When I think of traveling, the scene from Home Alone where the McCallister clan is racing through the airport to catch their flight immediately comes to mind. Travel is stressful, plus the worrying about getting sick, letting healthy habits fall by the wayside, the all-too-familiar jet lag, and the nagging AF travel fatigue. Traveling can do a number on your well-being. While that may be true, it doesn’t have to be; vacationing is about letting loose and giving your mind and body a respite after all. Thanks to the doctors I spoke with, I’ve got all of the must-have on-the-go health tips, wherever your travel plans take you. Spoiler alert: You won’t ever leave home without them again.

Why do our immune systems suffer while traveling?

Between the environmental changes, deviation from normal routines (think: sleep, diet, and exercise), and being exposed to more people, it’s no wonder our immunity takes a beating when we’re away from home. “Jet lag, dehydration, grabbing food on the go can decrease our immune response,” explained Dr. Jenny Yu, Head of Medical Affairs at Healthline. “Also, transiting through crowded public spaces exposes our immune system to many germs. The clash of the immune system being down and exposure to more germs cause the entire system to be a bit out of balance.”

Dr. Austin Perlmutter, a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, and senior director of science and clinical innovation at Big Bold Health, pointed out that one of the most powerful influences on our immune health is stress, followed by sleep quality, exercise, and diet. The stress we put on our bodies, poor sleep, lack of exercise, and limited access to healthy foods when we’re on the road can compound to weaken immune wellness.

Doctor-approved tips for staying healthy while traveling

Book your flights wisely

So you booked a red-eye to get the most out of your trip, and you get to your destination without so much as a wink of shuteye, your digestion is off, and you’re disoriented. By now you know that the act of traveling itself can take a toll on your health, but add in a thrown-off sleep schedule, poor eating patterns, and changing time zones to the mix, and you could be compromising your health (and sanity).

“The connection between proper sleep and immune function is well established in science, so it’s best to opt for travel plans that minimize how many Zzzs you’ll have to forgo,” conveyed Dr. Yael Cooperman, a physician and senior manager of medical content and education at Ro. “Pick a flight that gives you a full night’s rest at either end of your journey, and skip the red-eyes or the wacky layovers whenever possible.” When you go to book your trip, set yourself up for success by choosing the timing of your flights wisely. It’ll pay off in the long run.

Regulate your sleep schedule

Speaking of sleep, catching flights and keeping up with a packed itinerary often means a significant disruption in our circadian rhythms when we travel. “It’s easy to let sleep fall by the wayside when traveling, but getting 7-9 hours of sleep is arguably the most important thing you can do to prevent sickness,” agreed Dr. Abby Kramer, a holistic physician. “To promote sleep, keep your room cool (around 67 degrees) and as dark as possible (I travel with black electrical tape to black out any blinking lights in hotels), and do your best to avoid screens one to two hours before bed.”

Dr. Kramer also suggested bringing your favorite pillow or pillow case and your most comfortable pajamas to mimic your normal bedtime routine as much as possible. To prevent further compromising your sleep, Dr. Perlmutter stressed minimizing caffeine consumption after 2 p.m. at the latest, as well as avoiding excessive alcohol, especially in the afternoon and evening.

Mind your hygiene

TSA security bins, airplane tray tables, and toilet handles in hotel rooms are breeding grounds for germs. While you can’t avoid touching every surface or object you encounter en route to and at your final stop, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from picking up and transmitting germs (speaking as a true germophobe), because the last thing you want on vacation is to be stuck in bed sick. “Wash hands often and don’t touch your face—the T-zone, your eyes, nose, and mouth are all ways for germs to enter the body,” Dr. Yu recommended. Dr. Cooperman agreed: “Wash your hands well with soap and warm water, especially before you eat or drink and after (and even before!) you use the restroom. Keep your hands out of your mouth and keep some hand sanitizer on hand just in case.”

