While highly enjoyable, vacations are often disruptive to our daily schedule. Wondering how to stay healthy while traveling?
Allow me to share some helpful tricks and clear your doubts on the idea of staying fit and healthy while you’re on trips.
Whenever I travel, I find it tough to stick to my usual routine built around maintaining my health.
I think I’m not the only one who struggles to stay healthy when traveling, such as drinking enough water, walking enough steps, squeezing time in for a workout, etc.
Especially as a digital nomad, I’m always trying to juggle work and my travel plans, on top of traveling healthy and maintaining my normal fitness routine while on the go.
But, fret not! There are still ways you can keep up with your healthy routine on trips. Read on to find out my personal tips on how to stay healthy while traveling.
21 Hacks on How to Stay Healthy While Traveling
1. Hydrate Around The Clock
2. Get Plenty Of Sleep
3. Mute Your Phone Before Sleep
4. Beat Jet Lag The Smart Way
5. Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
6. Take Less Sweets And Alcohol
7. Pack Healthy Snacks
8. Cook Your Own Meals
9. Take Your Supplements
10. Protect Yourself With Sunscreen
11. Wash Your Hands Regularly
12. Plan Ahead To Avoid Stress
13. Stay Active And Walk More
14. Prioritize Your Mental Health
15. Bring Along An Emergency Kit
16. Stick To A Quick Workout Routine
17. Get A Travel Insurance
18. Don’t Overeat
19. Meditate
20. Protect Your Gut With Probiotics
21. Research for Necessary Vaccinations
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1. Hydrate Around The Clock
Shouldn’t come across as a surprise for anyone given how we all know how crummy being thirsty is.
But as travelers we might find ourselves stranded without water for a couple hours while commuting (thanks bad planning!).
That’s why I always remind myself to look up travel time and bring an adequate amount of water with me.
It’s time to get yourself a handy tumbler to bring along for healthy traveling.
2. Get Plenty Of Sleep
One of the most important tips for staying healthy while traveling is diligently getting enough sleep every night.
Recent studies have shown that lack of sleep can actually impair your reaction and coordination skills as much as intoxication.
If you are constantly traveling like I am, keep your energy up by staying healthy while traveling with adequate sleep.
It’s never worth it to stay up late too often and sacrifice your health while traveling, getting in the way of you actually having a good time!
3. Mute Your Phone Before Sleep
Another one of my handy health tips for travelers would be to manage the quality of your sleep (AKA Sleep Hygiene).
Having a dark and quiet room helps you get your uninterrupted beauty sleep with your phone silenced.
The National Sleep Foundation suggested that we leave our electronics outside the bedroom, but it’s harder for travelers.
But turning your phone off to flight mode before bed works the same. It’s the key for better sleep and staying healthy while traveling.
4. Beat Jet Lag The Smart Way
Heads up, jetsetters! This one right here is the most important health tips for flying.
You’re probably familiar with the groggy first few days when you land.
I had difficulties falling asleep on the first night and gave in to the urge to just sleep through the next day.
As to how to stay healthy while flying, I usually force myself up on the first day to adjust to the local time.
You can always take a short nap or some coffee to keep yourself energized.
Keep the nap shorter than 30 minutes if you don’t want to wake up groggier.
5. Eat More Fruits And Vegetables
One of the primary reasons to go around the world is to try exotic local food.
But the uncomfortable bloated stomachs or constipation will probably make you second guess your choice in food for last night’s dinner.
Want to know how to stay on diet while on vacation?
For frequent travelers such as myself, keeping a diet rich with fruits and vegetables is key.
They’ll strengthen our digestive system and lower risk of heart disease and eye problems.
Eating healthy while traveling is easier than you think!
Try to opt for fiber-rich vegetables and vitamin-rich fruits for your daily meals whenever you can, your body will thank you later!
6. Take Less Sweets And Alcohol
A big part of traveling is the adventure. Like finding a chic cafe in an obscure alley, or uncovering the secret code to enter a hidden bar!
You reward yourself for your discovery with the rare sweets and exquisite alcohols offered.
But keep in mind that moderation is key if you’re serious about staying healthy when traveling!
Indulgence during your travels is something to be frowned upon, but if it gives you the worst hangover the following day, it’s best to keep yourself in check.
7. Pack Healthy Snacks
Being on the move also compromises my eating schedule sometimes, that’s why I would pack a handful of healthy snacks while traveling anytime anywhere.
It’s my number one tip on how to stay healthy when traveling on a plane.
Personally, I would have a dried fruits and nuts mix to munch on, whether I’m on long-haul flights or tripping throughout the continents.
You can shop for my favorite snack to stay healthy while traveling.
8. Cook Your Own Meals
Looking for tips for healthy travel routines? This point is the ultimate way on how to stay healthy while traveling.
Besides the obvious health benefits of managing your food intake, doing groceries in a foreign market could also be quite the experience!
Furthermore, even if you don’t have a kitchen, just making a sandwich would be good enough.
Picnic in Central Park anyone? Now that’s how to be healthy while traveling!
9. Take Your Supplements
We don’t always travel with the luxury of our own kitchen, so we might not get all the nutrients we need from our meals on our adventures.
Worrying about how to stay healthy while traveling for work?
Fortunately for us it’s the 21st century and most of our minerals and vitamins exist in tablet forms and are just a pharmacy away.
You can also shop them online before your next flight.
However, please consult your physician before traveling as over-consuming supplements could backfire on your health!
10. Protect Yourself With Sunscreen
Hailing from the ever sunny Malaysia, I am all too familiar with sunburns and how to get around them.
