9 simple tips for staying healthy while traveling
Traveling can be stressful and derailing – time zones, business meetings, and sightseeing can all interrupt your usual routine (and mess with your body clock). As incredibly rewarding as travel experiences can be – whether for business or leisure – it’s easy to give your health a back seat as you take in the newness and excitement of this new locale.
But we have 9 (ridiculously simple) health tips for travelers, so you know exactly how to stay healthy while traveling.
1. Keep boosting your immune system
Over and above any regular medication you take, make sure you’re getting a daily dose of vitamins and supplements to keep your immune system as strong as possible. Planes, trains, and taxis aren’t the most germ-free of places, and you’ll want to be armed for any bacteria or virus you might pick up during your travels.
2. Take time to de-stress
According to the Anxiety Centre, prolonged periods of stress can bring on flu-like symptoms. Make sure you take some time out to manage general stress; even if this is a work trip, you can block out time to re-charge your batteries and keep stress levels under control. If the hotel you’re staying at has a spa, why not go for a well-deserved massage after a long day out and about?
3. Keep healthy snacks on hand
If you’re a snacker, it’s tricky to find healthy snacks on the go (especially if you’re in a foreign destination), but with a little planning, you can make sure that when those cravings kick in, you’re munching on something healthier. Take a few minutes to pop into a nearby supermarket to pick up some healthier snack options like freshly cut fruit or unsalted nuts. Avoid vending machines and quick café bites.
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4. Go easy on the complimentary food
Who doesn’t love free food? That’s what all-inclusive buffet-style breakfasts are made for, right? Complimentary muffins in conference rooms, airplane meals, or even compliments in your hotel room are all nice-to-have, but they’re not exactly the healthiest. This is where those healthy snacks come in. You can still indulge in freebies, but be mindful of how much junk you pile on your plate.
5. Think twice when eating out
You’re in a foreign place; of course, you’re going to go out on the town and get a taste of the local restaurant and bar scene. But you can still do it healthily. Another one of our go-to health tips for travelers is to aim for the most nutritious options available on the menu – even if it’s not the perfect option. Opt for baked over fried, salads over fries, and avoid creamy sauces. You can even go one step further and review the restaurant’s menu before you head out so you have an idea of what you can order.
6. Stay hydrated
This has to be one of the most important health tips for travelers. Whether you’ve just stepped off a flight in the Maldives, or you’re on day three of your vacation in Hawaii, staying hydrated is going to ensure your body is to make a world of difference. Avoid reaching for energy drinks, and keep your caffeine intake to a moderate amount, and you’ll be living your best (most hydrated) life.
7. Walk as much as possible
Whether you take the stairs as much as possible, take a leisurely stroll to that nearby restaurant, or even take a walking tour – try to walk as much as you can during your stay. That way even if you can’t fit in a workout at the hotel gym, you’re still getting in some steps.
8. Exercise in your room
If you’re not in the mood to go to the hotel gym (or your accommodation doesn’t have one), then a classic at-home exercise routine will do just fine. Every little bit of physical activity counts, whether you do a quick guided yoga class on YouTube to doing some quick intervals of squats and crunches. Even if you’re feeling lazy, 15 minutes of light stretching will get your heart rate up and some endorphins pumping.
9. Do treat yourself
Life is all about balance. And being healthy doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself – especially not when you’re in a new, exotic place. So plan an after-work drink or treat yourself to an indulgent meal at that charming little cafe you’ve been eyeing since you arrived. Planning it means you can look forward to it and enjoy yourself without overdoing it.
We hope these travel health tips will make a difference to your upcoming trips.
Efrat Sagi-Ofir
Efrat Sagi-Ofir is CRO & Founder of Air Doctor. Air Doctor is a startup that connects travelers to a global network of 20,000 local medical doctors through an easy-to-use app, to receive appropriate medical care from anywhere in the world. If you would like to be a guest blogger on A Luxury Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.
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We are all different. I always find that hydration is key on long flights, for me that would be top of the list.
I totally agree with you on that one Laura – staying hydrated is essential! :) Thanks for giving it a read and sharing your thoughts.
Before de-stressing make sure you avoid stress. Build in time for bus, car and train journeys to the airport. Cancelled trains and traffic congestion happen: give yourself time for Plan B so that you don’t suffer stress.
That’s great advice Brad! Having a back-up plan is the best way to ensure one doesn’t end up stranded (& stressed)! Thank you for giving the post a read!
No startling new rocket science here. I think most of these tips are straight forward common sense. The thing is remembering them and having a lot of self discipline when you are on the road. It’s good to have all this stuff collated together.
May be this should all be published as a reminder every few months? If I don’t get the basics right when I travel, I end up feeling lousy and am like a bear with a sore head.
You have an excellent point, Andy. Self-discipline definitely goes a long way when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Simple tips that are easy to fit into your daily routine make a world of difference and can often be overlooked because of their simplicity. :) Thanks for giving the post a read and for your feedback!
Great Article ! with important tip ,staying hydrated during travelling is more important.
TBH you could abbreviate the title to “9 simple tips for staying healthy”.
If more people kept to these simple steps day in and day out they would probably feel a lot better and suffer less from ailments. A lot of my friends tell me that they are always feeling tired. If they followed the good advice given here they would probably start to feel better very quickly.
Absolutely! We are involved in a lot of travel and health as a traveltech company contributing here, but you are 100% right.
We’re all in such a rush nowadays that we often ignore the simple precautions that would make big gains for our travel health.
I’m sat in departures now waiting for my flight and it’s easy to see a lot of stressed people eating and drinking the wrong stuff. As ever you can make big gains from making small changes.
After three weeks of travel (for the first time internationally too since the pandemic!), as amazing as travelling is I’ve come to realise how much I miss my usual healthy routines while at home! Whilst we try to walk as much as possible, it’s not always possible in some places – case in point, our recent trip to Bali! Most tourism hotspots in Bali (like Canggu etc) definitely aren’t very walkable haha.
Having done an 11 hour overnight flight I’m not feeling great. I’m regretting not reading this earlier.
be healthy and hydrated always. drinks lots of water while traveling. it will help your body from dehydration.
Keeping yourself hydrated during traveling is very much important.
Great, Hydration is always important and I find it not so easy during my traveling, Sad.