As we gear up for some of the busiest travel days for the year, 9NEWS Medical Expert Dr. Comilla Sasson has provided us nine ways to stay healthy during your holiday travels.
- Keep your medications in your carry-on bag. You may have to gate-check the larger carry-on bag, so be prepared just in case. Pack a few extra days of medications too in case you are delayed getting home.
- Travel with hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer will kill most viruses, but not all. Viruses can last on surfaces for up to 2 weeks, so think about all the stuff which may have collected in the train station. Use the right amount of hand sanitizer and let it dry completely to get the most benefit. Soap and water are best to get rid of all bacteria and viruses, but the hand sanitizer is better than nothing at all.
- If you are sick, cancel or postpone your travel. No one wants to be sick for the holidays, but your family sure does not want you sharing your cold/flu with them.
- Use your phone flashlight to look for bedbugs in your hotel room. Use the flashlight on your phone to look under the mattresses, in between the mattresses, near the corners of the beds, and luggage rack. Make sure there are no dark small bugs or dark specks of bug poop. Keep your clothes in the bathroom and off the floor and/or bed.
- Get up and walk around every 2 hours. You do not want to develop a blood clot in your legs or lungs. Walk even for a few minutes around the gas station or in the aisles of the plane.
- Avoid flying and drinking. Air travel can be dehydrating. Alcohol is a diuretic which makes you pee. Add that to the lower oxygen concentration and you are at risk for passing out. So, if you are going to drink alcohol, make sure you are drinking plenty of water.
- Beat the jet lag by packing things to help you sleep. Try to adjust your schedule a few days early if you can. And, pack the neck pillow, eye mask, and ear plugs if you have a long trip and need to get some rest.
- Keep a list of your medications and/or health history on your phone or in your wallet. You may be traveling alone or have a medical emergency on board. It can be very helpful if you are unable to provide a history. Fill out the medical id in your health app on your smartphone.
- Avoid long, uninterrupted driving. Stop and take a stretch break. Do some jumping jacks. We see a lot of car accidents this time of year from tired or distracted drivers.
Follow 9NEWS Medical Expert Dr. Comilla Sasson on Facebook and Twitter. Have a medical question or health topic idea? Email Dr. Comilla at c.sasson@9news.com