Stay Healthy While Traveling: Tips to Avoid Getting Sick on Vacation

How to Stay Healthy While Traveling- My Routine to Avoid Getting Sick on Vacation

Worried about staying healthy and avoiding getting sick while traveling? Nothing ruins a well-planned vacation quicker than than getting sick. The first year I started traveling frequently for work, I pretty had a continuous low-grade cold for most of the winter months. Fortunately, I wised up and started trying to take better precautions to avoid getting sick while traveling. I found that air travel seemed to be the biggest culprit. I’m not a germaphobe, but clearly I needed to do a better job at avoiding germs while traveling. Though I still get sick every once in a while, I’ve found that following a routine of healthy habits keeps the illnesses at bay.

NOTE: While these tips are based on a blend of research and personal experience, I’m not a medical professional, so please always defer to your health professional’s advice which may be unique to your needs!

Staying Healthy While Traveling on the Plane/ Train/ Bus

With dozens, if not hundreds, of people crammed together in a metal tube, airplanes and other forms of public transit are perfect environments for getting sick. A recent study found that germs can stay up to seven days on a plane, so it’s important to protect yourself against illness-causing germs!

Disinfect your seat

Your airplane seat is typically used by dozens of travelers each week, so I pretty much immediately wipe down any surface I may touch during the trip with a disinfecting wipe. Usually, that means I wipe down (at minimum).

- Armrests, including the recliner button
- Tray table
- Touchscreen TV
- Seat pocket
- Seat belt buckles
- Air vents

Avoid using the bathroom

Plane bathrooms are also shared by multiple people, and they usually aren’t cleaned after every flight. If you can hold it on short flights, wait for the airport bathroom, which is likely cleaned more often. If I must use the airplane bathroom, I will bring in an extra disinfectant wipe to wipe down door handles and anything else I need to touch.

Stay hydrated

Drinking plenty of water can help minimize jet lag, and its also essential to supporting your body’s defense systems. I bring a refillable water bottle on every flight, filled up just before boarding. A good rule of thumb is to drink 8 ounces of water per hour of your flight.

Bonus Tip: Though it’s tempting to imbibe in the complementary alcohol that is sometimes offered on flights, it’s likely best to avoid during flu and cold season. As a ‘treat’ I often ask for sparkling water instead to keep myself hydrated.

Staying Healthy While Traveling in your Hotel Room…

How to Stay Healthy While Traveling — Disinfect your hotel room to avoid getting sick while traveling.

Wipe down the door handles

These are likely to be touched by previous inhabitants, but aren’t necessarily going to be cleaned by the housekeeping staff.

Disinfect the remote

I’ve stayed in more than one hotel room where the remote was covered in some kind of mystery crust, so I’ve taken to always wiping it down with a disinfecting wipe before I start clicking through the channels.

Keep your suitcase off the bed

You’ve just rolled your suitcase through airports, over dirty sidewalks, yet I often see people throw their suitcase on the bed to unpack. Keep your bags on the on the floor or use the luggage rack that many hotels keep in the closet.

Avoid or rewash glassware

A friend who works in hospitality once shared that housekeepers will often rinse out glassware in the bathroom sink, rather than properly wash them with hot water and dish soap. Rather than take your chances, consider rewashing them yourself or just stick to your water bottle.

Stay Healthy While Traveling Anywhere

Eat Well

Traveling can be a virtual landmine of unhealthy food temptations, but imbibing too much can make you feel tired, sluggish, and sometimes result in stomach irritation. As a vegetarian, I often have a hard time getting enough protein, so I always carry protein bars and sometimes nuts in my bag in case I need a snack.

Need ideas on how to eat well on vacation? Follow these tips to eat healthy while traveling.

Get some rest

With so much fun stuff to do on vacation, it’s tempting to forgo sleep to be able to experience it all! Or sometimes sleeping in unfamiliar hotel rooms, and interrupting your normal bedtime routine can make it difficult to nod off. Get some much needed rest by following these six tips for better sleep from Johns Hopkins.

Bonus Tip: I’ve found that taking a mini-break during the day to either take a power nap or just relax really helps to keep my energy levels up. If I can’t make it back to my lodging, I’ve found that sitting on a park bench or enjoying a relaxing tea at a coffee shop can work just as well. Even just 20 minute break in the late afternoon can help a lot!

Make time for exercise

Sometimes it’s hard to find the time and energy to exercise while you travel, but working out daily doesn’t have to require one-hour sweat sessions. You might try to:

Walk the airport during a lay over
Walk to sight-see vs. taking a car/bus/train
Take advantage of the hotel gym
No gym? Try these in-hotel room workouts:
- 20- Minute Hotel Room Workout
- Ultimate Hotel Room Workout for Women

Bonus Tip: I personally use the Aaptiv app a lot when we’re traveling (and even at home). Its audio-based workouts feature a pretty solid music selection and a variety of workouts that don’t necessarily require equipment. Some are as short as five minutes long, making them perfect to squeeze into your busy travel schedule or piece together for a longer workout. Aaptiv costs about $100 a year for a subscription, but I find that its well worth it to stay fit on the road.

Know your limits

Staying healthy while traveling (or any time) often means listening to your body and giving it rest and recuperation when it needs it. I’m notorious for ignoring early symptoms of illness so I don’t miss out on a vacation activity. I’m even worse when it comes to business travel, as I always want to make sure I’m giving 110% to my clients when I’m traveling on their behalf.

However, I’ve learned the hard way that pushing myself too hard while traveling, usually ends up catching up with me. So while it’s easier said than done, listen to your body, and know when its better to rest and recuperate.

What other precautions do you take to stay healthy and avoid getting sick while traveling? Share your tips on how to combat germs while traveling!

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