One of the key vacation health tips is to always use sunscreens!
Carry them with you, apply and reapply regularly during the day to keep your skin protected.
It is especially crucial to protect yourself with sunscreen when you are exposed to the blazing sun, generally around noon.
Make sure to use ones that protect you from UVA or UVB, or offer broad spectrum protection.
11. Wash Your Hands Regularly
Falling sick on a trip sucks, big time.
Not only are you wasting precious time out there but also, are you sure your health insurance covers overseas treatments?
Take care of your personal hygiene by washing your hands regularly, especially before eating.
Travel size sanitizers are allowed on flights so there shouldn’t be a problem to carry them with you always.
12. Plan Ahead To Avoid Stress
If you fail to plan you plan to fail. Did you know that travel stress could affect your overall wellness too?
This is why one of my tips to stay healthy while traveling is to always plan out my trip schedule.
Start planning your escapades early so you don’t miss out on things to do.
There are places and events that are hard to come by that you won’t easily get another chance to go back to, so be diligent with your planning.
Of course, you don’t always have to plan everything out to a tee, sometimes leaving things up to chance has its own charm too!
I usually would have a couple of days that have nothing on the calendar so I’ll be free to roam.
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13. Stay Active And Walk More
Looking for a simple way on how to stay fit while traveling?
It’s as easy as taking the chance to walk and explore the city.
What you see on foot is greatly different from what you see on a bus, AND you get to hit your daily ten thousand steps!
Be sure to get yourself a good pair of walking shoes while you’re at it!
14. Prioritize Your Mental Health
Our mental wellbeing affects our overall wellness.
My list of healthy travel tips includes the necessary step of putting your mental health first and always.
Keep tabs on your mental health to avoid mental burnouts.
Pace yourself by leaving an appropriate amount of time to rest and prepare between journeys.
Explore ways to calm your mind, like deep-breathing, meditating or light reading!
15. Bring Along An Emergency Kit
Looking for more health tips for travelers?
This particular one has helped me out so often that it felt like a necessity, so make sure that you always have one with you.
If you are traveling with company, just get one of you to bring it for the whole team.
Make sure you pack in some band-aids, antiseptic, cotton rolls, alongside a couple ointments and repellents.
You can also shop for a readily available one online!
16. Stick To A Quick Workout Routine
This next one is for the weight watchers looking for health tips while traveling.
Without access to our usual training equipment, we need to improvise shorter and simpler routines.
Short and intensive body-weight training would be ideal, as it can be done whenever wherever, and it also builds your balance and flexibility.
Don’t be too uptight with your diet too! You did not fly all the way across the globe to not have fun!
It’s okay to indulge yourself a little during the vacation as long as you are able to hop right back into your usual routine when you get home.
17. Get A Travel Insurance
In the same vein as keeping a medical first aid kit, travel insurance can provide you with peace of mind.
Although the likelihood of using it is far lower than that of the medikit, insurances tend to really help you get back when emergencies arise.
The common insurance will generally cover everything minor like missing suitcases and flight cancellations.
But you would be expected to pay more for things more extreme like hospitalizations.
18. Don’t Overeat
My top tips on how to stay healthy during travel trips consist of the simple rule of not overeating and stopping when you feel slightly full.
Limit your portions and be mindful during meal times.
It’ll definitely pay off in the long run for your digestive health and help maintain a healthy body.
19. Meditate
I always find meditating to be the best way to keep my mind fresh and active.
Conversely, I tend to feel even more tired and unmotivated without those moments of peace and quiet.
I would often meditate early in the morning to keep it a habit, as it is an easy way to shrug off the drowsiness.
On top of that, it is also believed by yoga-practitioners that the best time to meditate is half an hour before daybreak!
20. Protect Your Gut With Probiotics
The body is made up of good and bad bacterias.
While bad bacterias make you all kinds of sick, good bacterias (probiotics) will help you fight the baddies off.
Probiotics are present in our normal day-to-day diet, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, and kombucha.
You can also opt to take probiotic supplements while you’re on the go.
21. Research for Necessary Vaccinations
This is another form of insurance against diseases endemic to your travel destination.
It’s not uncommon to take vaccines for Hepatitis when traveling to India or Cholera when traveling to Southeast Asia.
Some countries go as far as mandating a proof of vaccination before granting you a visa, so make sure to check the requirements beforehand!
It is tried and tested to protect the citizens of the destination and you yourself from infectious diseases.
You can check the list of common vaccinations on WHO’s website.
FAQS On How To Stay Healthy While Traveling.
How Do I Prepare My Body For A Trip?
Wondering how you can prepare your body for a trip? Start by eating healthy and drinking an adequate amount of water daily. It’ll help keep your immunity up and lessen the chances of you falling sick during your trips. Another habit to practice is to get plenty of shut-eye prior to your exciting travel plans.
How Do I Avoid Getting Sick When Traveling?
Thinking about how you can avoid getting sick when traveling? Here’s what you can do to avoid that from happening. Get the necessary vaccinations to lower the risks of contracting local diseases and give your immunity a boost. Bring a travel kit with you equipped with all the essential medications.
That’s all you need to know about how to stay healthy while traveling!
There’s no excuse to not go the extra mile in order to keep yourself healthy and happy even on trips. It is no longer some unattainable goal that you can only dream of. Plus, you’ll get to enjoy your trips to the fullest if you’ve physically and mentally at your best!
Share in the comments your secret to staying healthy while going on trips. I would love to hear about other brilliant hacks on the topic.
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