Nourish your body

One of the first good-for-you rituals to go when globe-trotting is maintaining a well-rounded, nutritious diet, but good news: There are simple tricks to help you keep it up. “Planning ahead and bringing healthy snacks on your trip can dramatically reduce the chances that you eat the junk food which is so prevalent in airports and on planes,” Dr. Perlmutter suggested. His go-tos? Nuts, dark chocolate, and blueberries. “Consider traveling with protein powders and electrolytes to help keep you full and hydrated (and decrease your chances of buying soda or other sugary junk that may damage immune wellness), and bring your own reusable water bottle so all you have to do is fill up at a water fountain.”

Eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C and zinc while avoiding processed foods before and during your trip can not only help fight off viruses and also reduce inflammation and your risk of illness. Whether you’re traveling domestically or internationally, Dr. Yu encouraged exploring local cuisine that fits your lifestyle and diet preferences, rather than eating processed snacks. To fill in any nutritional gaps, she advised having supplements such as probiotics and vitamin C, vitamin D3, and zinc handy (all good for immune support!).

Stay hydrated

You’ve heard it time and time again, but it bears repeating: Water is your best friend, especially when you’re adventure hopping. And there’s nothing worse than the low-humidity airplane cabin air to dehydrate you. “Dehydration affects many systems in your body, but particularly important are your mucous membranes (the delicate tissues in your nose and mouth that act as an important barrier to viruses and bacteria),” Dr. Cooperman explained. “When your mucous membranes dry out (which is more common when you’re being blasted with airplane air conditioning), they’re more likely to be permeable to germs.”

So before you order that wine, soda, or coffee when the drink service comes around, think twice. Instead, opt for water or herbal teas like peppermint and ginger which are good for digestion. And remember to put the reusable water bottle you packed to good use and fill it up once you’ve gone through security.

Prioritize movement

There’s no getting around it: Working out is essential for your well-being. Dr. Kramer added that exercise not only helps boost your mood, but also regulates your circadian rhythms and increases your immune function. Sure, you’re out of your normal workout regimen, and a yoga mat–much less a gym–may be hard to come by while you’re traveling, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get movement in. “If you’re waiting for your plane, train, or automobile, try some simple stretches, lunges, or squats (you’ll get some weird looks but it’s definitely worth it!),” Dr. Perlmutter suggested. “Bring movement onto the plane by doing ankle circles, foot pumps, and neck rolls.”

Once you’ve reached your vacay or work spot, make sure you get moving to balance out the sedentary time you spent on the way. Whether it’s a 15-minute stretch, bodyweight exercises, or yoga poses, getting your heart pumping is just what Dr. Kramer ordered. Bonus points if you can take it outside (think: a long stroll taking in the sights), because vitamin D does your body and immune defenses good. And don’t forget to listen to your body, do what feels good, and go easy on yourself as your body adjusts to a new environment.

Boost your mental health

Let’s be real: Traveling is an additional stress on the mind and body (travel anxiety is real), and your immune system bears the brunt of it. Dr. Kramer recommended adopting a regular stress relief practice, especially while traveling. Her personal favorite? Guided meditation. Download a meditation app pre-flight and pull it up during the day for a quick mental reset or at night to promote deep sleep. Start out with 2-5 minutes per day and build up from there. Whatever is on tap for your trip, Dr. Cooperman emphasizes making room for yourself and fitting in activities that make you feel good. Try out a workout class at a local studio, drop in for a mani-pedi, walk to a nearby coffee shop and treat yourself to a matcha, read the book you’ve been dying to get to, or take a catnap. That’s what we like to call jet-setting stress-free.

It’s worth noting that getting away, and even just looking forward to an excursion, also relieves stress and builds up your mental health. Swapping the daily grind and mundane to-dos back home for new sights, food, and people can give us a fresh perspective and make us more present.

Whether it’s a weekend getaway or a longer trip abroad, travelling can be a great way for seniors to stay active and engaged in life. Let’s explore some of the amazing benefits of travelling for senior citizens.

