Backache after a long car ride? Sore neck from trying to sleep on a plane? Try these tips before the next time you head out of town.

I love taking vacations, but travel has an uncanny way of making me feel old. I inevitably pull a muscle trying to lift my bag into the plane’s overhead bin. My lower back aches during long car rides. My neck throbs after a short airplane nap.

It’s not surprising that travel causes pain and, sometimes, injury. “You’re out of your norm, you’re changing your patterns,” said Dr. D.J. Kennedy, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. You’re doing things like pulling a 30-pound suitcase for what feels like six miles as you sprint to catch your connecting flight, which is probably not something your body has trained for.

With summer travel approaching prepandemic levels in the United States, I’m sure I’m not alone in experiencing — and wondering what can be done to ease — travel-induced aches and pains. So for this week’s newsletter, in part because I have a cross-country flight in a few days, I talked to a physical therapist and two physicians to get advice.

Make travel plans with your body in mind

When you’re planning a vacation, keep your body’s strengths and limitations in mind, Dr. Kennedy suggested. If sitting in a car for long periods tends to hurt your back, a weeklong road trip might not be your best option.

That said, if you really want to take the trip that might make your body unhappy, you can take steps to prepare for it in advance. If you have arthritis in your knee and walking is painful, you can still go on a walking tour, but you might want to see a physical therapist or physical medicine doctor in the months leading up to the trip to improve your range of motion and endurance, Dr. Kennedy said. Or, he added, you might think about getting a shot to reduce swelling and pain. Be sure to bring any doctor-recommended pain medications with you in case you need them, too, he said.

Limit the weight you must bear

When it comes to handling luggage, the best approach is to pack lightly so your bags aren’t heavy. But that’s simply not possible for some people (including me). Thankfully, there are ways to make heavy luggage more manageable.

Dr. Kennedy said that roller bags are less likely to cause injury and pain than bags you must carry by hand or on your shoulder. He prefers bags that move on four wheels rather than two, because moving them requires less effort. The big pushcarts you can rent from the airport can also be helpful for moving luggage, he said.

If you need to carry a bag on your body, a backpack is the best option, said Dr. Deborah Venesy, a physician in the Cleveland Clinic’s Center for Spine Health in Ohio, and she said you should use both straps to distribute the weight evenly. Colleen Louw, a physical therapist based in Iowa and a spokeswoman for the American Physical Therapy Association, added that backpacks should hang evenly in the middle of the back — not down against the low back — and that straps should be adjusted to make it easy to take the backpack on and off.

Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you struggle to lift your luggage, Dr. Kennedy said. (He is a former competitive powerlifter, but said he has a shoulder injury and often asks for help lifting his bags into the plane’s overhead compartment.)

If sitting causes pain, take movement and stretching breaks

An hour or so into every car or plane ride, the side of my back starts aching, and that’s in part because bodies aren’t meant to stay stationary. “Movement is essential to keep blood flowing to your muscles and joints to help prevent stiffness and pain,” Ms. Louw explained. Ideally, you’ll want to stand up and walk around at least once every hour if you’re feeling pain, Dr. Kennedy advised. If you have trouble remembering to do this, set a timer or drink lots of water so you need frequent bathroom breaks, he suggested. (Dr. Venesy said she prefers aisle seats so she can get up regularly.)

As for how to sit, Ms. Louw said that sitting upright, or with a slight recline, is generally the best position for the spine. Dr. Venesy added that rolling up a sweatshirt or fleece and resting it behind your lower back could also provide pain-relieving lumbar support.

Stretching can also be useful. One good stretch to do while sitting is a spine twist, where you put both hands on one leg and gently twist your upper body in the same direction, then repeat on the other side, Dr. Venesy said. A good seated stretch for the low back and hips is a figure four stretch, where you rest your right heel on your left knee and lean forward, and vice versa, she added. Dr. Kennedy said that it may feel good to stand up and do a slight back bend, too. (If you’re in pain from standing for a long time, the opposite could ease your pain — leaning into a forward fold, he said.)

