Looking after your health on a trip away mostly comes down to habits you set up before leaving and keep going once you arrive. Most of them are quite small, such as sorting paperwork early, deciding how you’ll break up a long journey and knowing what to do if you feel unwell abroad.
They matter more as trips get longer, and more again if you’re flying with a health condition or recovering from something recent. Planning a few weeks ahead leaves time to put questions to the airline, the insurer or your GP.
Sorting Out Health Checks Before You Go
Check what your airline and destination expect ahead of departure, because requirements differ and often depend on your own circumstances. Anyone flying after recent surgery or in the later weeks of pregnancy may be asked to show an online fit to flight certificate, and requirements vary by airline and destination. Requesting it a few weeks before you travel leaves room to deal with any questions the airline raises, and a saved or printed copy should travel with your boarding documents.
Travel insurance only works as well as the answers you give when buying it, so you’ll need to declare any pre-existing medical conditions, including everyday ones such as asthma or high blood pressure. Complete answers keep any later claim valid, and it’s worth asking the insurer what happens if your health changes between booking and departure.
Vaccinations are also worth checking early, since some need several weeks to take full effect, and the health guidance for your destination will say whether anything else applies. Carrying a short note with your health conditions and your GP surgery’s contact details helps too if you need to see a doctor while you’re abroad.
Looking After Yourself While You’re Away
On flights of four hours or more, getting up to walk about once an hour keeps blood moving through your legs, and when the seatbelt sign keeps you seated, calf raises and ankle circles do a similar job. Compression socks are another option, particularly after recent surgery, and your GP or pharmacist can advise whether they suit you.
Drink water regularly through the day, go easy on alcohol and caffeine while flying, and eat a proper meal before boarding so you’re not relying on airport snacks, and take a short, gentle walk around the terminal while you wait. Pack regular medicines in your hand luggage in their original packaging, along with plasters, hand gel and a refillable water bottle for the first couple of days away.
Wash your hands before eating and after travelling on public transport, and carry gel for the times when there’s no sink nearby. Earplugs and an eye mask make overnight journeys easier to sleep through, and a few hours of rest on the way leaves you better placed to enjoy the first day.
Build in a quieter first day on arrival, especially after a long-haul flight, so your body has time to adjust before the busy part of the trip begins. Looking after yourself in these small ways takes very little effort and keeps the holiday itself, rather than recovery from it, at the centre of the trip.
