Smart Habits for Wellness While Traveling Abroad
Wellness while traveling abroad is an enriching and memory making experience. Walking through European or Asian history by visiting ancient cities or enjoying breathtaking views in rugged mountain ranges or crossing something off your bucket list like going on a New Zealand tour expands your horizons and fills your memory bank with excitement.
It is draining however, and the physical and mental toll of acclimatizing to new environments and different time zones can suck the life and enjoyment out of your travel experience. It doesn’t have to be this way. Much of traveling well is being prepared. It is not about rigid perfection or strict adherence to your daily routines. It is about flexible planning and mindfulness. This helps you enjoy every single day of your travel experience.
Change Your Routines and Take Control of Jet Lag
Jet lag is caused by crossing multiple time zones and confusing your circadian rhythm. It causes fatigue, digestive issues, insomnia and brain fog. You can begin preparing for this while still on the ground. Start by altering your sleep time to the time zone you are headed to 30-60 minutes earlier per day a few days before your travel day.
After you arrive at your final destination, try not to take super long daytime naps, as these can make your body take even longer to adjust. Natural sunlight can really help to reset your body’s clock, so try to spend as much time outside as you can during the day. When it’s time for you to go to bed in your new location, try to create a comfortable little “nest” for yourself.
Travel with a few items that may help you create this little space that you can call your own. These items can include a lightweight eye mask, some comfortable earplugs, lavender essential oil, or melatonin (if your doctor thinks it’s OK for you to use it). Finally, try to keep your first day relatively simple. Your body just went through a long and grueling flight, so give yourself a break and don’t plan too much for the first day.
Fuel Your Body Wisely Without Sacrificing Culinary Exploration
Food is such an integral part of a culture that traveling to different places to experience new foods is part of the joy of traveling. Restricting yourself from all foods is a definite no-no when traveling, but overindulging and depending on convenience foods can really make you feel uncomfortable and sluggish. Choose the right foods to eat, and don’t drink and eat on an irregular schedule. Remember to stay hydrated, as air travel can make you very dehydrated, and it can masquerade itself as hunger or fatigue.
When on vacation, aim for nutrient density when indulging in local treats. One way to do this is to include local fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins in a meal each day. Snacking is allowed as long as you bring your own nuts, seeds, or dried fruits to stave off hunger during your long activities. It’s particularly helpful if you don’t want to overeat during meals or while exploring. For healthy eating tips and activities while traveling, see the travel resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Always strive for Mindful Movement and Daily Physical Activity.
Although a lot of walking is built into your travel itinerary, you can usually take other forms of transportation. Be sure to check in with your body and take the activities that give you active recovery, like walking. This is particularly important if you don’t get active recovery while at home. Walking is a great way to take in little things you may miss from a bus. Also consider what fitness activities you would do at home and adapt them for travel. Instead of completely taking a break from fitness activities, utilize local parks and green spaces for your exercises, and adjust as appropriate for your travels.
You need to be attuned to your body during travel days. You should gently stretch if you’re feeling tight, especially if you’re feeling tight calves or shoulders. Elevating your legs before bed also aids in recovery. This can all be done in fifteen minutes and can make a huge impact on your travel days.
Mental Wellness
International travel can easily become a demanding drain on your resources. You have to learn to master the logistics of new systems and cope with missing connections, all in a language you don’t understand. It’s okay if you feel slightly overwhelmed during your trip.
The same principles for optimizing your physical energy can be used to gain mental energy. Downtime can take many forms; you can journal or People-watch at a cafe, or simply take a break from the busy world and explore at your own pace. There’s no shame in taking things slow and leaving time in your day for long, unstructured activities.
Radical acceptance becomes useful in practice when a delay or cancellation occurs. Acceptance lets you take control. When you get upset, it gives the situation power. After you accept a change, you can pivot and shift things in your favor. Have grace when things go wrong and remind yourself of your ultimate goal when you travel. You don’t travel for perfection; you travel for joy and enrichment.
Conclusion
Mastering wellness while you travel takes planning and preparation. Prioritizing the above practices enables you to protect your travel peace and gives you positive travel outcomes. Travel is an investment in yourself, treat yourself nicely along the way to truly gain the joy of travel and be able to absorb the places you visit.
Author:
Sara William, a digital marketing consultant, writer, freelancer, WordPress enthusiast, and coffee lover.
