When it comes to travel, we all have certain activities that float our boat. Some of us love to climb to the highest building in the city to enjoy the skyline. Others want to immediately scope out the best places to eat. Others are in shopaholic heaven, trawling through markets until they need another check-in bag. But no matter how different we are in terms of our preferred activities, there are a couple of universal things we should all keep in mind when abroad. One is how we can stay safe on the road. Another is how to stay in the best health possible.

In this post, I’ll unveil a few tips for staying safe and healthy during your travels – so your trip will be unforgettable for all the right reasons.

Easy ways to stay safe and healthy when you travel

Staying safe…

1. Bring a padlock. At least one.

It’s not being paranoid; just practical. Because getting your belongings stolen, especially the really important items like your passport, absolutely sucks! And whether you’re staying in a cheapie hostel or a fancy boutique hotel, you just can’t run the risk. If you leave your bags out of your sight, you need to know that they’re not targets for opportunists, so keep ’em locked up and keep them out of danger.

Pssst… It’s always a good idea to spread out your valuables (cash, cards, etc) in different places so that you won’t be totally stuck if you do get pickpocketed.

2. Be sensible. And respectful.

In an ideal world, we could all walk around wherever we wanted late at night, without needing to worry. But unfortunately, that just isn’t how the world works. Some areas will be perfectly safe; others won’t. How to tell? Well, a bit of research always helps. But often you’ll just need to go with your instincts, or to err on the side of caution. And walking around clearly drunk or scantily dressed won’t do you any favours, either. Be respectful of local customs, and you’ll be made to feel more welcome in return.

Staying healthy…

1. Eat regular meals.

We seem to remember breakfast, lunch and dinner in our regular home lives, but what happens when we travel? Well, routine flies right out the window! We eat breakfast at totally different times depending on market times or bus journeys, we might skip lunch altogether in favour of grabbing snacks here and there and dinners seem to get pushed back til later and later in the evening. Our poor digestive systems don’t know what to do with themselves!

Travel can be hard on the stomach; not just because of the different foods we try, but because of the times we eat them. So do yourself a favour and stick to regular mealtimes if you can… your health will thank you for it!

2. Get enough sleep.

Another key consideration for our health that we often overlook when travelling. Quite simply because with all the overnight buses, the red-eye flights, the constantly changing hotel rooms, and the different climate, sleep doesn’t seem like the easiest friend to make. So we don’t bother. We accept that we’re sleeping far less than we might do at home and put it down to the spirit of adventure.

But the thing is, this lack of sleep will eventually take its toll on our bodies and minds. We mightn’t even realise it, but sleep has all kinds of physical and mental health benefits; and without it, we simply can’t function properly. Not only will we feel lethargic and irritable (not the best traits for a travel companion), we’re more vulnerable to catching every weird bug or tropical virus doing the rounds. You can have all the vaccinations you want but if you’re only sleeping 5 or 6 hours a night, you’ll probably still get sick!

Instead, you need to ensure you’re getting between 7 and 9 hours of good-quality sleep, every night. Easier said than done, perhaps, but simple tricks like using an eye mask and ear plugs, or listening to a relaxing playlist/podcast before you go to bed can really help. And don’t end up watching shows in your hotel bed either before lights out… they’ll only keep your mind active when it should be settling down!

They’re just a few of the many ways you can get a better night’s sleep. Once you start sleeping better on the road, you’ll be able to stay in peak health and keep the adventure going for longer. Yay!

Bon voyage!

Now that you know how to stay safe and healthy on your travels, all that’s left is to pack your bags and leave your jealous friends behind. Have a great trip!

–– Article by Sarah Cummings

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