• Start Here
    • ABOUT
    • MCW Podcast
    • Subscribe
    • CONTACT
  • Kentucky
    • Louisville
  • Destinations
    • North America
      • Alabama
      • Arizona
      • Colorado
      • Georgia
      • Indiana
      • Tennessee
      • Ohio
      • Nevada
      • North Carolina
      • Utah
      • West Virginia
    • Caribbean
    • South America
    • Europe
  • Blog
    • Playlists & Books
    • Packing & Gear
      • Shop Our Instagram & Gear
      • Packing Guides
      • Trip Planning
    • Inspiration
    • Our Home
    • Wellness
    • Blogging
  • Magnolia & Pine
  • Work With Us
0

My Colorful Wanderings

My Colorful Wanderings

Trip Planning, Wellness

7 Habits for Stress-Free Travel

Louisville, KY

Traveling abroad isn’t easy. Different beds, different time zones, different languages. All of it requires preparation and a clear head to be able to enjoy a minimally stressful travel experience, especially if you’re like us and focused on experiencing the most you can with budget travel. Setting up alerts for flight deals and knowing how to use Airbnb are helpful tools for experienced travelers. For those who haven’t experienced travel – there are basic habits to master first. These 7 habits for stress-free travel will simplify your home routines and make your next trip so much more enjoyable.

Sleep Regulating + Nighttime Routines

Let’s just make this part simple. You need to sleep and be well-rested before you travel because travel is work. Travel requires effort for even the high ball luxury traveler, but more especially if you’re a budget traveler. While all travel requires work, it doesn’t require stress – which is easier to fall into when you’re tired. You cannot hop off a plane and explore Rome if on your 13-hour flight you didn’t get any sleep!

What does it take to get sleep on a 13-hour flight you ask? While I would say that all stress-free travel requires some pre-planning. Even if it’s a concentrated hour of packing before a spontaneous trip! Knowing ahead of time what things keep you up, and what things help you sleep. For myself, a non-addictive sleep aid, an audio-book, and a neck pillow are pretty essential. For you, it might be a movie? Taking off your apple watch and turning off other electronics? Either way: Getting your rest while you can before and during travel will make your adventures much more enjoyable.

Links to helpful articles on non-addictive sleep aids like Ashwagandha and Melatonin. Neither Ev or I are doctors, so please consult a physician before adding any supplements or medications to your regimen. The links below are the ones I have personally found to work the best. 

Amazon Links:

Stress Free Travel - Sleep Aid      Stress Free Travel Sleep Aid - Melatonin

Meal Prepping

Meal prepping is one of the most efficient ways to cut down on stress at home, save money for the budget traveler, and maintain a healthy diet. I really don’t think I have to explain how much eating a healthy diet can help you when you travel but overall: the healthier you are before travel – the healthier you will be during travel. See my favorite eco-friendly meal-prep containers here and my favorite eco-friendly food storage bags here.

One of my favorite parts of any traveling is hiking and walking 12 miles a day through new cities. This is not accomplishable if you don’t have healthy eating habits in place before you travel! While eating one doughnut on vacation is certainly not that big of a deal – eating doughnuts all the time because they’re fast and easy is going to hurt you in the long run. Your body doesn’t need to store up processed sugar, high sodium, and fatty foods before a big adventure. It needs green juices that keep your brain firing, healthy carbs that give you energy to workout, and healthy protein to help you build the muscles you need to climb those mountains!

Read Next:  Travel Restrictions Are Lifting...Can We Really Travel Again?

Want to know how we eat when we travel? Get a look at our foodie guide to Morgantown, West Virginia! We have a whole section on cheap eats that are healthy and great for hikers, budget travelers, and college students!!

Exercise

If meal prepping was mentioned on this list, then you should’ve known that exercise was naturally going to follow. You can’t expect to hike the Swiss Alps if you’re not getting up and exercising regularly while at home. Coming full circle- this is why meal prepping is so important. You can exercise all you want, but exercise does little when there’s nothing for your muscles to build on? Regardless of your circumstance, if you’re traveling – you most likely have the strength to also do some form of exercise.

