Although traveling has always been a bit stressful, increased airport security, long flights, and other less-than-ideal scenarios have made traveling even more stressful. Fortunately, it can be manageable with the right advice and patience.
With that in mind, here are tips to help reduce stress during your next trip.
Take Care of Your Body
Before the big day of traveling, make sure you take extra good care of your body. Do this by taking your vitamins, eating correctly, and getting quality rest the night before your trip, increasing your chances of feeling less stressed during the trip. You can also bring some stress relievers to reduce your chances of getting sick from the stress.
If you’re not too keen on bringing sedatives with you, getting acupuncture from a professional clinic can reduce your stress naturally while even reversing the effects of stress. Studies have shown that the practice can stimulate the release of oxytocin, or the happy hormone, making you feel more relaxed and at ease.
Dress Comfortably
One of the simplest ways to relax during traveling, especially on longer flights, is dressing in comfortable clothes. Although passengers used to dress up for flights in the past, people nowadays now know the importance is dressing for comfort when traveling, particularly on longer flights. You need to ensure you wear comfortable shoes to help you rush through the airport without any issues and walk to and from your car with ease.
Finally, make sure to wear clothing that you can move in with ease and one that you wouldn’t mind wearing all day.
Eat-in
Although it can be tempting to go out and eat out every day when traveling to try new cuisines and mix in with locals, it can be tiring as well. That’s why if you need time off, eating in is everything you need. You can do this by stopping by a local grocery store and eating inside your hotel or at the airport in-between your flight.
Try Doing Stress-busting Activities
The best way to relax when traveling is to try some of the best stress-busting techniques, including meditation and yoga—which are all proven ways to reduce stress. The best part is, you can easily do these two in your room or at the hotel. Meditating is one of the most efficient ways you can take care of yourself. After all, the stress combined with the journey to a new place can be overwhelming, making it easy to lose track of your mind and soul.
If meditation or yoga doesn’t work with you, try progressive muscle relaxation. It entails you tense all your muscles in particular parts of your body and holds them around for 10 seconds before slowly releasing them to get rid of tension on your body’s different muscles, ranging from head to toe.
Exercise
Although many wouldn’t associate exercising with relaxing, it’s a tried and tested way to distract yourself from the stress of traveling and other familial issues. Plus, exercising grounds you, reminding you that your core is still stable and strong, keeping you healthy and ready for the next adventure.
Be Early
Giving yourself plenty of time before your flight can mitigate some of the stress of searching for parking space, checking in luggage, going through security, and other traveling aspects that can be stressful when rushed. That’s why it’s best to be early to make the process less hectic and help yourself relax even for a bit.
Eat Well Before Embarking on Your Journey
Eating a delicious meal before getting to the airport and waiting for your flight can reduce stress and make you feel at ease in several ways. Firstly, you can avoid paying for steeply-priced airport food. Next, you won’t need to rely on in-flight meals, and finally, you don’t need to worry as much about your blood sugar levels becoming imbalanced, which affects your mood.
Visualize
To make yourself relaxed while on the go, picture yourself in places where you’d usually feel at ease. Choosing a comfortable place to visualize can help you combat your stress and anxiety—do this by imagining a relaxing place and what you’d experience with your different senses. For instance, if you’re not too keen on flying, it can be calming to visualize your plane taking off and landing safely.
Everyone has the best intentions when it comes to traveling. However, there will be no time for breaks, leading to rushed drives and neglected activities, bringing your stress levels to new heights. Luckily, it’s manageable—and the tips mentioned can make the journey smoother and relaxing.
