Travel is a beautiful thing and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunities and means to see as much as I have. However, the whole experience can be a stressful and exhausting affair leaving you looking and feeling anything but well rested when you return back to the daily grind. I just returned from an intense two week travel adventure: Eight flights, 6 countries, a couple of time zone changes and some pretty bad airport food. It has all been amazing and inspiring and sometimes a little nutty… and now, I am trying to find balance again after all the buzz.
Here are some tips that help me to swing back from the endorphin rush to the everyday:
Find some time alone – After two weeks of hectic travel with my boyfriend, I find that it is so important to get grounded again and settle in with myself. I love to be alone. This may sound strange, but for me, being alone is somewhat therapeutic. When I’m traveling with a partner, it’s difficult to get enough time for myself and by the end of it all, I feel drained, antsy and over stimulated. It doesn’t matter what I do when I am alone, as long as I get my ‘me time’. I might shop online, write about my experiences, go for a walk, or take a bath. Whatever the activity, it gives me the time I need to get away from others and to let myself recharge.
Catch up on rest – Long distance travel is similar to experiencing an adrenaline high. There is little time for proper sleep and your body is thrown off by having to adjust to a six or even twelve hour time difference. Upon returning home, jet lag is inevitable and can lead to illness, muddled thinking, a loss of focus and a hard time adjusting back to your normal routine. For me, it usually takes a good week to over come jet lag, however I do my best to prepare for it well in advance. I start by resetting my body clock before I fly by shifting my bedtime by an hour or two in the right direction starting a few days before my journey home. On travel day, the moment I step onto the plane I adopt the hour of the time zone that I am traveling to. I avoid alcohol, eat lightly and try to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water even if I am not thirsty. Finally, when I return home, I allow myself a 30 minute nap if I absolutely need it… but no more than that. The more you prepare for jet lag, the less stressed you will feel.
Treat stressed skin with a facial – It’s hard to maintain your beauty regimen on the road, but not impossible. I like to invest in “discovery kits” or “travel kits” of my current skin care and hair care products. Finding even a half hour in the morning for a hydrating masque will do wonders for parched skin from travel and over exposure to the elements. When I return from my travels, I like to book a facial to help my skin regain balance again and, if possible, I will also book a massage to help dissolve back pain from hours of sitting on planes, “tech neck” and sore shoulders from lugging my carry-on bag from one gate to another.
Take a break from technology – It’s tempting to stay plugged in on your iPhone or Blackberry, or listening to your iPod while exercising, driving or flying, but it is so important to give your brain and body a break with a single focus activity. It can be the most creative part of your day! I find it hard to hit the pause button or turn off my laptop – but I never regret practicing even five minutes of silence.
Get outside! When returning home from traveling, the first thing I want to do is start to unpack and get started on laundry. Just the thought of this leaves me feeling overwhealmed at such a giant task after a full day of travel with little rest. Instead of diving into it all, I make some time go outside. Walk, sit on the grass, and breathe fresh air. It will do you wonders even if only for 5 minutes.
Eat just enough and avoid alcohol for a day or two. This isn’t always easy, especially in transit when bars and fast food restaurants are your only option. We tend to overindulge when traveling by over eating and “celebratory drinking” every night of the week. When I get home, I like to help my metabolism and waistline by eating raw food or lean proteins for a couple of days and rinse out all the “happy hour residue” with lots of filtered water.
I love coming home after the rush of days spent traveling from one city to the next. I appreciate home and all the little things in my life like chores, grocery shopping and my own bed. Home is just as much my place of balance after travel as it is after a long day at the office.
My Top Travel Tip: Aromatic Stress Treatment
Pack Tata Harper’s Aromatic Bedtime Treatment into your carry-on bag. The calming fragrance of this radiant floral citrus perfume will help you find deep relaxation and sleep. Lavender is soothing, balancing and calming. It amazes me that such a tiny dose is enough to ease away your travelling anxieties and revive you after a long flight. Roll onto pulse points and breathe in deeply.
Natalie Cola
Etiket Insider Beauty Editor
