, you can quickly develop heatstroke or sunburn. On the other hand, hypothermia can also be a problem in colder regions. However, familiarizing yourself with the weather conditions can help you prepare adequately. Safeguarding yourself against poisonous animals and insects in that area is also prudent, so feel free to consider this.
Don’t skip sleep
Sleep is non-negotiable, and this doesn’t change when traveling. Admittedly, several factors can affect your sleep pattern, including jet lag, exercise routine & diet changes, new schedules, and travel fatigue. And these can harm your emotional, physical, and mental health. It can cause health conditions like diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases. Likewise, it can affect your skin, causing premature wrinkles and dark circles around your eyes. Additionally, inadequate sleep can slow down your cognitive function, which is the last thing you need in a new environment. Worse, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy your trip due to a lack of energy, and you can expect to be in a bad mood constantly. Therefore, you want to prioritize your sleep to prevent these.
Fortunately, certain steps can help you achieve this. You can alter your sleep schedules to suit your travel destination before you travel. For instance, if your destination is three hours ahead, and you sleep at 9 pm, you can push it forward to 10 pm. After mastering this, you can push it forward to 11 pm, and 12 am, respectively. Consequently, take your sunglasses to shut out the sun in case you arrive when the sun is up and you need to sleep. You can also try to get some sleep on the plane if possible, so keep this in mind. You can also consider these strategies to promote healthy sleeping.
Be mindful of what you consume
One thing most people enjoy about traveling is the vast array of cuisines they can try. And, it’s easy to forget healthy eating when on a trip. However, you can quickly gain extra pounds, especially when you don’t track what you eat. Indeed, research indicated that people might not gain weight morbidly during travels. However, failure to lose it can lead to obesity. So, you want to be careful about your consumption to maintain a healthy weight. Therefore, you can research restaurants serving healthier meal options, so you don’t eat junk. You’ll also find it helpful to bring fiber-rich and protein-rich snacks, so feel free to consider this. However, you want to be sure of what snacks you can travel with to avoid problems at the airport. Yes, traveling allows flexibility, but you’ll be better off sticking to a regular meal time. Eating mindfully allows you to enjoy your food and be satiated without going an extra round, so feel free to consider this.
Another thing worth considering is food safety. Traveler’s diarrhea and other food-related illnesses are common and can cause inconveniences or even endanger your life. Therefore, be intentional about choosing your dining spots. Fortunately, independent review sites can offer great info on hygienic restaurants so that you can leverage them for the best results. Also, consume steaming hot foods and beverages, as they’re less likely to contain microbes. To be safe, you also want to avoid raw foods like salads and uncooked seafood. Consequently, avoid drinking water from sources you’re unsure of. Instead, buy bottled water with an untampered seal, or leverage a portable water purifier or filter if you drink tap water.
Make exercise a part of your travel itinerary
People may not like to work out when travel. However, exercising is a great way to enhance your health when on a trip. Research indicates that prolonged inactivity can cause higher cholesterol and decreased muscle mass, but you can avoid this when your work out regularly. Moreover, you can treat yourself to your favorite meals without feeling guilty since there’s a healthy balance between your eating and workout habit. Fortunately, you don’t need to use the gym, which is great news if you don’t have one. Several activities allow you to shed calories, so feel free to consider them.
For instance, you can take brisk walks, run or jog, so keep this in mind. You can also consider home workouts like pilates, yoga, squats, planks, pushups, etc. Fortunately, sites like A Lean Life can help you with the right workouts. If you enjoy outdoor living, you can also try mountain biking, snorkeling, hiking, etc., so keep this in mind.
Pack your health essentials
While you may not want it, unexpected health circumstances can spring up, making it essential to arm yourself with the necessary items to address them. Therefore, you’ll find it helpful to include bandages, antibiotic ointments, antidiarrheal medications, flu medications, etc., in your traveling back. Consequently, ensure that you have enough supply of your prescription medication, so you don’t run out while on your trip.
That’s about it! Little changes to your usual travel routine that can make a lasting difference to your overall well-being.
What do you think?