If you experience leg cramps while sitting, try pumping your ankles — alternately pointing and then flexing your feet — with your knees bent and extended, Ms. Louw suggested.

Prevent neck pain by reading or watching tablets at eye level and using a neck pillow

If you’re anything like me, you look down a lot during flights or as a car passenger — at your phone, a tablet or a book. But this position can cause neck pain, Dr. Kennedy said. It’s far better to bring things closer to eye level. Some airplanes now have devices that allow you to hang your phone or tablet on the back of the seat in front of you, he said, and you can also buy accessories that will do this for you (or even fashion one out of a sickness bag).

If you think you’ll doze off in the plane or car, you may also want to invest in a neck pillow. Dr. Kennedy prefers designs that are thinner in the back than on the sides, because they don’t pitch the head forward too much when you lean against the seat.

I’m not going to be able to put all these suggestions into practice for my upcoming trip — I’m sure my suitcase will be just under the maximum weight limit, as usual — but I’ll certainly make some changes to my travel habits.

With the emergence of hybrid work, employees choose to work while being on holiday. This phenomenon is called bleisure travel.

Imagine being on a beach, spending your leisure time alone or with your family. You’re enjoying the spectacular ocean view and eating some good food. But you also brought your laptop, and you’re attending to some work emails. You’ve chosen to do some work despite being on holiday.

With companies shifting to a hybrid work model, more and more employees are finding new ways to take leisure time while working. Because the way we work is changing, employees are also adapting and changing how they take some time off. Regardless of whether the formal boundaries between work and rest are blurred, employees feel that working while being on holiday is okay. This combination of work and holiday is known as “bleisure” travel.

What is bleisure travel?

“Bleisure” is a portmanteau of “business” and “leisure.” Originally, bleisure travel referred to when business people extended their work travels to sightseeing.

However, with the ongoing shift to remote work, the definition of bleisure travel has also changed. Work-from-home employees now take their work from anywhere else they choose.

Choosing to go on a bleisure trip

Many people are choosing to work while being on holiday, particularly young workers. A new survey by SiteMinder revealed that more than a third of travellers are working on their next trip. About 45 to 49 per cent of them are Gen Z workers.

About 65 per cent of travellers from Thailand and 47 per cent from China are interested in adopting bleisure travel. However, Australians are not quite interested in taking a bleisure trip.

Only about 24 per cent of 800 Australian travellers surveyed in the study said they would work on their next holiday, which is amongst the lowest in the entire survey. Of this number, 45 per cent were aged 18 to 25.

Regarding macroeconomic factors, the survey revealed that Australian travellers had the highest number of respondents who said inflation had “no impact” on their travel decisions.

Is it a good idea to work while on holiday?

There’s nothing wrong with choosing to work during a holiday, especially if no one is forcing you to do so. A study by Wrike has shown that 36 per cent of men and 26 per cent of women enjoy their holiday more and even feel less stressed when they can stay connected and check in at work.

But another study by Harvard Business Review, which assessed the intrinsic motivation of employees who worked during time off, revealed that, on average, people who worked during certain weekends felt less intrinsic motivation for work. This result is because workers separated their time into time for work and time for rest, but because engaging in work during holidays or time off causes conflict between expectations and reality. As a consequence, they find their work less meaningful and less engaging.

So what should we do?

Working while being on holiday shouldn’t be the norm, but the exception. Suppose you plan to log on to work while you’re away, set limits. Set the expectations that there is a possibility that you won’t be able to work at all. It means your co-workers should be there for backup in case this happens.

In the end, working while on holiday can help ease the stress of not being connected to your computer for work, but it can also blur the line between work and rest. Set boundaries so that you don’t feel burnt out.