There are a million workouts on YouTube that you can do at home, and many resistance band workouts you can do while watching TV! I’m not ashamed to admit that while I run on the treadmill – I watch TV. It’s not different than listening to music while you run? Do what you have to do to get your fitness in check! These resistance bands have over eleven thousand reviews and are probably the only sporting equipment left available after the corona closed all the gyms! 😉

Hydrate

While, yes, this is a disciplined person’s habit in general- hydrating frequently will help you overcome a lot while you travel. From beating jet lag, making it all day in the heat on any adventure to keeping your immunity strong in new environments. While traveling you may be exposed to new viruses, new foods, and new bacteria that you aren’t used to and could affect you negatively. Your body eliminates toxins and bacteria naturally, and keeping hydrated keeps those processes happening in a timely manner.

Another important reason for why it’s important for travelers to stay hydrated: eliminating brain fog. Dehydration can compromise cognitive functioning in the same manner that a lack of sleep can. For a full breakdown of why hydration is so important and the adverse effects of dehydration, please see this article from The National Center for Biotechnology, ‘Water, Hydration and Health’.

Skin + Hair Care Regimens

From minimizing our routines to finding sustainable products, this is a major stress-free travel tip. Last year when we went to Italy, our friend Morgan went with us. We all backpacked, but needless to say- Morgan and I had heavier packs because we took way too much in the form of beauty products! 5 pounds may not sound like a lot, but when it comes to backpacking… it’s a lot! Click here for a guide on travel hair care tips!

Read Next:  April 2021 Playlist: Beers and Sunshine

As far as skincare goes- I am obsessed with coconut oil while I travel. I haven’t found anything more versatile and useful in my skincare for a while now! It is a make-up remover, moisturizer, and sunburn balm all in one. For some of my personal favorites, see here, here and here. There are a few other products that I find incredibly helpful for reviving skin after long flights, all products linked here.

Makeup though? This is totally a preference for most people, but when it comes to stress-free travel? I’ve found that the less I do the better when it comes to makeup. Mascara, BB cream, blush, eye-shadow, and a couple of good lipsticks go a long way!

Organize Your Gear

De-cluttering and organizing your home are healthy habits in general, but it can actually make your travel goals much easier to accomplish as well! The less ‘stuff’ lying around means you’re probably more organized with what you do have! Regardless of whether it’s a spontaneous trip or one planned for months, it’s much easier to grasp what you need and what you already have this way. You are so much less likely to forget important things if all of your gear is together in one well-organized space. If your quick-drying micro-fiber towels, hiking boots, and water filtration systems are all stored together in one place you’re much less likely to forget them for a big hiking trip!

Minimize Your Wardrobe

I think my favorite phrase of all time when doing any planning is ‘Know thyself‘. From packing to grocery shopping to planning adventures on a trip – just know thyself. For the purposes of stress-free travel- get to know, before you go, what kinds of clothes you’re most comfortable in and what kind of activities you actually think you’ll enjoy. It will make packing for your trip more streamlined and get dressed when you’re on vacation much easier. When in Italy last year – I only brought 2 bathing suits, activewear, and some cute dresses. So I had a pretty quick decision every beach day on what I wanted to wear- meaning I had much more time to spend on the beach!

These are two of my favorite neutral bathing suits that look glam but are also functional for adventurous days!

Pin Me!

Stress Free Travel and Sleep Aids

Related Articles

  • 5 Real-World Budget Travel Tips
  • Travel Hair-Care Tips + Tricks

Make sure to subscribe to our blog, snag all of your road trip basics (below), get your travel insurance, and have fun jamming to a new playlist!

Until next time friends,

Thanks for sharing!

55 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email
Evan and Shelby

Sharing beautiful places, sustainable & slow living tips, + good food from across the globe. You can probably find Shelbs creating a new playlist or editing photos, and Ev researching the latest and greatest in all manner of travel gear and tech. We're so happy you're here taking a moment to read and slow down a little.

You May Also Like...

