After years of travel restrictions, if you’re like many people I’ve been talking to recently, you’re probably itching to get back on the road.
As a bicultural life-long traveler, former diplomat and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, I’ve learned a few things about how to travel in a way that supports well-being.
Whether it’s a 7 week-long road trip to the National Parks across the U.S., a flight to visit family and friends back in Europe, camping in Joshua Tree or a trip to the big city for a weeklong training, I’ve made every travel mistake possible and learned a thing or two along the way.
Here are My Top 5 Travel Tips This Summer
1. Minimize salt intake the day before travel
Travel and bloating seem to go together, like tomatoes and cucumbers in a Greek salad.
Reducing sodium content before flying helps keep it to a minimum. (This means you will never EVER find me eating sushi the night before a long-flight as tempting as it may be - the soy sauce is guaranteed to make me feel like I’m about to pop out of my skin.)
Trust me on this one - it can make all the difference, especially if you are hydrating with lots of pure, fresh water. Walk away from the salty treats and you won’t regret it.
2.Bring peppermint essential oil
Funny smells and travel go hand in hand. For me, the smell of jet engine fuel can definitely make me feel queasy. And as my beloved likes to say, I’m perhaps the only Greek who gets sea-sick so this is no joke (especially when you’ve got your head in a bag on a flight or over the rails of a ship).
Enter peppermint essential oil to the rescue.
A trick I’ve learned is to pop a couple of cotton balls soaked with a few drops of it into a plastic baggie. That way if something smells funky, I can just open up the baggie, take a deep inhalation and feel so much better. (Pro tip: It’s also more respectful to other folks nearby who might have allergies or sensitivities to smells).
Now this won’t take away all motion sickness, but it definitely helps me feel clearer and more refreshed, especially after red-eye flights.
3. Eat the same breakfast every day
Let’s face it: one of the best things about travel is the food.
Trying different exotic foods or eating family favorites you wouldn’t ordinarily eat at home any more is one of life’s great pleasures. But if you’re gone for more than a few days – especially if you’re in a hotel and eating out all the time – multiple exotic meals a day can be a bit much.
That’s why I love to have the same thing everyday for breakfast when I travel.
Physically, it’s a way of making sure I get healthy protein, practice portion control and have the energy to do the exploring I came to do.
Emotionally, there’s also something super comforting for my inner child who can sometimes feel a bit anxious when we aren’t home or in a new environment. Kids do better with routines for a reason. While they aren’t what I would eat for breakfast at home and are processed, on the road I love protein bars (Kind Protein Breakfast Bars are good) or Fage yogurt with honey and almonds, both great go-to options. Combined with the best decaf latte I can find, this is a winning breakfast that’ll keep me satisfied for the morning's activities, whether exploring the Louvre or sitting in a class on trauma-healing.
4. Get some movement before boarding the plane
If you’ve got a long drive or flight ahead of you, one of the best things you can do for your mental, physical and emotional well-being is get some movement beforehand.
The truth is stuff happens when you travel - and not all of it’s fabulous: missing baggage, changing covid regulations, flight delays, proximity to other people who might have different preferences from yours, etc. Taking the time to get in some movement though is a game changer. It can be a short walk in the terminal, some yoga before leaving the house or even some basic pushups, squats or neck rolls. Getting some oxygen, blood and endorphins going along with cardio has also been shown to help with travel anxiety and emotional stability.
For me, waking up early to get in this movement is key to ensuring that my mood is better and I’m more resilient to the inevitable travel stuff that happens. If I can do this walk in nature, it’s even better. I consider it paying it forward to my fellow travelers (‘cause no one wants to sit next to the cranky, achy, whiny person!) as well as setting myself up for greater travel well-being.
(Bonus tip: Book a hotel where you can walk. On a recent trip to San Francisco, because I knew I would be seated all day in my Somatic Experiencing trainings with my teacher Peter Levine, I found a hotel just 2 miles away. That way I had a great walk before class and afterwards. It was fantastic to get that movement in, both physically as well as for processing the material I had learned. If you can book a hotel where you can walk to your destination (and even better a sustainable hotel) by all means consider doing it. Better for you, better for the environment which travel isn’t always mindful of).
5. Throw a travel yoga mat in your suitcase
Sitting on a transcontinental flight can be uncomfortable in the best of circumstances. Between the canned air, the smells, the salty-greasy food in airports, the lack of outdoor access and the sheer impact on the body of moving across geographies, flying especially can be hard on the body. Particularly if you already have chronic health conditions.
I’ve found travel to be far more pleasant when I throw in a lightweight yoga mat into my suitcase (I got mine from Manduka ). Getting on my mat after I land helps to ground me in my body again and to release the tension from being cramped up for so many hours. Even a few minutes on my mat in the morning or evening can really make a difference in how I respond to the travel itinerary of the day.
Travel is one of life’s great joys. There’s no reason why it can’t be a source of all around well-being, too. Remember, you don’t have to leave your wellness practices and routines at home.
I hope you enjoyed my top 5 travel tips.
Buon viaggio!