How to stay active when travelling

Travel broadens the mind, but it also takes its toll. Long waiting times, the stress of delays and cancellations along with adjusting to local time zones can be a real test physically and mentally. What’s worse is that normal routines, which may involve using the mind and going to the gym, is interrupted. Here are some of the ways to remain sharp whilst travelling.

Puzzle games

Keeping the mind active is arguably harder and more important than physical health when travelling. This is because situations can be generous when you’re not on the ball, such as missing the last train out of a remote town or walking in the dark.

Almost everyone travels with a smartphone, which opens up a world of potential. Instead of putting on Spotify and zoning out, solving a crossword can be a great mental exercise. For those who are struggling, there’s always a crossword solver too. There’s a whole host of brain games on the app store which are proven to keep the mind working. They may also improve logic and reasoning skills too.

The benefit of playing on a mobile is that there’s more resources, such as a greater variety of games and even a crossword dictionary. 

Walk and stretch

It sounds obvious, but walking is the number one way to stay healthy and in shape. Travelling often involves a lot of walking, but it also involves a tonne of sitting down. For those on a long-haul plane or train, make sure to regularly stand up and go for a walk, even if it means going to the toilet without really needing to.

If there’s not much room to walk, try to stretch every 30 minutes, ideally. This may just be opening up the chest and shoulders whilst lifting feet up to stretch a hamstring. This is also the number one way to mitigate the likelihood of getting deep vein thrombosis. 

There’s nothing worse than that grouchy, fragile feeling after getting off a long-haul flight, but after stretching and walking regularly, you stand a better chance of feeling more fresh for longer.

Eat well

The biggest reason for feeling fatigued when travelling often isn’t the sitting or the mindless daydreaming, but it’s being deprived of a large, hot meal with diverse foods. This is the one thing not to skimp on as it can completely ruin a trip.

Travelling on a caloric deficit will make you feel sluggish and lethargy, as will fast food. Sometimes there’s no choice, but try and avoid two bad meals in a row. Do this by prepping food before leaving, such as healthy sandwiches, soup in a container and fruit in a cool bag. This is also a good excuse to fine dine and try the local cuisine.

Knowing when to slow down

Finally, travelling can be exhausting and that’s fine. But burning the candles at both ends isn’t for everyone, so knowing when to turn in for the night or when to take a power nap on a hot day is super important. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

The editorial unit