Our Top 5 Easy Budget Travel Tips

The minimalist’s wardrobe guide to the Nordstrom anniversary sale 2020

Deal With Your Travel Envy In Healthy Ways

6 Comments
  • Travel Restrictions Are Lifting...Can We Really Travel Again?

    […] Tips for Stress Free Travel […]

    Reply
  • 10 Great Travel Books To Get You Through Quarantine

    […] 7 Habits for Stress-Free Travel […]

    Reply
  • How to Save Money For Travel: The Hard Truths » My Colorful Wanderings

    […] Habits for Stress Free Travel […]

    Reply
  • Mask-ne {Mask-Acne) Skin Care Routine » My Colorful Wanderings

    […] Stress Free Travel Tips […]

    Reply
  • Tips for Curing Wanderlust with Slow Living in 2020

    […] Stress Free Travel Tips […]

    Reply
  • The 18 Best Travel Podcasts for Curing Wanderlust »

    […] Stress Free Travel Tips […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Previous Post
Turning Our Home into An AirBnb: The Travel More Series
Next Post
15 Best Adventure Novels To Read When You’re Not Traveling
Hey there! It’s Ev & Shelbs

Hey there! It’s Ev & Shelbs

We're husband and wife hikers, explorers, foodies, readers and photographers. Our blog is dedicated to romanticizing life, inspired by our home in Southern USA. We hope you leave feeling inspired for your next adventure or picking up a new favorite book!

Get More of The South

Hiking, foodie recommendations and more!

    We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.
    Built with ConvertKit

    Shop Our Staples

    product_title_1

    Men's La Sportiva Hiking Boot

    product_title_2

    Women's La Sportiva Hiking Boot

    product_title_3

    Sony a6600 Mirrorless Camera

    product_title_4

    17-70mm f/2.8 Lens

    product_title_5

    Camera Backpack Clip

    Current Location

    Current Location
    Louisville, Kentucky

    FOLLOW OUR ADVENTURES ON INSTAGRAM! @MYCOLORFULWANDERINGS | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED – PHOTOGRAPHY CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION

