A vacation in itself is a form of self-care, giving you an opportunity to unwind and relax. Unfortunately, many of us struggle with chronic stress or anxiety and find it challenging to relax even when on vacation. Many people also feel exhausted or overwhelmed a few days into their vacations because they try to cram too much into too little time, either from excitement or social pressure. Ultimately, the result is the same. Your physical and mental wellbeing suffers as your vacation doesn’t really leave you feeling rested and rejuvenated. Adopting a vacation self-care routine is the best way to counter this and get the most out of your vacation.
8 Ways to Practice Vacation Self-Care
Talk to a Therapist
If you do have a stress or anxiety disorder, or suffer from any major mental illness, you should speak to your doctor about treatment before you leave. A licensed mental health professional would be the best person to talk to and psychiatrists can also prescribe medications to ease travel anxiety or manage other mental health problems while on vacation. You can also try talking to an online therapist because this will give you access to support at all times, no matter where you might be. The leading online therapy platforms accept insurance and also provide access to licensed professionals including clinical psychologists, behavioral therapists, and psychiatrists.
Carry a Self-Care Kit
A self-care kit should include the essentials for your physical, mental, and emotional health. This means that in addition to hygiene products such as toothbrushes, soaps or sanitizers, and tampons, you should pack things you that will help you relax and feel comfortable wherever you are. Just make sure that they will fit into your travel kit and won’t be too cumbersome to carry around. Some things worth considering include a journal, a relaxing aromatherapy oil, Bluetooth earbuds, an eye mask, and a stress ball.
Begin Every Day with Meditation
Vacations can be quite hectic and noisy, especially if you’re traveling with family or friends. It helps to recenter and quieten your mind with meditation or mindfulness practices before you start each day. This will help to lower your stress levels while increasing your feelings of satisfaction so that you can have a more fulfilling experience.
- Explore Your Surroundings the Old-fashioned Way
While it can be a break from your regular exercise routine, a vacation should never be a break from physical activity. Staying active is essential for your physical and mental health and it’s one of the core components of any self-care routine. If you find that your regular exercises or gym workouts are too tedious and monotonous for the vacation, you can also get your cardio from walking about to explore the neighborhood instead of taking cabs. This will allow you to get a more authentic experience of the local culture too. Additionally, try out activities in the area such as kayaking, cycling, trekking, climbing, and so on.
Try to Follow a Daily Routine
Your vacation doesn’t have to follow a strict schedule, but it helps to have a daily self-care routine in place before you begin your holiday. Make sure to create a routine that is sustainable and realistic, leaving some room for flexibility or you’ll end up frustrated. A daily routine for your vacation should include specific timelines for sleep and waking up, meals, skin care, personal hygiene, and other essential activities.
Enjoy the Cuisine but don’t overindulge
Healthy eating is essential for self-care, whether you’re at home or on vacation. Sample the local delicacies and indulge in some guilt-free eating but don’t do this with every meal and try not to overeat. This will be easier to practice if you keep healthy snacks on hand such as fresh fruits and nuts, and stay well-hydrated at all times. As far as possible, plan your meals before you get to a restaurant because we tend to make more impulsive and unhealthy choices when we’re already hungry.
Get Enough Sleep
Although you may be tempted to sleep late or reduce your sleeping hours, this is the worst thing that you can do when vacationing. Disturbed or inadequate sleep can increase fatigue and stress levels, making it harder for you to enjoy your vacation and stay on track with any other self-care practices. Having a fixed sleep schedule and adopting good sleep hygiene practices will help. Additionally, you can use natural supplements such as melatonin if you have trouble falling asleep.
- Make New Friends
Socializing is an important part of the human experience and it can also make vacations a lot more enjoyable and wholesome. Even if you’ve gone on vacation to enjoy some solitude, it helps to connect with other people and enjoy a few shared experiences. Research clearly shows that people who are more active socially tend to enjoy a better quality of life, with higher levels of happiness, and greater life expectancy