Summer is here, and Statesboro residents are eagerly heading out on their vacations. But it’s easy to overlook one crucial detail: your car’s readiness for the journey. Before hitting the road, ensure your vehicle is in top shape with a checkup from your local auto technician to avoid any unwanted travel disruptions.

With summer approaching, more Statesboro residents are making plans for a summer vacation. You’ve booked your hotels, packed your bags, worked out your schedule, and bought your tickets. You’ve prepared everything, right? You might be surprised to realize you’d forgotten one very important thing.

Before you race to head out on the long road, it might be time to take your car to your local auto technician for a checkup. The last thing you want while enjoying your vacation is car troubles.

AC

With the summer heat baking everything outside, your AC dying could be catastrophic to your enjoyment of your trip. Can you imagine spending hours in a hot car as you drive to your destination? Or worse, wasting precious hours of your vacation looking for a mechanic to fix it?

Having your AC checked before you head out can help you detect any problems that might arise on the road. It might be possible that your AC is low on refrigerant or that your filter needs to be replaced, especially if you’ve been struggling to cool your car.

Tires

Coming out of winter, the air pressure in your tires might be lower than recommended. Not only can a flat tire lead to dangerous wear and tear, but it will cost you on your gas bill. Lower tire pressure significantly reduces your mileage. While you’re checking your tire pressure, it can’t hurt to check the tread depth, too! It could be time to rotate your tires to avoid uneven wear before you head on the road.

Engine

With summer temperatures only rising, you need to keep your engine from overheating. Thankfully, your engine has a system to keep it cool. However, this system needs to be in top condition to cool properly. A number of factors could lead to your engine overheating, such as a broken belt, a cracked hose, or low or leaking coolant.

An automotive technician can examine your engine for damaged parts and ensure that any important fluids are topped up. Even without damage, your engine can’t keep cool if the level of coolant is low.

Brakes

No matter how early you leave, you’re likely to be stuck in traffic at least once during your road trip. You need to trust that your brakes are reliable during that stop-and-go traffic. Over time, your brake pads will wear out, and worn brake pads reduce the efficacy of your breaking. A technician can examine your brakes to determine if your brake pads need replacement as well as any other issues that might affect the safety of your travel.

Oil Change

After 5,000 miles, it’s important that you change your oil! If you’re going to be driving a significant distance, why not prepare ahead and make sure your oil is free of contaminants? Even if you might not have driven much during winter, changing your oil during summer can help protect your engine from the increase in stress and heat due to high temperatures.

Alignment

If you want to remain safe, it’s important to have your vehicle’s alignment checked. Misalignment can cause issues such as your car pulling to one side, your wheel vibrating, or the wheel struggling to remain centered even when driving straight. While misalignment can be caused over time, it can also be caused by driving on rough roads, which may have been the case during the winter months.

Monsoons are the most awaited season to explore destinations while enjoying the refreshing rains.
The monsoons are a welcome relief from the blazing sun when the rain settles down all the pollution and dust around bringing out clean green surroundings.

Travelling during monsoon is one of the most adventurous and fun experiences you can have when dark clouds shower drops of bliss on earthlings. Monsoon season is one of the best times of year for travellers to explore a rainforest, a beachside town or a hilly city which offers ecstasy, beauty, and divine delight.

As a traveller, you must be careful while wandering around during monsoon due to extreme weather conditions. The wet season can make travel more complicated.

If you’re planning a trip during this rainy season, the constant temperature shifts can take a toll on your skin and leave it irritated and oily. The high humidity can affect skin health negatively.

Like any trip to a faraway destination, preparation is key. The following practical tips explain how to travel during the rainy season:

Use Waterproof Sunscreen
Despite the rain and cloud cover during monsoon season, UV rays can still harm our skin, even on overcast days. Sun is barely visible in this season, so people tend to skip the sunscreen thinking their skin will not get damaged as the weather is cloudy and rainy. However, UV radiation can be higher during cloudy days because the clouds can reflect and scatter the UV rays, increasing their intensity.

