Traveling is an amazing experience, but it usually takes a toll on your health. The stress, the change in routine, and the heavy eating wreak havoc on your body. So how do you avoid it? In this guide, we’ll cover 12 ways to stay healthy while you travel. Not only will you feel rested and restored after your trip, you’ll get more out of your vacation too.
See our list of the best credit card bonuses here.
1. Sleep
One of the most important things you can do while traveling is sleep. With all the hustle and bustle, crossing time zones, lugging your bags and walking all day, your body needs its downtime. If you don’t sleep well when you’re away from home, bring a sleep mask and earplugs. Lavender essential oil also helps.
2. Drink Water
Dehydration can lead to headaches, fatigue and many other issues. So staying hydrated is always important, whether or not you’re traveling. When you arrive to your destination, find a nearby convenience store and stock up on water. Carry a bottle with you at all times.
3. Eat Healthy
You never know what food options you’ll have when you travel, so always pack some healthy snacks with you. That way, you have control over what you eat when you have the munchies. Take fruit that travels well – like bananas and oranges – as well as nuts, crackers and protein bars. For further reading, see our Tips & Tricks For Eating Healthy On Planes.
4. Exercise
Sure, you deserve a break when you’re on vacation, but it’s important to get some exercise in from time to time. And staying active will help you feel good while traveling. Book a hotel with a gym, do a quick 20-minute workout right in your room, go on a run in your neighborhood, or join other active people at the beach. The possibilities are endless.
5. Walk
Stay in a walkable neighborhood so you can get your daily exercise and take the time to really experience the destination. Walk to the train station instead of hopping on the metro. Walk the stairs instead of taking the elevator or escalator. You get the idea…
6. Use Hand Sanitizer
If you walk around all day, then you’ve come into contact with people, handles, doors, etc. And the last thing you want to do is touch your face or eat with dirty hands. To prevent the spread of germs, use a hand sanitizer. Especially when water and soap aren’t available.
7. Eat Breakfast
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it gives you energy to start your day right. Easily make your own with instant oatmeal topped with dried fruit and nuts. If you don’t have an electric kettle in your room, grab pastries and juice from a nearby bakery.
8. Protect Your Skin
Protect your skin from harmful UV rays by wearing sunscreen with minimum SPF 30 and reapplying it every two hours. And make sure to use insect repellent to prevent insect and mosquito bites if you have to.
9. Take Breaks
Don’t pack your schedule with one attraction after another. If you want to see and do a lot, we recommend staying for a longer period of time so you can enjoy everything at a slower pace. Take plenty of breaks, roam the streets, relax and get to know the area.
10. Stretch
Try to stretch every morning for five to ten minutes before you head out and explore. Get your arms, legs, neck, shoulders and back. You’ll feel refreshed and ready for the day. Bonus points if you sneak in simple stretches throughout the day and before going to bed.
11. Breathe
Deep breathing helps you relax and opposes the stress that comes with traveling. Take a deep inhale, hold it and exhale. You can easily do breathing exercises anywhere, at any time.
12. Pack A First Aid Kit
Getting sick is never fun, but they are sometimes a part of traveling. Because your medication of choice might not be available at your destination, you’ll want to pack your favorites just in case. In the off chance that airport security confiscates your meds, you’ll want to have them separated – half in your carry-on and half in one of your checked bags.
BONUS TIP: 4 Stress-Free Credit Cards
Deciding which card is best to maximize your rewards or which perk to take advantage of for a given situation can cause a lot of unnecessary stress. To take the stress out of your trip, we recommend carrying one of these 4 no-annual-fee credit cards as another way to stay healthy while you travel.
But if you rather see a longer list of other options, check out best credit card bonuses here. Also, if you want to read about more no-annual-fee credit cards, click here.
The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card is best for a stress-free trip. It is a no-annual-fee card that earns miles on every purchase. You can still maximize your earnings by transferring the miles to airline partners, so going low-cost does not necessarily mean low-rewards.
CAPITAL ONE® VENTUREONE® REWARDS CREDIT CARD
The Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card has an offer for 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months. We value these 20k bonus miles at around $280.
This card has no annual fee. The annual fee version of this card is the Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card, with better features.
The VentureOne Rewards card offers unlimited 1.25X miles on all purchases. You can redeem for statement credits for travel and gift cards. Another option is to transfer miles to airline partners. Read more on this here.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card gives you automatic Hilton Honors elite status and a nice welcome bonus. With this card, you will have one less thing to worry about on your vacation.
HILTON HONORS AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD
Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
The Hilton Honors American Express Card has a welcome bonus offer for 80,000 Hilton Honors Points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Our valuation puts the 80k points at around $480 in value ($0.006 per point).
This Hilton credit card earns 7 Hilton Honors points per $1 spent directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton Honors portfolio of brands. U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas station spending earns 5 Hilton Honors points per dollar. All other purchases will earn 3 Hilton Honors points per dollar.
Other features include no foreign transaction fees and free Hilton Honors Silver Status. This card has no annual fee. See Rates & Fees, Terms Apply.
The Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card gives excellent cash back with no rotating categories to think about. With this card, you know you will earn unlimited cash back on every purchase as you travel.
CAPITAL ONE® SAVORONE® CASH REWARDS CREDIT CARD
The Capital One® SavorOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card has a $200 bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months of account opening. This card has no annual fee. The annual-fee version of this card is the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card.
This SavorOne card earns unlimited 3% cash back on dining and entertainment spending. Grocery store spending earns 2% cash back. All other purchases earn 1% cash back. There are no rotating categories to worry about and the cash back won’t expire while the account is open.
The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card is a straightforward cashback card. A flat earning rate no matter what the purchase is. It does not get any easier than that. And yes, of course, no annual fee to deal with.
CAPITAL ONE® QUICKSILVER® CASH REWARDS CREDIT CARD
The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card will earn a $200 bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months. The bonus offer is comparable to its top competitors, but this card earns a respectable 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no limit on how much you can earn. There are no spending categories to keep up with and the cash back won’t expire while the account is open.
People like this card because of the cash back rate, the flexibility to redeem your cash back for any amount, and there’s no annual fee.
Bottom Line
Staying healthy while you travel isn’t an impossible feat. Simply follow our 12 tips above, and you’ll feel amazing both during and after your vacation. And don’t forget to consider those 4 no-annual-fee credit cards mentioned above. They give you access to emergency funds without the added stress.
Are you a female solo traveler? Read our post on the best destinations for female solo travel and our ultimate packing guide for the female solo traveler.
READ MORE: SEE THE BEST BANK BONUSES HERE AND THE BEST INVESTING BONUSES HERE.
