How To Survive Being Sick While Travelling
It’s the worst feeling isn’t it. You’ve been struck down by some kind of illness while you’re overseas. Whether it’s a bad cold or a 24-hour type bug, it’s never fun being sick when you’re travelling! Thom and I got really sick while we were in Miami and it continued all the way through our time in Vegas as well! It was some kind of horrible cold that left us with high temperatures, no appetite, completely exhausted and a horrible dizzy feeling if we did too much too fast. But as I’m sure you can guess, I did not want to take it easy when we had such a short time to explore! Here are some of my survival tips if you get sick overseas.
Drink plenty of water So basic, but detrimental to your recovery. Drinking water helps to flush out all the bad toxins and rehydrate your body. Drink as much water as you can, and very little of anything else to be honest, to make sure your body has enough fluids to recover quickly. Drinking water has been proven to help headaches, muscle pain, upset stomachs and heatstroke among other things, and lets be honest – drinking a few extra litres of water is definitely not going to be bad for you!
Listen to your body It’s important to listen to what your body is telling you in order to recover quickly. If you have a high temperature try not to be out in the sun making your body warmer. If you’re incredibly dizzy, maybe don’t do any activities that include heights. If you refuse to actually stop and rest, try and listen to what your body is telling you and at least take it easy!
Go to bed a little earlier and sleep whenever you can Getting a good night’s sleep is always good for you. Going to bed just a couple of hours earlier than normal while you’re sick can result in you getting better a lot faster! Another good option is letting yourself have little naps whenever you can. If you’re going on a day trip why not sleep on the bus! I was really sick in Vegas, and due to the desert heat and my temperature I needed a nap every afternoon. I was just exhausted! Those naps definitely gave me a little bit more energy to do something in the afternoons and evenings so that I didn’t completely lose the whole day.
Relax if you can If you’re in a relaxing location and you’re not as crazy as me, take advantage of your surroundings and relax! Give your body a break from moving all the time and a chance to heal itself by spending a few days relaxing and going to a slower pace.
See a doctor If you still feel horrible after a few days and you’re not getting better you should probably go and see a doctor. This is where travel insurance comes in really handy. Get your symptoms checked out by a professional, just to make sure that you don’t need antibiotics or some more serious medications!
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