The weather is humid and the thick formulation of sunscreens can make your skin oily, sticky, and sweat all day. So it would be a good idea to pick something that’s gel-based lightweight and does not end up clogging your pores. For the monsoon season, one must opt for water-resistant sunscreen. A single application will not protect your skin the entire day. Sunscreen must be reapplied every three hours for the best result and strictly to reapply after prolonged sun exposure, heavy sweating, swimming, or heavy exercising.

Keep it Minimal
Applying makeup can be challenging during humid weather during travelling as they might have a chance of melting in the rain.
In the monsoon season, less is always more. So, you may want to consider pausing the usage of heavy moisturisers and facial oils for skin preps.

Embrace a minimalistic approach to your makeup routine. Opt for a natural, dewy look with gel-based moisturisers and lightweight serums enriched with hyaluronic products that enhance your features rather than masking them. For your base, you can also substitute a foundation with a BB or CC cream to even out your complexion followed up with a hydrating concealer to cover up any blemishes.

Antifungal Treatment
A jump in a puddle in the rain might satisfy your inner child but this could cause a host of fungal infections to you. High levels of humidity in the air allow bacteria and infections to multiply with ease which leads to problems like itching, swelling, and a foul smell. The air is saturated with moisture during the rainy season that makes it an ideal breeding season for bacteria, viruses and fungi.

In humans, fungal infections happen when an attacking fungus takes over a part of your body, and your immune system is not capable enough to ward it off.

Lotion based moisturizers are better than cream based ones in this season. Pure coconut oil provides instant relief. In its unheated form, coconut oil works as a potent antifungal agent. Applying it over the skin makes it a good, safe topical medicine.

Neem oil is considered a natural antifungal. Neem is easily available and works as one of the best treatments for fungal infections.

Washing the infected area with neem water helps in treating fungal infections. To make neem water, boil neem leaves in water for a few minutes and let it cool. It can be used to massage the feet and can be applied to the toes. Lightly dab the neem oil onto the area using a cotton swab or cotton ball, and allow it to soak in for up to 30 minutes. Wash off the oil with warm water.

Dry and crush some neem leaves. Add this powder to sandalwood powder and make it a paste with rose water. Now apply this paste to the area where you have the infection in feet and nails.

Waterproof Shoes
Whether you’ve got caught in a downpour or you’ve been forced to walk through an unavoidable puddle, Waterproof boots are rightfully beloved for their ability to shield your feet from the discomfort of damp conditions.

So Waterproof shoes are essential for maintaining comfort and dryness during the rainy season travelling. Choosing the right pair of waterproof shoes can be a daunting task for travellers. It’s critical to try shoes before you buy them whenever possible to ensure the upper fits the way you like. Preferably buy sneakers, that are comfortable to walk in and are skid-free.

Invest in a pair of popular brand waterproof, windproof and breathable socks that live up to their name. Not only will they keep your feet safe from dirty water and slippery paths, but they also make for a great statement piece for your outfits!

Hydration
Dehydration is a common complaint during travelling in hot and humid weather. The increased humidity during the monsoon can increase your sweat rate, which can cause dehydration. It can make you sweat incessantly, losing more water. Dehydration strips the cells of water and vital minerals and hence a person feels tired, lethargic and dizzy. It’s essential to drink water regularly, regardless of your thirst level, especially during the rainy season when you might not feel as thirsty due to cooler temperatures. Water makes up 70% of our body mass and is one of the most vital nutrients. On average, an adult needs 2-3 litres of water daily to stay well-hydrated.

During monsoon, your drinking water may get contaminated and hence packaged mineral water is best during monsoon because it is loaded with essential minerals and nutrients. You must try tender coconut water, lime water, kokum squash, buttermilk, soups and fruits-vegetables with high water content like watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber etc. to keep the body hydrated