    Not that we drink coffee… but 10/10 will go to a vibey coffee shop for a hot tea ☕️ 🖤
Strolling the adorable Main Street of #madisonindiana was well worth the chilly wind. Loved every second of our mini couples getaway with some of our favorite humans! 
Madison is only about an hour from where we live in Louisville so we’ll def be back for a few summer concerts and yummy food down by the rivvaaaaa. 
.
.
.
#madisonindianariverfront #indiana #onlyinindiana #travelindiana #indianaphotographer #coffeeshop #coffeeshopsoftheworld #coffeeshopdesign #coffeeshopinteriors #rusticmodern #rusticstyle #rusticcharm
    mycolorfulwanderings
    mycolorfulwanderings
    •
    Follow
    Not that we drink coffee… but 10/10 will go to a vibey coffee shop for a hot tea ☕️ 🖤 Strolling the adorable Main Street of #madisonindiana was well worth the chilly wind. Loved every second of our mini couples getaway with some of our favorite humans! Madison is only about an hour from where we live in Louisville so we’ll def be back for a few summer concerts and yummy food down by the rivvaaaaa. . . . #madisonindianariverfront #indiana #onlyinindiana #travelindiana #indianaphotographer #coffeeshop #coffeeshopsoftheworld #coffeeshopdesign #coffeeshopinteriors #rusticmodern #rusticstyle #rusticcharm
    2 years ago
    View on Instagram |
    1/6
    10/10 would walk the sun drenched rows of the Neon Museum again. ✨
If you haven’t been to Vegas - it really is so much more than a first timer thinks it will be. From world class food to everything being just a little brighter than you’re used to (not to mention covered in glitter or sequins), there’s always something happening in this glittering desert city. 
.
.
.
.
#lasvegasstrip #passportcollective #summervibes☀️ #vacationwolf #exploreourearth #lasvegasnevada #theneonmuseum #lasvegasmusicscene #lasvegaslife #neonsigns #neonsignage #neonsignsonly #vintageinspired
    mycolorfulwanderings
    mycolorfulwanderings
    •
    Follow
    10/10 would walk the sun drenched rows of the Neon Museum again. ✨ If you haven’t been to Vegas - it really is so much more than a first timer thinks it will be. From world class food to everything being just a little brighter than you’re used to (not to mention covered in glitter or sequins), there’s always something happening in this glittering desert city. . . . . #lasvegasstrip #passportcollective #summervibes☀️ #vacationwolf #exploreourearth #lasvegasnevada #theneonmuseum #lasvegasmusicscene #lasvegaslife #neonsigns #neonsignage #neonsignsonly #vintageinspired
    2 years ago
    View on Instagram |
    2/6
    Took our first hike of the spring today in the @theparklandsoffloydsfork . 
One of our favorite Louisville hiking trails is Paw Paw to Chinkapin Loop. Perfect if you have doggies who like to play in the water! 
P.S. 🦟season has started. Grab your bug spray southern friends 👌🏼
.
.
.
.
#hikingwithdogs #hikingadventures #hikingwithdogs #dogswhohike #dogsinwilderness #dogsinnature #gsofinstagram #germanshepherdofig #hikinggermansheperds #germanshepherdsgsd #louisvilletrails #hikingkentucky #kentuckyhikingadventures #kentuckyhiking #kycreatives #kybloggers #kytravel
    Took our first hike of the spring today in the @theparklandsoffloydsfork . 
One of our favorite Louisville hiking trails is Paw Paw to Chinkapin Loop. Perfect if you have doggies who like to play in the water! 
P.S. 🦟season has started. Grab your bug spray southern friends 👌🏼
.
.
.
.
#hikingwithdogs #hikingadventures #hikingwithdogs #dogswhohike #dogsinwilderness #dogsinnature #gsofinstagram #germanshepherdofig #hikinggermansheperds #germanshepherdsgsd #louisvilletrails #hikingkentucky #kentuckyhikingadventures #kentuckyhiking #kycreatives #kybloggers #kytravel
    Took our first hike of the spring today in the @theparklandsoffloydsfork . 
One of our favorite Louisville hiking trails is Paw Paw to Chinkapin Loop. Perfect if you have doggies who like to play in the water! 
P.S. 🦟season has started. Grab your bug spray southern friends 👌🏼
.
.
.
.
#hikingwithdogs #hikingadventures #hikingwithdogs #dogswhohike #dogsinwilderness #dogsinnature #gsofinstagram #germanshepherdofig #hikinggermansheperds #germanshepherdsgsd #louisvilletrails #hikingkentucky #kentuckyhikingadventures #kentuckyhiking #kycreatives #kybloggers #kytravel
    mycolorfulwanderings
    mycolorfulwanderings
    •
    Follow
    Took our first hike of the spring today in the @theparklandsoffloydsfork . One of our favorite Louisville hiking trails is Paw Paw to Chinkapin Loop. Perfect if you have doggies who like to play in the water! P.S. 🦟season has started. Grab your bug spray southern friends 👌🏼 . . . . #hikingwithdogs #hikingadventures #hikingwithdogs #dogswhohike #dogsinwilderness #dogsinnature #gsofinstagram #germanshepherdofig #hikinggermansheperds #germanshepherdsgsd #louisvilletrails #hikingkentucky #kentuckyhikingadventures #kentuckyhiking #kycreatives #kybloggers #kytravel
    2 years ago
    View on Instagram |
    3/6
    It’s only Wednesday… and I suspect a well-earned cocktail break will be headed my way this weekend as we hang doors at the Airbnb cottage, maybe go for a hike since the 164893 days of rain have finally stopped and clean the house a little? 
Of all of our favorite places to quietly grab a an adult beveragé (#fancylike), the ones with moody interiors, tucked away in peaceful parts of the city and picture perfect craft drinks are my favorite. 
If you know you know fam. 
.
.
.
.
#wednesday #foodbible #buzzfeedtasty #tastethisnext #liveauthentic #tasteintravel #gardenandgun #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktailhour #thefoodwhores #foodpicsovernidepics #cocktailoftheday #cocktailoftheweek #brewerylife #louisvilleapproved #louisvillefood 
@foodyfetish @tasty.hub
    mycolorfulwanderings
    mycolorfulwanderings
    •
    Follow
    It’s only Wednesday… and I suspect a well-earned cocktail break will be headed my way this weekend as we hang doors at the Airbnb cottage, maybe go for a hike since the 164893 days of rain have finally stopped and clean the house a little? Of all of our favorite places to quietly grab a an adult beveragé (#fancylike), the ones with moody interiors, tucked away in peaceful parts of the city and picture perfect craft drinks are my favorite. If you know you know fam. . . . . #wednesday #foodbible #buzzfeedtasty #tastethisnext #liveauthentic #tasteintravel #gardenandgun #cocktailsofinstagram #cocktailhour #thefoodwhores #foodpicsovernidepics #cocktailoftheday #cocktailoftheweek #brewerylife #louisvilleapproved #louisvillefood @foodyfetish @tasty.hub
    2 years ago
    View on Instagram |
    4/6
    A good day doing what Kentuckians do: a little horse back riding. 🖤
Went #horsebackriding through the Smoky Mountains near Asheville and could not have asked for prettier weather. Most people thing you want sunshine and perfectly clear skies… but sometimes those cloudy days are really where it’s at!! When the clouds sit low over the mountain and you’re riding through on a horse - just something special about it. 
.
.
.
.
.
#ashevillefolk #ashevillestrong #horsesofinstagram #horsesofinsta #horselove #thingstodoinasheville #northcarolinaliving #ashevillenc #horsebackridinglessons #horsebackride #mountainsandhorses #horsesanddreams #horsesarelife #kentuckytravels
    mycolorfulwanderings
    mycolorfulwanderings
    •
    Follow
    A good day doing what Kentuckians do: a little horse back riding. 🖤 Went #horsebackriding through the Smoky Mountains near Asheville and could not have asked for prettier weather. Most people thing you want sunshine and perfectly clear skies… but sometimes those cloudy days are really where it’s at!! When the clouds sit low over the mountain and you’re riding through on a horse - just something special about it. . . . . . #ashevillefolk #ashevillestrong #horsesofinstagram #horsesofinsta #horselove #thingstodoinasheville #northcarolinaliving #ashevillenc #horsebackridinglessons #horsebackride #mountainsandhorses #horsesanddreams #horsesarelife #kentuckytravels
    2 years ago
    View on Instagram |
    5/6
    Architecturally satisfying restaurants with good wine lists and mimosa flights make me happy 🖤
P.S. The gals taught David Colton a valuable life skill on our family weekend away in West Virginia: how to take good photos for the gram. His Dad was SUPER happy about it. 💁🏻‍♀️😂 
.
.
.
#iseebeautyeverywhere #cornersofmyworld #bepresent #instagood #uniquedestination #glt #onlyinwestvirginia #morgantownwestvirginia #mountainstate #makemomentshappen #appalachia #westvirginia #aesthetic_photos #restaurantdesign
    Architecturally satisfying restaurants with good wine lists and mimosa flights make me happy 🖤
P.S. The gals taught David Colton a valuable life skill on our family weekend away in West Virginia: how to take good photos for the gram. His Dad was SUPER happy about it. 💁🏻‍♀️😂 
.
.
.
#iseebeautyeverywhere #cornersofmyworld #bepresent #instagood #uniquedestination #glt #onlyinwestvirginia #morgantownwestvirginia #mountainstate #makemomentshappen #appalachia #westvirginia #aesthetic_photos #restaurantdesign
    mycolorfulwanderings
    mycolorfulwanderings
    •
    Follow
    Architecturally satisfying restaurants with good wine lists and mimosa flights make me happy 🖤 P.S. The gals taught David Colton a valuable life skill on our family weekend away in West Virginia: how to take good photos for the gram. His Dad was SUPER happy about it. 💁🏻‍♀️😂 . . . #iseebeautyeverywhere #cornersofmyworld #bepresent #instagood #uniquedestination #glt #onlyinwestvirginia #morgantownwestvirginia #mountainstate #makemomentshappen #appalachia #westvirginia #aesthetic_photos #restaurantdesign
    2 years ago
    View on Instagram |
    6/6
    • CONTACT
    • Work With Us
    • BLOG
    • Legal

    MY COLORFUL WANDERINGS © Site Powered by Pix & Hue.

    55 shares
    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Email