How to Get Through a Long Day of Travel
Traveling is an exciting thing to do, but those long days on the road, train, or in the sky can really take a toll on our bodies. Travel is exhausting, takes forever, and can get frustrating in the wrong circumstances. However, those circumstances can be entirely controlled by the traveler and how they get ready for the trip. Getting through a day of travel, especially a long one, can be tough without the right preparation. And while it can take a good amount of focus and time, it’s worth it in the long run to make sure you’re as comfortable as possible during what could be considered one of the more uncomfortable situations to be in the modern world. Don’t let long travel days get you down, check out these tips for making your long days of travel a bit more bearable.
Caffeine
Caffeine is great for keeping us awake, but we don’t always have time to grab caffeine beverages on the go. That’s where a caffeine patch can come in handy. These handy patches will keep you awake and use more than just caffeine to help keep you focused and present. These products also contain B12 which can do wonders for your focus levels and attentiveness when traveling through security, finding your gate, and getting settled. Consider stocking up on caffeine patches for your next big journey.
Wear Comfortable Clothes
Always make sure to wear comfortable clothes over stylish ones during long trips. Except in the situation of working jobs that require formal dress while representing their company, most of us don’t have to feel pressured to dress nicely for a day of travel. Choose clothes that will make you comfortable both physically and with the way that you look. Sneakers, loose pants, and layers in case you get cold are always the best move when it comes to travel.
Hydration
For air travel especially, it’s important to stay hydrated. Travel in general can dehydrate us, but air travel dehydrates us even more. Be sure to carry on an empty, refillable water bottle that you can fill before boarding your plane. And of course, make sure to drink plenty of water beforehand as well to make sure you’re entering your travel situation already hydrated. Being dehydrated can cause aches, pains, and loss of energy when you reach your destination.
Download Media Ahead of Time
Long hours of travel means that we’ll probably want a good amount of entertainment to keep us occupied. Some travel vessels have wifi connections, but not all do, and the ones that do have network access offer tenuous connections. To prepare for this, make sure you download any media you want to consume beforehand. Whether it’s music, movies, podcasts, or audiobooks, make sure you have access to them without any internet connection including phone service. Even if you’re traveling by train, service can be spotty when moving through different areas, so don’t count on having ample service.
Bring Activities
In the same vein, make sure you have additional activities in addition to listening to music, watching movies, or listening to podcasts. It’s good to have a variety of things to entertain yourself including a drawing pad, favorite book, or card game. If you’re a fan of video games, consider bringing a portable video game console to entertain yourself as well. This can be especially engaging if you’re following real-time gaming events, like tracking where is Xur in Destiny 2 each week. Anything you can bring to quietly pass the time on a long travel day, including keeping up with your favorite games and their community events, is going to come in handy.
Sleep Mask
When movies, TV, games, and music become boring and your eyes start to get heavy, it might be a good idea to get some rest during your travel day. However, many travelers find it hard to rest on planes, trains, and in cars. If you have trouble sleeping while being a travel passenger, consider getting a sleep mask to help calm your nervous system and help you sleep in uncomfortable situations. You might not get as much rest as you would in your comfortable bed at home, but it’s sure to help a lot more than if you had nothing to help out. This plus a relaxing, instrumental album can be enough to help most get over their lack of travel rest.
Conclusion
Long days of travel can be both stressful and exhausting. With long lines, delays, and expensive travel food, it makes sense that we would feel anxious about long days of travel. The best thing one can do is make sure they prepare as much as possible beforehand. Make sure you hydrate, pack some things to help with focus, wear comfortable clothes, and bring some fun activities to keep yourself occupied during the time when you’re not sleeping. Travel days can be long, but you can make them a lot better by taking the right measures to prepare.