Healthy Holiday Travel Tips
Wherever the holidays take you, protect yourself and your family while you travel. Whether you’re taking a road trip or traveling by air, these tips will reduce the likelihood of your family getting sick:
- Fight germs while flying. Carry a travel pack of sanitary wipes to use on armrests, tray tables and seat belt fasteners. Wiping down surfaces that can be covered in germs will reduce your risk of picking up an unwanted bug.
- Keep clean when traveling by car. Public restrooms along America’s highways can be full of germs and bacteria. Keep a travel bottle of antibacterial gel available in the event you can’t use soap and water to clean your hands after using the restroom or after touching doorknobs or bathroom fixtures. Use a paper towel to open doors when exiting the restroom so you don’t pick up germs left behind.
- Check out your hotel room. Wipe down commonly used surfaces with sanitary wipes: the TV remote, the telephone, the alarm clock, the ice bucket, bathroom faucets and door handles. Don’t walk around the room barefoot. Pack socks or slippers and wear plastic flip-flops in the shower.
- Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is one of the best defenses against getting sick during holiday travel. Get at least eight hours of sleep each night.
- Find healthy food. Eating on the go can be a challenge when traveling. Try to make good choices and avoid fast food when possible. Pack healthy snacks of fruits, veggies and cheese before you go and put them in your carry-on bag or car for travel days. Also, be sure to hydrate by drinking plenty of water.
- Avoid exercise excuses. If you’re staying with family, ask whether they have any fitness equipment or find a local gym and ask whether they let guests use their facility.
- Skip the hugging and kissing. It’s not always possible to avoid sick relatives over the holidays. If Aunt Lucy appears to have a severe cough, avoid a lot of hugging and kissing.