Travelling is a wonderful experience that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including senior citizens. In fact, there are numerous benefits to travelling for older adults, from improving their mental and physical health to providing opportunities for socializing and learning new things. Seniors see travel as a time to rediscover themselves. Travelling is not limited to merely exploring new and amazing destinations; it also has the potential to broaden one’s perspective. Travelling can be considered a form of therapy, as it helps seniors build self-assurance by confronting and overcoming their fears, thus stepping outside their comfort zones. This experience has been shown to have significant therapeutic advantages.

MP Deepu, Co-Founder, Senior World, shared some amazing benefits of travelling for senior citizens.

• Stress due to loneliness is one of the most common conditions that the elderly face. Building their careers and keeping up to give their best to their families gets exhausting by the time they enter their 60s and they start feeling lonely and frustrated. This might impact their physical and mental health. Travel is indeed great for relieving stress and improving your general outlook on life. It also reduces the risk of dementia and can combat depression.
• Seniors find a sense of purpose when they choose to travel and thus become less susceptible to cognitive impairment, heart attacks and strokes, thus allowing them to live longer.
• The value of tourism has also been added to the studies of active ageing. An exploratory study of senior tourism by Hunter-Jones P and Blackburn A, suggested that vacations induce subjective feelings of relaxation, physical and mental well-being in seniors, and, in some instances, lead to reported improvements in certain chronic diseases, such as asthma and arthritis.
• Engaging older adults in social activities with a group are of great importance as it helps to deepen connections and participating in specially curated adventure activities with a peer group boosts their cognitive well-being.

The second innings of their lives gives seniors more time to enjoy and fulfil their wish of taking those trips that they had always dreamt of. Travelling is the perfect escape for them and motivates them to maintain their health, explore new things and release stress. They will be happier for the rest of their lives with improved physical, mental, and psychological health!

If you’re not a seasoned jetsetter, planning a trip and getting out of town can be stressful. But before you play by all of the so-called rules, take the advice of these travel experts on how to truly have a vacation to remember.

Make a plan before you leave

While travel blogger Nate Hake used to make day-by-day itineraries before he left for vacation, he now recommends a more spontaneous approach to jet setting. This might be a tad more nerve-wracking, but Hake says having every-little-detail mapped out can stand in the way of more memorable experiences. “After enough time, you start to learn that the best experiences are unplanned. From making a group of Russian friends in the self-proclaimed nation of Abkhazia to spontaneously renting a campervan and driving around Tasmania, my favorite memories were rarely something I expected beforehand,” he shares.

Don’t talk to strangers

Sure, your mom might have told you to be wary of strangers—especially in a place with a language you don’t speak—but take those words of wisdom with a grain of salt. As Hilary Welter, digital nomad for NRHA, explains, locals can often be your greatest resource. Trust your gut and be mindful of who you decide to strike up a conversation with, but don’t be afraid. “Becoming friendly with a local is a sure way to see some awesome off-the-beaten-path places that you wouldn’t have found otherwise,” Welter explains. “There are plenty of kind locals who are happy to show off their home city to tourists.”

Carry your passport with you at all times

Especially if you’re new to crossing the Atlantic, your passport might feel like a prized, often scary, possession to have with you. While it is your most important document, Suzanne Wolko, travel blogger, advises against always carrying it while you’re traveling. “I take a photo of my passport and keep it in my email ‘drafts’ folder so I can access it if needed,” she explains. “When shopping and filling out tax reclaim forms, I’ve used the photo in stores without an issue.”

Avoid certain countries if you’re an American, solo—and so on

Though, sure, it is important to do a bit of research on your intended destination’s travel advisories (the U.S. State Department’s website is a smart place to begin), traveler and author Kelly Hayes-Raitt says not to discount a place based on hearsay. In other words, what makes the news is often the exception, not the rule. “Bombings, frequent muggings, and other violence are usually contained to a specific area, which doesn’t necessarily mean the whole city or country is inherently unsafe,” she continues. “Be smart, stay aware, use your instincts, and don’t let others’ fear dissuade you.”

