While travel can already cause significant stress for an ordinary passenger, that stress is often amplified for business travelers.
In this global day and age, there is a necessity to be connected to other businesses across the nation or even the globe. Therefore, many positions require frequent trips and numerous short, last-minute flights for meetings or conferences. Imagine, traveling to NYC for a few days on the company’s dollar or diving into LA for a fancy training, meals included. Sounds snazzy and fun, doesn’t it? While, yes, that certainly may sound exciting, as a matter of fact, these chaotic travel itineraries can often wreak havoc on sleep patterns and even family life. Frequent travel disrupts routines, puts stress on relationships, and can even negatively affect children’s behavior. Additionally, travelers (of every kind) often report eating and drinking more during their getaways. And the consequences: a reported average of 3 pounds gained every 2 weeks away from home.
That being said, understanding the impacts of travel on health and wellness can help us do what we can to make the best of it. In light of the fact that research shows a 4-day vacation can actually reduce perceived stress, it’s important to realize travel isn’t all bad. In fact, it actually can revitalize and refresh. So next time you are looking to plan a weekend getaway, make sure it’s a long weekend and you get plenty of extra shut-eye. The rewards reaped can improve your personal well-being for up to as long as 30 days.
The following infographic reports on how health and wellness are affected by business and leisure travel. Understanding how to navigate the different pitfalls and traps that might cause overeating or skipped workouts can arm you for success.
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