Wellness while Traveling
Lets explore ways to continue mindfulness and include rest and relaxation while traveling. Often, travel can disrupt our wellness routines that we have curated at home. However, with a few tips, wellness routines can be incorporated on the road!
Insight Timer App (https://insighttimer.com/)
We love this app! Firstly, it is free to download, and most features are free (you can upgrade to Plus for extra features). Insight Timer App can help with on-the-road mindfulness in a myriad of ways.
Sleep- The app provides options for white noise, Yoga Nidra, and guided meditations designed to help you fall asleep, stay asleep, and feel rested upon rising.
Breathwork- There are countless tracks focused on breathwork, which can help calm anxiety, improve energy levels, and even increase metabolism.
Meditation- All types of meditation are on the app, from morning rituals to practicing kindness to ourselves and others.
Yoga- The Insight Timer app offers yoga classes. The classes are live and recorded, which can not only help with unwinding from a stressful day (Yin Yoga) but can also help with fitness!
Essential Oil Diffuser
We like to travel with a mini essential oil diffuser (https://a.co/d/hp0pbXv) and our favorite essential oil, lemongrass. The diffuser not only helps my hotel room smell more inviting, but it also has many additional benefits.
Diffusers add a bit of humidity to the air.
They can help prevent respiratory infections due to the antimicrobial properties of the essential oils (lemongrass, eucalyptus, rosemary, peppermint).
They can also promote relaxing and unwinding after a long day (lavender, sandalwood, chamomile).
They also help boost mood (sweet orange, rose, lemon).
Shower Steamers (https://a.co/d/diPkfgQ)
Shower steamers are a great way to turn the hotel shower into a mini spa! There is nothing like a relaxing, hot shower after a stressful day! Adding a shower steamer incorporates the sense of smell into the experience. Lavender is a great option to use, due to its relaxing and restorative properties.
Eye Mask (https://a.co/d/ilmj7BW)
Using an eye mask in a hotel can help prevent the light from windows from disturbing sleep. Blackout curtains often still allow light to creep in. This eye mask is a two-for-one and has headphones built in. It is a great companion for meditation, white noise, or Yoga Nidra for sleep.
Heating pad (https://a.co/d/9PVqhv4)
Traveling with a heating pad has so many uses!
Use a heating pad on the airplane to stay warm (it is often freezing). Just plug it into the outlet at your seat and adjust it to the most suitable setting.
Plug the heating pad in while I shower and use it to heat my sheets. I love getting into a nice, toasty bed. It helps me feel cozy and unwind.
A heating pad is a great way to relieve any cramping or muscle soreness.
Firenzuoli F, Jaitak V, Horvath G, Bassolé IH, Setzer WN, Gori L. Essential oils: new perspectives in human health and wellness. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2014;2014:467363. doi: 10.1155/2014/467363. Epub 2014 Jun 22. PMID: 25050126; PMCID: PMC4090492.
Karimi L, Rahimi-Bashar F, Mohammadi SM, Mollahadi M, Khosh-Fetrat M, Vahedian-Azimi A, Ashtari S. The Efficacy of Eye Masks and Earplugs Interventions for Sleep Promotion in Critically Ill Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Psychiatry. 2021 Dec 3;12:791342. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.791342. PMID: 34925113; PMCID: PMC8678458.
Datta K, Mallick HN, Tripathi M, Ahuja N, Deepak KK. Electrophysiological Evidence of Local Sleep During Yoga Nidra Practice. Front Neurol. 2022 Jul 12;13:910794. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.910794. PMID: 35903117; PMCID: PMC9315270.
Park CL, Finkelstein-Fox L, Groessl EJ, Elwy AR, Lee SY. Exploring how different types of yoga change psychological resources and emotional well-being across a single session. Complement Ther Med. 2020 Mar;49:102354. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102354. Epub 2020 Feb 25. PMID: 32147083; PMCID: PMC7081324.
