Some people believe traveling is bad for your health, and if you’re not careful, it will cause you to suffer physical and mental problems. Travel health is important and fortunately, there are other travelers out there who have wonderful tips on how to avoid travel-related illnesses. Here are a few of the best ones to keep in mind whenever you’re vacationing.
Travel Health to Consider
Bring Your Supplements, Medications, Contacts/Glasses
Don’t forget to pack your dietary supplements and medications when traveling. While it’s often possible to buy prescription and over-the-counter medications on the road, it also takes precious time away from your trip. Use a plastic pill sorter to pack your multivitamins and common medications like Aspirin.
It’s also really important that you don’t forget to pack your contacts and or glasses. But, it can happen. If you find that you are without them, you can find glasses delivered in 24 hours on Overnight Glasses.
Protect Your Skin from Sunlight While Traveling
If you’re traveling to a sunny location, be sure to bring along sunscreen lotion or cream to protect your skin from sunburn. Badly burned skin will make you feel miserable with not only the pain of inflamed skin, but potentially fever and nausea as well. Don’t ruin your entire vacation by mistakenly thinking protecting your skin isn’t important. Also, make sure to bring prescription sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Prepare for Overcoming Jet Lag
Jet lag affects some travelers more than others, but if you have a sleep disorder, then you will likely feel fatigued and grumpy from jet lag. Prepare by either trying to sleep on the plane or by staying awake, depending on the time zone you’re traveling to. In addition, avoid drinking too many caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.
Get Your Vaccinations Several Months In Advance
If you are traveling to a foreign country, check the vaccination recommendations for the region. Some vaccinations cause a mild or a serious reaction, so you should schedule these immunizations far in advance. You may need a vaccination for conditions such as yellow fever, typhoid or rabies if traveling to a remote location that has poor sanitation or numerous roaming animals.
Carry a Smartphone
Remaining safe while traveling is essential, so make sure your smartphone works in the new location. Use the speed-dial feature to store local emergency numbers like the fire and police departments. Plus, always keep in close contact with your traveling companions or guide.
Eat Nutritious Meals
While traveling it’s essential to eat nutritious meals rather than candy bars and potato chips from your hotel’s vending machines. If you are staying in a hotel or a resort, it may offer a buffet breakfast each morning. The same location may also have a restaurant to eat lunches or dinners.
Drink Water throughout the Day
Begin your day by drinking one or two glasses of water and continue to hydrate throughout the day. Your body needs extra water when you’re doing more than usual. You should know the signs of dehydration. If the local water is distasteful or unsanitary, buy packs of bottled water to keep in your hotel and bring along with you when out sightseeing. Avoid drinking soft drinks or alcoholic beverages all of the time because these items make you more dehydrated.
Get Enough Sleep
While the occasional late night activity won’t harm your health when traveling if you neglect to sleep it can damage your mental and physical well-being. Make sure to get a minimum of seven hours of sleep, and try to go to sleep at the same time every night. Make sure to schedule yourself a bit of downtime when traveling to do less strenuous activities, like relaxing around the hotel’s swimming pool.
Take Care of Your Feet
When traveling people tend to sightsee and walk more than they do at home, which is good but can also lead to foot problems. Wear supportive shoes with gripping soles and absorbent socks so you don’t develop painful blisters. Make sure to wash your feet every night and change your socks regularly to avoid any potential friction that might irritate your skin.
Bring Along the Proper Clothing
When packing for a trip, choose garments that you can layer for different weather conditions. If you choose a color theme for garments, mix and match your shirts, shorts, and dresses. Make sure that you understand certain dress codes while traveling so that you don’t offend others or call too much attention to yourself.
Have a Vacation Plan
While you may want to visit every museum and historic building in a city in one day, it will leave you feeling exhausted and potentially unhappy about traveling. Plan your vacation ahead of time and research where you want to visit. Make sure to take breaks while sightseeing so you can rest, drink, and consume a meal.
Remain Aware of Your Surroundings
It’s important to be aware of your surroundings while traveling to avoid dangerous situations, but that extra mindfulness will also help you to notice interesting things. Don’t waste your time texting while on a tour bus, look out the windows and appreciate the scenery.
Practice Excellent Hygiene While Traveling
When vacationing, you are in a different environment that may have pathogens like bacteria or viruses around. Have fun, but use common sense when it comes to things such as the local drinking water, approaching animals, or ordering food from a street vendor. In addition, bring along sanitizer to keep your hands clean after touching doorknobs and stair railings.
Prevent Insect Bites and Stings
If you’re traveling to many different locations, you will be more exposed to local insects, and the wrong sting or bite can lead to serious health problems. Bring along insect repellent to prevent mosquito or fly bites, and also, make sure to stay away from pests such as honeybees, wasps or scorpions.
Travel health is very important. Take it from me, you don’t want to be stuck on an eight-hour flight with a fever. Take care of yourself and be proactive when you travel to ensure that you return home with nothing but great memories, gifts and pictures. If you’re looking for more travel tips or want to read some of my wellness articles, be sure to subscribe so you never miss a post!
