Travelling…From luscious rainforests to towering mountainscapes, travelling can take us to places we’d never imagined seeing before. However, staying fit and having your health and wellness while travelling can often be an afterthought – especially if you are exploring a new country on a shoestring budget.
Three key aspects of your health can be neglected during a travel experience. In this post, we’ll address each area, and suggest ways you can stay on top of them to keep your health and fitness in peak condition.
Don’t Skimp on Sleep with your Health
Getting enough sleep regularly forms the foundation for all other aspects of our health. Not only does it benefit your physical well-being, but your mental state can also be given a boost by improving your sleep hygiene.
However, sticking to a healthy sleeping schedule can be more challenging whilst on the move. On top of adjusting to different time zones and jet lag, unfamiliar surroundings and shared sleeping facilities can also make it difficult to get enough sleep each night.
If you are using shared accommodation, do whatever you can to help yourself drift off and stay asleep throughout the night. Items like eye masks and earplugs can be useful in shutting out any distractions, and as much as possible, you should also try to retain good habits such as staying hydrated and avoiding eating late at night.
While these things can be more difficult to maintain whilst travelling, making a conscious effort to keep up healthy sleeping habits will do wonders for your overall health.
Stay Active
Although home comforts like gyms and sports equipment will be stripped away whilst on your travels, that doesn’t mean your exercise regime has to fall by the wayside. Granted, you’re unlikely to want to take out a gym membership or join a local sports team while you’re there, but there are so many simple ways to remain active, be it on your own or in a group.
Where possible, skip the cabs and try to walk to your destination. Simply by exploring new towns and cities on foot, you will be well on your way to reaching your daily step quota. Plus, walking offers the bonus of being able to explore parts of a city or town you otherwise might’ve missed.
You could also research local group classes that are taking place. This is a great way to work out with others to help form bonds and keep you motivated, whilst also perhaps giving you the chance to try out new, traditional activities to truly immerse yourself in the culture.
Eat a Varied Diet
Keeping on top of a healthy, varied diet whilst travelling is easier said than done. Late-night snacks and drinks, eating out more, and having quick bites on the go are all likely to be features of your travelling diet – and it can be easy to continuously rely on the same few foods.
If you’re off on a day-long excursion or hike, bringing some healthy snacks along will help you stick to a healthy diet and ignore the inevitable sugar cravings when hunger does strike.
Exploring new horizons is the perfect opportunity to discover new foods, so make the most of the local cuisine by dining in authentic cafes and restaurants. Finally, one of the most important things you can do is ensure you stay hydrated. Just be mindful of the water you drink, as you can’t drink water straight from the tap in every country.
Have an Emergency Plan
As fun as travelling is, you should always have a backup plan in case of an emergency, health-wise. That means taking out health insurance, carrying your first aid kit when exploring remote areas, knowing where the nearest hospital is, and having some cash set aside for transport.
Even though you’ll hopefully never need it, it’s far less stressful when travelling to know your health is being looked after.
