Happy Summer, Fit and Fabulous Floridians!! Travel has a way of throwing even the most disciplined routines out the window. Time zones shift, meals become unpredictable, and sleep often takes a back seat to late nights with family and friends, sightseeing, and business. Yet with a few simple habits, you can keep yourself feeling your best, whether you are on a weekend trip or a month-long vacation.
Start With Sleep
Travel can take a toll on your sleep schedule. Whether it’s a time zone jet lag or staying out later than normal catching up with family and friends, it can wreak havoc on your body’s sleep clock. Sleep is paramount in enjoying your time away from home to the fullest and keeping yourself healthy. If you are traveling across time zones, here are a couple of tricks to get your body acclimated quickly:
Start adjusting your sleep schedule a few days before your trip to get your body used to the upcoming change.
When you arrive, depending on the time zone you are joining, either keep yourself awake until the new evening or try to sleep if you arrive in the evening and wake early the next day to help your body reset to the new schedule.
If you are planning on meeting up with family and friends, try to give yourself a day to get situated before making plans. Then while on vacation, try not to overbook yourself and give yourself some recovery days to relax and reset. This is especially important if you are on a long-haul vacation.
Think to Drink
Don’t get excited; we are not talking about alcohol here. As you travel via airplane, which has very low humidity, a long car ride or through hot climates, dehydration can sneak up on you. Headaches and fatigue are some signs to be aware of when traveling and can cause discomfort for your upcoming adventure. Carrying a reusable water bottle and refilling it at every opportunity is a simple fix. Also, limit caffeine and alcohol, which can worsen dehydration as they are considered diuretics.
“You’ve got to move it move it”
Sitting for long periods of time, whether on planes, trains, or automobiles, increases the risk of muscle stiffness and, in rare cases, can cause blood clots. If you are able, standing, stretching, and walking around every hour or two is highly recommended. If you are unable to do this, doing some seated marches, ankle rolls, leg stretches, and calf raises are good alternatives. Also, hinging forward and sitting upright, slightly arching your back a few times gets that blood flowing. Once you arrive at your destination, make sure you do some walking while sightseeing to keep yourself active while away.
Be Mindful with that Mouth Full
A lot of the fun about road trips and traveling is the snacks. Whenever we go on a road trip, the family asks for snacks. Being mindful about snacks can help keep your health goals on track. Pack a small cooler with some sandwiches, fruits, and vegetables. Other healthy snack ideas can include jerky, nuts, and healthy granola bars.
Sampling local foods when traveling is a great pleasure and there is no need to avoid it. Pairing indulgent meals with fruit, vegetables, and plenty of water can help offset the richer foods you encounter when visiting different places and going out to eat with friends and family.
Listen to Your Body
Perhaps the most overlooked advice is also the simplest: as mentioned above, pace yourself. Packing every day with activities can be tempting, but pushing too hard often leads to exhaustion or illness partway through a trip. Building in rest days or slower mornings allows the body to recover and keeps energy levels steady for the adventures ahead.
With a bit of planning, you can spend less time recovering, more time enjoying the journey, and all the while keeping your health goals on track!
