A Vacation From Your Vacation

We have all heard the phrase "I need a vacation, from my vacation." Personally, I know I always have a difficult time getting back into the swing of things when returning from traveling. It can be a dull and tiring start to get back into my normal routine partially because travel, getting from point A to B, can be exhausting. Why is it that?

Well, for starters, you are taxing your body. The changes in time zones, environment and, in planes especially, the exposure to viruses, is hard work on the body. Anytime one does something the body is not accustomed to, you are forcing the body to acclimate, which creates many micro-stressors. It may not be lifting weights, but it is still hard work. Staying hydrated and staying nourished will help minimize this.

Most travel is dull. Even if you are excited about getting to your destination, the journey toward that destination is always a dull process. While flying is faster than driving and driving is usually faster than public transportation, both methods are, truthfully, very boring. You start your trip you travel and then you arrive. At the end, you repeat the process.

Travel means lost sleep. Unless you are the rare person who can soundly sleep the night before they travel or can sleep like a baby on a planes, trains and automobiles, most of the time travel entails some measure of lost rest. That lack of sleep causes you to be even more tired than you would be, given the relative lack of effort required from traveling.

Travel requires a considerable deal of concentration. You have to think about your journey, what you are going to do when you arrive, things which you may have forgotten, things you need to remember and a lot of other of issues. All of that thinking is mentally draining, and being mentally exhausted causes most people to be physically tired.

Next time you travel, just keep all of this in mind. Remember to stay hydrated, keep your body nourished and get extra Z's.