On busy business trips, health often takes a backseat to convenience. Over time, this can take a serious toll on the health of traveling employees physically and mentally, affecting home and work life. With just a little extra effort, however, it is possible to stay well. What small changes can be made to ensure a healthier travel experience?

Drink Healthy Liquids

Travel-weary? Your business travel planner knows this often indicates dehydration, causing symptoms like fatigue, headache, dizziness, and reduced mental capacity. To make sure you’re ready for that post-flight meeting, be sure to hydrate with plenty of water, bringing a refillable bottle to ensure adequate fluid intake. Avoid sugary drinks and excessive alcohol consumption, which worsens dehydration and amplifies these symptoms.

Wash Hands Frequently

It’s easy to pick up germs at busy airports, in taxis, and at restaurants. Washing hands often can reduce germ exposure and reduce the likelihood of illness. If you know you will be traveling places where access to a sink and water will be in short supply, pack a small carry-on sized bottle of hand sanitizer, as well as disinfecting wipes for hard surfaces like tray tables and armrests.

Maintain a Regular Schedule

Carefully schedule your trip with the help of your corporate travel agency. Maintaining a daily schedule as close as possible to the one normally followed at home is key to maintaining health during business travel and upon return.

Make Sleep a Priority

Fly during the day whenever possible, ensuring 8-hours of sleep to be certain you are able to tackle the coming day’s tasks. Proper sleep also helps the body fend off illness. Power down electronics before sleep to avoid temptation. If you need extra help drifting off due to the strange setting, consider the addition of a melatonin supplement to your travel regime.

Stay Active

Business travel agents know, travel often involves remaining sedentary for an extended period of time, which lowers immune function. Luckily, it doesn’t take a lot of work to reap big benefits. A walk around the block or area park, or perhaps a swim in the hotel pool, will deliver big physical and mental benefits, helping you sleep and feel better. If you’re more active, take advantage of the hotel gym, or reduce stress and increase movement in the comfort of your own room with a simple yoga routine.

Eat Sensibly

Pack healthy snacks for the plane, such as trail mix, eating well each meal of the day. Hotel refrigerators make it easy to start the day with yogurt and fruit from the local grocer. For lunch and dinner, opt for dishes with fresh produce, whole grains and lean protein. Avoid high fat, high sugar, and high salt, high calorie foods. Remember, a business trip is not vacation! Research indicates regularly eating these types of foods increases inflammation, lowers immune function, and increases the likelihood of infection and illness.

Looking for corporate business travel management services that look beyond the basics to meet your business travel needs? Learn more about trusted travel management services of GTI Travel today.