Our guide to staying healthy while travelling

Whether you’re planning on backpacking through Southeast Asia or taking a short jaunt over to France, there’s no doubt that travelling can take it’s toll on us.

Holidays are supposed to be time for us to switch off and relax, but between being cramped on a plane for hours on end, stressing over accommodation and battling jet lag – it can be a slow process before we feel fully relaxed.

Below we’ve put together some tips to help you stay healthy and relaxed while travelling, so you can make the most of your trip.

Sort your sleeping patterns

Sleep is so essential for our health, we heal and recover while we sleep. If you can, try and stick to your normal sleep routine while travelling. If you’re changing time-zones, change your watch to the time zone of the country you’re in while on the plane and try to get on local time ASAP.

Take short naps if you need to, but do your best to adjust so you get a good night’s sleep.

Relax with a breathing exercise

Travelling should be fun, but it can be quite stressful. If you’re struggling to relax and switch off, try some mindful breathing. Close your eyes for five minutes and focus on your breathing. Pay attention to the moment your inhale turns into an exhale, and the moment your exhale turns into an inhale. Allow thoughts to come and go, and whenever you find yourself thinking about something other than your breath, acknowledge it and let it go.

Being in the moment like this helps to ease stress and is a great practice to use whenever you feel overwhelmed.

Stretch it out

However you’re travelling (by plane, train, car or boat) you’ll probably be seated for a significant amount of time. This can cause your muscles to tense up and make you feel uncomfortable. Try to get up and move around as much as possible and do some stretches to ease tension. There are plenty of yoga poses you can do while travelling.

When you get to your destination, give yourself a full-body stretch – your muscles will thank you for it!

Walk or cycle to explore

Once you’ve arrived you can think about some ways to explore your temporary home. We love heading out for a walk once we’ve arrived somewhere to get our bearings and take in our surroundings. Talk to fellow travellers or hotel staff about best ways to get around.

If you can (and if you’re comfortable to), try walking or hiring a bike to explore on foot. This will keep you active and help you get a real feel for the country you’re in.

Eat well

When it comes to food, we’re all about enjoying yourself on holiday. It’s a great opportunity to try local cuisine and explore new flavours. Try to go for fresh produce and avoid too much refined sugar as this will affect your energy levels.

Be safe with your food too, keep your hands clean and if you’re worried about getting ill, do your research about any potential food hygiene issues to be aware of.

Stay hydrated

Even if where you’re going isn’t hot, it’s still important to stay hydrated. We often get dehydrated when travelling and the change in routine can make us forget to drink as often. Plus, let’s face it – there’s a good chance you’ll have the odd pina colada on the beach.

Drinking plenty of water will keep your energy levels high so you can really enjoy your break.

Do you have any other tips for staying healthy when travelling? Let us know in the comments below or Tweet us your tips!