By: James Olson

Not scientifically reviewed by Dr. Eeks

The pandemic is finally starting to slow down and now travel is getting back on track. After a long two years, people are excited to travel again as a vacation is needed now more than ever. This doesn’t mean that there are no concerns about traveling, however. There is still a very high risk of getting Covid-19 or some other illness. In fact, travel often exposes us to many more diseases than when we stay home.

It’s important to always be careful about maintaining your health when you travel. Besides Covid, there are a number of viruses that can be caught on the airplane for example. In this article, we will go over several ways that you can be taking care of your health when you go on vacation.

1 – Make sure that you’re healthy enough to travel

Travel puts a lot of strain on the body. It lowers the immune system and that is why many people often come home from vacation sick with a cold or the flu. If you are already sick before setting out then you risk not enjoying the vacation much and also coming back ill.

Take some time to get checked out and do a Covid-19 test to make sure that you are not infected. You don’t want to get anybody else sick and the strain of traveling could exacerbate the virus causing you to get quite sick. In many cases, it is required to take a test before flying anyway if that is the mode of travel you are opting for. Make sure you know if you need a PCR vs rapid test to be able to fly.

2 – Get plenty of rest

Sleep and good rest are essential to keeping your immune system strong. When you are traveling it is very important to be able to keep your immune system on track and sleep is a big part of that.

It is tempting to burn the candle at both ends to enjoy every minute of your time away. Vacation time is precious so it is tempting to stay up all night and then get up early to not miss anything.

Instead of doing that, make sure to be in bed on time and get a solid seven hours of sleep per night. Try to sleep on the plane when leaving so you can arrive fresh and rested at your destination.

3 – Be careful with your diet

It’s exciting to be somewhere new and try the local cuisine. That is the primary reason for travel for some people. It’s important to make sure that you don’t get sick from what you eat, however.

Make sure to think about the source of the food before you indulge. A street food vendor may not be your best option if it looks unclean and basic food safety protocols are not being followed.

Make sure to wash all fruit and vegetables before eating them if you buy from a market or farm stand.