Only Airbnb gives you the local experience

While Airbnb offers a unique experience for many, Brooke Siem, digital nomadic writer and chef, recommends thinking twice about always picking this route, as it could impact the local community. “Many residents are getting forced out of their homes by landlords who see a money-making opportunity in tourists who want to stay in the ‘heart’ of an area, be it Venice, Lake Tahoe, or Cuba,” she continues. “Consider a boutique bed & breakfast or homestay instead, which provide a local, homey experience and contribute to the local economy.”

You have to quit your job if you want to travel long-term

As the growing digital nomad community is proving, the definition of work is fluid. Getting a long-term trip approved might just take a bit of convincing. “Remote work is on the rise—and by explaining how you can be productive anywhere, not just in your cubicle, you might be able to make the shift,” explains Jess Tatham, digital nomad and location-independent web developer. If your manager declines your request, there are plenty of companies who operate with fully remote workers. Or, if you’re ready for the freelance route, take a line out of Tatham’s resumé and branch out on your own.

European cities are too expensive

Always wanted to see the view from the top of the Eiffel Tower, or stroll through the promenade of Rome? While these top spots usually get a bad rap for being out of everyone’s price range, Hayes-Raitt reminds that there is a budget-friendly solution for nearly every locale. Instead of thinking your dream trip is out of the question, get creative. Some of her favorite money-saving tips: “I buy museum cards that allow me to visit a variety of museums at a discount. I eat at food markets, and I walk or take public transportation rather than rent a car. And I use Groupon discount coupons for dining out and for entertainment.” All of these methods paired together can save you hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars.

Don’t eat the street food

Many health pros might recommend travelers stay clear of the street food, but Siem says that’s a huge missed opportunity. Instead of fully cutting it out of your away-from-home diet, Siem says just to proceed with caution to keep your tummy tamed while enjoying local delicacies. “Look for crowded stands in popular locations, where turnover is high. Start with a small meal with low spice to see how you do. Stick to veggies that are peeled and meat that looks bright and fresh, and avoid any stands that smell strongly of old oil,” she explains.

You shouldn’t travel solo

Exploring new terrains all by yourself is becoming more and more popular, but that doesn’t prevent naysayers (like your parents) from warning against it. As long as you are smart and careful—as you should be at home and away—traveling solo isn’t as scary as it is often perceived. “You can travel solo by joining a tour group, going solo to a yoga or surf retreat, or going independent and traveling completely on your own,” Wolko explains.

Whether you’re heading to Spain, Germany or Amsterdam, there are new routes and specials to explore

Europe is in the midst of a great rail revival. An increased awareness of environmental issues, the many hassles of air travel and the mental effort required to drive long distances are all reasons for people to get back onto trains. European passenger numbers are on the rise again, if not quite at pre-pandemic levels.

In response, operators across the continent are investing in new services, tracks and special offers. And it’s only going to get better: Dozens of projects are in motion from the Baltic states to Portugal, with the European Union aiming to double high-speed rail traffic by 2030 and supporting “10 pilot projects to establish new rail services or improve existing ones” right now.

My family’s summer will involve a train journey from Paris to Barcelona, down the Rhône valley and along the Mediterranean coast, but you don’t have to travel at 200 miles an hour to get the best out of Europe’s rail network.

From slow trains to high-speed bargains, there are plenty of options if you’re traveling in Europe in the next few months.

New sleepers from Belgium and Sweden

The sleeper train revival is picking up speed. They seemed to be on the way out in 2016, when the government of France, their last stronghold, decided to cut funding for a number of services. Happily, many of those have since been restored, and other countries around Europe — most notably Austria, under the brand name Nightjet — are investing heavily in night trains.

This summer sees the debut of a service between Brussels and Berlin, two key political centers, run by a new company called European Sleeper. Customers can leave Brussels at 7:22 p.m. (or Amsterdam at 10:34 p.m.) on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and arrive in Berlin at 6:48 a.m. Return trips depart on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. There are three types of tickets, starting at $85: a seat, a bed in a six-berth compartment or a bed in a three-bed compartment.

