In this post we’re talking about wellness habits while traveling. This will be an important post for diving into healthy travel habits and wellness practices and of course, why they’re so important to our overall health and wellbeing both during a trip and after. 

10 Healthy Travel Habits and Wellness Practices

I’m going to be sharing 10 healthy travel and wellness habits that will help you better enjoy your trip because of course, you’ll be feeling your best while traveling! Traveling can cause a huge burst of adrenaline and happiness. The thrill of heading to a totally new and foreign place can make it harder to sleep, meaning you’ll be running on empty pretty quickly. 

Things like jet lag, lack of sleep, and being on an airplane for way too long can all lead to vacation fatigue and trust me, that is the last thing that you want when you have less than two weeks to explore. You want to be feeling your best for the entire trip and of course, you want to be feeling your best when you get home. 

Who can relate to the feeling of needing a vacation from your vacation? Hands up, I know I’m not alone in this. It’s the feeling of being so rundown from your vacation that you actually need a vacation just to relax before getting back to work. 

In this post, I’m going to help you kick that feeling to the curb so that you can make the most of your holiday and get back to routine and work in a breeze.

Healthy travel habit 1: HYDRATE

Yes, I’m not only telling you to hydrate, I’m actually yelling at you to hydrate. Hydration is so important no matter where you are. But it’s even more important when you’re traveling because you’re likely going to be on an airplane (incredibly dehydrating), spending more time in the sun, sleeping less and drinking more. All things that dehydrate you. And if you don’t rehydrate often, you’ll quickly become rundown. 

Make sure that you’re traveling with a refillable water bottle.  Carry that with you always and constantly remind yourself to drink water. Also, make sure that you’re checking the local water situation. One of the easiest ways to get sick when traveling is to drink the water if it’s not actually safe to do so.

Healthy habit 2: Sleep

Sleep is the last thing you want to do on vacation, right? Yep, I’m guilty of feeling that way as well. There’s too much to see, do and experience when you’re traveling. You don’t want to waste precious time sleeping…wrong. 

You need to make sure that you’re still getting plenty of sleep on your holiday. Sleeping 7-8 hours per night will help you to enjoy your trip even more! Trust me!! If you’re sleeping enough you’ll wake rested and have more energy to explore during the day. 

If you’re sleeping enough you’re also way more likely to stay healthy. A lack of sleep is a quick way to weaken your immune system and cause you to get sick while traveling. Do you want to know more about avoiding jet lag so you can sleep better on vacation? Check out my post 7 Tips for Long-Haul Flights, it’ll help. 

Healthy habit 3: Exercise/Stay Active

Keep moving your body! This will help you stay positive, have more energy and even better enjoy your trip. Whether that means walking more, doing a quick hotel workout routine or even taking a run through the city that you’re visiting, getting exercise on vacation is even easier than you think. Take a hike. Swim a couple of laps. Walk instead of taking the bus. 

Whatever you do, keep moving your body. This is a huge wellness tip that will definitely help you stay healthier on your trip. And it’s easier than ever to incorporate. You can even plan ahead on this one. Just think about what kind of trip you’re on or heading on and how you can incorporate movement. Are you going somewhere that hiking would be a great way to explore? Plan to get out and hike. Let me know in the comments below what your favorite ways to stay active on vacation are. 

Healthy travel habit 4: SPF all day, everyday

You know this is important. I know you do. Your parents have been lathering you up with sunscreen since before you could walk. Keep up that habit. There’s a reason moms are so crazy about sunscreen. It actually helps. Getting a sunburn on a trip is one of the quickest ways to slow you down. You won’t be enjoying sunshine at the beach or laying by the pool anymore… don’t risk it. Wear sunscreen. 

Healthy habit 5: Eat healthy (eat real food)

Obviously one of the best things about traveling is trying the local food, right? Just make sure that while you’re enjoying all the local favorites, you’re also eating real food. Don’t just snack on street food all day. On that note, also make sure that you’re eating plenty of fruit and veggies. If you do feel like you aren’t, then try drinking your greens. Starting the day with a green smoothie is good whether you’re at home or away. 

Healthy habit 6: Journal

Not only will journaling help you stay well and in a good mindset on your trip, it’ll also help you remember details from your trip that you would otherwise forget. I am a big fan of journaling. I know that it can really help people get out of their heads and enjoy the moment. What’s more important than that while traveling? 

I truly think that journaling is a big trick to staying well and enjoying your trip. Are you a journaller? 

Healthy travel habit 7: Relax

Yes, yes I know. This sounds about as fun as sleeping while you’re on vacation. Trust me though. You want to take time to relax! Don’t run yourself down on vacation. If you’re like me and you have to literally schedule time to relax on your trips, then just do it!  Add it to the schedule or whatever you need to do to make sure it happens. Whether that’s reading by the pool or having a slow morning where you journal and meditate with your coffee, set aside the time to relax.

Healthy travel habit 8: Stretch

The next wellness tip I have for you is to stretch. This doesn’t take a lot of time but has so many benefits for you. Simply take a few minutes in the morning to stretch from head to toe. This will get your blood flowing, improve your mood and help you relax. It’s especially important if your hotel bed is too soft, or simply not as comfortable as your bed back home.  Confession.  This is probably the habit that I myself need to work on the most. 

Pro wellness tip: Look for a chance to do yoga with the locals! Even if the class is in a different language, taking a yoga class will completely boost your wellness while traveling. Plus it’s a lot of fun.

Healthy travel habit 9: Less technology

You probably want to document and share your trip and talk with loved ones back home… But I urge you to take a vacation from your technology as much as you can while you’re on vacation. Some stories are better shared when you get home anyway. 

Aside from documenting my trip, I try to stay away from my phone while traveling. I’ll send brief updates to my family, but aside from that, I put my phone on airplane mode and just travel. It can be such a relief not to have your phone pinging all the time, dragging you away from what you’re experiencing in the moment. 

Healthy travel habit 10: Self care (important even on vacation!)

I saved this for last because I love self care. There are so many ways that you can practice self care while you’re traveling. Whether that means a face mask, spa day, meditation or early bedtime instead of a late night out drinking… practice self care while you are traveling. This is honestly one of the best wellness tips I can give you for traveling. When we’re traveling we tend to start to neglect ourselves. Don’t let that happen to you! Always practice self care while you are traveling. 

Practice these healthy travel habits

Next time you’re traveling, make sure that you’re practicing these 10 healthy travel habits and wellness practices every day. I promise they’re so easy to incorporate into your trip, and you can’t put a price on your wellness. Incorporating wellness into your travel will actually help you enjoy travel more as well! You’re way less likely to get travel burn out when you’re practicing wellness on vacation. Trust me! 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let’s talk more about wellness in the comments!