A post-travel reset plan to balance body and mind

Whether for business or pleasure, travelling can take its toll. And for many of us, we feel a genuine urge to realign and rebalance our bodies, minds, and hormones as soon as we get home. However, achieving that elusive post-travel reset can be hard while you’re trying to ease back into your routine.

To help you feel like yourself again, this article offers a post-travel reset plan featuring low-effort yet effective practical changes that you can implement once you’re home. Plus, gain first-hand advice from Women’s Health Naturopath, Bianca Wise, about the simple ways she resets after travelling.  

Begin your day with mindfulness

The first day you return from travelling can feel like a blur. So, use this time to decompress and take it easy. The next morning, you can gently begin realigning your body, mind, and hormones. 

“Get clear on the best way to start your day and stick to this rhythm and pattern,” Bianca says. “I love habit stacking in the morning by combining a few things. Try a few minutes of journalling or meditation, while sipping on a nourishing bone broth.” This simple ritual calms your nervous system, supports digestion, and helps you feel grounded for the day ahead.

Ease into exercise

Let’s talk realistic travel tips: you don’t need to go hard in the gym the second you get back. According to Bianca, her go-to post-travel combo is a 20-minute incline walk at 10% and then 10 minutes on a stepper, or an invigorating 45-minute walk in nature. “When you’re ready, add in some pilates flows or pilates strength workouts,” Bianca says. 

Studies have shown that climbing stairs offers unique benefits, including improved balance and lower body strength. Plus, it has a positive impact on memory and creative thinking—just the thing you need to get humming again after travel.

Eat more whole foods and protein

After indulging on holidays, you might naturally feel inclined to reduce your intake of processed foods and eat out less. Listen to your body. Post-travel, try to focus on home-cooked meals with whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, fibre-rich ingredients, and protein. In addition to their numerous other benefits, these foods can give your immune system a boost, which is especially helpful if you feel sick after travelling. 

“I love having two plant-based days a week. Preparing foods with ingredients like legumes, lentils, and beans gives you extra fibre and gut health benefits,” Bianca says.

Get your sleep back on track

Flight fatigue is real. And even if you didn’t stamp your passport on this trip, you could come home feeling jet-lagged. To align your sleep schedule again, try these post-travel tips:

• Limit your intake of stimulants, such as caffeine and alcohol

• Stick to your usual bedtime routine

• Lean into relaxation techniques, like a guided meditation before bed

• Expose yourself to sunlight during the day

Remember, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to adjust to a new time zone. Be kind to yourself.

Reduce your social commitments

Most of us feel the need to decompress after a holiday or work trip. If this sounds like you, try to avoid adding too many social commitments to your calendar for the first couple of weeks that you’re home. You’ll have the space and time you need to restore yourself, without any of the pressure.

Try a gentle two-week elimination

Our bodies can feel off-balance after travelling, so it helps to get back to a solid foundation. With a gentle, two-week elimination of common triggers, such as alcohol, refined sugar, gluten and dairy, you can restore your body to a better place. “This simple reset helps reduce irritation, inflammation, supports your gut and liver, and brings back your natural glow and vitality,” Bianca says.

Treat your lymphatic system

Your lymphatic system protects you from infection and keeps the fluids in your body balanced, so you want to take care of it after travelling. To do so, Bianca recommends a few supports. “In addition to increased hydration, practices such as massage and sauna use can promote detoxification and aid with elimination post-travel. Otherwise, try self-massage through gua sha, dry brush, and bioty spa sculpt cup to support your lymphatic system at home.”

A post-travel reset plan you can always rely on

After two weeks of self-care, you should start to feel like your old self again. And now, you know exactly what your body, mind, and hormones need after travelling to rebalance and realign. 

Check out the rest of The Wellness Edit to discover how to bring balance to your body and mind.