Other night trains have also recently been introduced, such as Stockholm to Hamburg, which started in the fall, or Paris to Vienna, which began in 2021.

I’ve traveled on night trains from Paris to the south of France on a number of occasions. The experience is not luxurious, but it’s generally cheaper than the cost of a flight and a room — and the beds, while slim, are surprisingly comfortable. Be warned, though: The romance of trundling across Europe in the dead of night can make it hard to sleep.

German rail pass for $50 a month

Last summer Germany’s national rail company, Deutsche Bahn, offered monthly passes for the country’s huge network for under $10, a response to cost-of-living problems caused by a sharp rise in costs for electricity, food, heating and mobility. The success of that project has led to the introduction of the Deutschland-Ticket, which will cost around $50 a month and allow unlimited travel on all trains, buses and city subway services, with the exception of the most direct and speedy intercity services.

The possibilities are enticing. Beer lovers, for example, could travel from Düsseldorf to Cologne to Bamberg and onward to Munich, hopping off for distinctive local brews along the way. Those in search of scenery, meanwhile, might prefer the West Rhine Railway, stretching down the Rhine from Cologne in the north to Mainz.

One thing to remember: The Deutschland-Ticket is only available as a rolling, app-based subscription. British train expert Mark Smith, better known online as the Man in Seat 61, recommends canceling by the 10th of the month to avoid being charged for more than a month.

The first 100-mph locomotive, in the U.K.

Given locomotives are a British invention, the rail network in the United Kingdom can be a disappointment. Yes, it’ll get you where you need to go, eventually, but services are often late, and there’s only one high-speed line, used by Eurostar and domestic services, from London into the Kentish countryside. The current national debate over ongoing construction of HS2 (High Speed 2) offers a reason: NIMBY-ish attitudes tend to triumph over the greater good.

No wonder Britons are wont to retreat into the past for comfort. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the world’s first fully authenticated 100-mph passenger locomotive, the Flying Scotsman; as a result, a number of special excursions are planned. For those who can afford it, the Centenary Weekender looks like the most appealing trip, from London to York and then Edinburgh, followed by a jaunt up Scotland’s beautiful East Coast.

The Flying Scotsman may be unique, but Europe is full of historical interest. There’s another anniversary, too: The Wuppertal Schwebebahn, a remarkable suspension railway that continues to operate, was completed in 1903. And then there’s the Beaux-Arts Canfranc Station, opened as the crossing point from Spain to France in 1928, which was revived as a hotel this year.

A $7 high-speed train in Spain

Budget services are increasingly common in Europe, but no one is moving so fast as Spain’s Avlo, which runs high-speed, low-cost trains between Madrid and Barcelona, with tickets starting around $7. The network is expanding: From the start of June, there’s a new route from the Spanish capital to Andalusia, taking in Cordoba, Seville and Malaga.

In France, there’s Ouigo, which provides high-speed and standard services from Paris to cities all around the country, including Bordeaux, Marseille and Strasbourg. The advantage of the standard service — which offers tickets starting around $11 — is that prices don’t change, so you can get a last-minute bargain. The U.K., too, has a low-cost service, from London to Edinburgh via Newcastle, although tickets are not always such good value.

New subway lines in Turkey and England

Few cities have seen such huge investment and rapid improvement in subway provision as Istanbul. Earlier this year, a line connecting Istanbul Airport to the city opened, while other new lines and extensions are entering service all the time. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a city that had virtually no underground transport until 1989.

It’s not the only hub to be investing in underground trains, though. The experience of visiting Copenhagen has been transformed by the 2019 opening of the City Circle Line. Since last summer, visitors arriving at London Heathrow can reach the city center, and much besides, far quicker courtesy of 2022’s Elizabeth Line.

Paris, meanwhile, is in the foothills of a significant expansion program, Grand Paris Express, which will provide new connections in the city’s long-neglected suburbs. You can expect to see those services start to come online next year, when Paris hosts the Olympics and when Metro Line 14 will be extended to Orly, Paris’s second-largest airport.