The Secrets to Staying Healthy While Traveling!
Here's how I sleep well, eat better, maintain my fitness, stay hydrated, avoid illnesses, and continue being, uh, "regular."
Some of the best experiences of my life have happened while traveling. But some of the worst experiences of my life have been being sick while traveling.
Even being physically uncomfortable while away from home can make travel much less fun. Who wants to be out experiencing the world when you’re tired, constipated, or just out of sorts?
Fortunately, I’ve been traveling continuously for nine years now, and I’ve learned a few things about staying healthy on the road.
The most important lesson is that, when it comes to health, everything is related. Getting a good night’s sleep helps you stay physically active, which helps you eat better, which helps your digestion, which helps you get a good night’s sleep!
This is true everywhere, of course, but it’s especially important while traveling.
Here’s how I stay feeling good no matter where in the world I am.
How I get a good night’s sleep
The single most important aspect of staying healthy while traveling might also be the most difficult: consistently getting a good night’s sleep.
After all, you’re in unfamiliar locations and climates, often in noisy city centers, on a variety of different — often crappy — beds (with equally crappy pillows). And you might also be dealing with jet lag!
But even with all this working against you, it’s not hopeless.
Here’s my strategy:
I turn off any media devices an hour before I go to bed, and I read a book for at least 15 minutes every morning before I look at my device.
When booking a room or apartment, I pay close attention to the size and quality of the bed, searching reviews and asking questions of the host, and also asking about any noise issues.
If the pillows are bad, I simply buy new ones, especially if I’m staying longer than a week.
On difficult nights, I used to use sleeping aids like Unisom and melatonin — and this is still an option before a particularly early flight.
But these days, if I don’t fall asleep right away, I do ten rounds of four-seven-eight breathing: inhaling for four seconds, holding it for seven and exhaling for eight, counting out the numbers. Then I count backward from 300 by threes. I might have to do this twice, but I almost always drift off.
How I eat well
Okay, sure, you might be on vacation, and part of vacation is enjoying yourself. But exactly what part of the vacation do you most want to enjoy? Because if everything is related, health-wise, then you’re going to pay for eating too much rich food — or simply too much food.
Here’s how I pace myself:
