How does Travelling affect your body?

The cramped conditions and long periods of being less active on a flight can cause pain, stiffness or swelling of your legs. Being less active can lead to slow blood flow in your veins which increases your risk of developing a blood clot, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVTs most commonly form in the legs.



People Also Ask

Empties your energy tank
Air pressure is lower at higher altitudes, which means your body takes in less oxygen. Airlines “pressurize” the air in the cabin, but not to sea-level pressures, so there's still less oxygen getting to your body when you fly, which can make you feel drained or even short of breath.

MORE DETAILS

Whether you're packing up the family for a road trip or flying around the world, vacations often come with unexpected surprises that can compromise your immune system. When we travel our bodies endure a lot of stress, says Gretchen Genato, a nurse practitioner at Cedars-Sinai's Playa Vista Urgent Care.

MORE DETAILS

When we travel our bodies endure a lot of stress, says Gretchen Genato, a nurse practitioner at Cedars-Sinai's Playa Vista Urgent Care. Stress can decrease your immune system, making you susceptible to illness. We asked Gretchen to give us some tips on staying healthy while traveling.

MORE DETAILS

Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder that occurs when a person's circadian rhythm is out of sync with the time zone they are in. Jet lag symptoms like fatigue, insomnia, and irritability typically improve within a few days as your body adapts.

MORE DETAILS

Travel fatigue is the feeling of total exhaustion or burnout from traveling for days, weeks, or months on end. It can be caused by extreme culture shock, difficulty planning, and countless road bumps that make it difficult to stick to the agenda, among other travel-related stressors.

MORE DETAILS

The cabin can play havoc with your ears, sinuses, gut and sleep. gut problems – just accept that you're going to fart more. You can also feel more sleepy than usual. That's due to the body not being able to absorb as much oxygen from the cabin air at altitude than it would on the ground.

MORE DETAILS

Traveling between different climates can confuse our bodies and make us more susceptible to illnesses because our immune systems aren't sure how to react. Your body has to readjust to the new temperature before it can fight off any symptoms coming your way, allowing you to feel sick much faster.

MORE DETAILS

In fact, frequent business travelers tend to suffer from health problems ranging from obesity to insomnia. “Oddly enough, those who never travel and those who travel the most seem to be the sickest,” says Soumya Panchagnula, M.D., a family medicine specialist with Henry Ford Health.

MORE DETAILS

People may experience travel anxiety because of the unknown. For example, they may wonder what would happen if they ran out of money, got lost, or became ill. Having a plan in place for worst-case scenarios may help ease these fears.

MORE DETAILS

It's a new landscape, a foreign language, a different culture and new people. You'll never be more exposed to new things. As a result, you'll have to adapt to your new surroundings. This will broaden your perceptions and force you to become more open-minded.

MORE DETAILS

Take a Nap & Get a Solid Night's Sleep Sleep is important to wellbeing, and travel (and the strange beds, jet lag, and long days) can exacerbate any sleep issues you might have. Plus, things always look better when you are well rested. So, take a nap, skip the alcohol, and sleep.

MORE DETAILS

Let yourself recharge, eat healthy foods, spend time with friends, and get plenty of sleep and exercise. Before you know it, you'll feel great again. Make plans to travel again: Just because you're home doesn't mean you'll never get to have another exciting adventure.

MORE DETAILS

You could be experiencing a burnout if you ever wake up feeling dejected and exhausted, like you want to give up on the day before it has even started. These are the days when all you want to do is crawl back under the covers and not move all day.

MORE DETAILS

Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.

MORE DETAILS

Air travel Airplanes can be breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses, from cramped conditions to the low humidity that characterizes the air circulating on board. Low humidity can dry out your nasal passages and irritate your throat.

MORE DETAILS

Common travel-related illnesses include:
  • Diarrheal disease. Most travel-related diarrheal diseases are acquired by consuming contaminated water and food.
  • Hepatitis A. ...
  • Malaria. ...
  • Dengue fever. ...
  • Parasitic infections. ...
  • Tuberculosis. ...
  • Typhoid fever. ...
  • Yellow fever.


MORE DETAILS