Ciao everybody and welcome to this week’s travel post! As I have just recently returned from a week-long work trip I thought it might be nice to make a post about some of the best ways I know to rejuvenate the body after a tiring day (or week) of travel. 

The following may not be surprising if you’ve read some other self-care posts here on the blog but sometimes it’s nice to be reminded of little ways you can make yourself feel your best :)

1. Take a hot shower or bath. This may seem like a no-brainer when you’ve been on stinky transport all day but I’m here to share some ways you can elevate your bathing experience. If you are lucky enough to live in a house with a bathtub then I’d suggest turning it into a blissful experience lighting candles or incense, pouring yourself a glass of wine, and diving into a book. If, however, you are like me and are currently lacking in the bathtub department then I’d still suggest lighting incense to set the mood and playing some of your favorite tunes while you enjoy your 5-10 minutes of shower luxury :P

2. Give yourself a face mask or exfoliate. This tip generally precedes the first as I find it easier to wash off a face/body scrub directly in the shower. While there are many beauty/health rituals we do daily to simply maintain (make-up removal, brushing the teeth, keeping our nails tidy), this tip is meant to give your skin a little extra loving that the day to day practices may not get. I’ve dedicated an entire post to exfoliation here on the blog which I will link to here so that you all can whip up some easy and natural scrubs the next time you feel the itch to buff ;)

3. Brush your teeth. Super simple but oddly satisfying. There are few ways I find that transform my mood and the “ick level” I feel when returning home than simply brushing my teeth. 

4. Find a way to move your body (whether in a full body workout, a run, or with some travel stretches) getting the blood flowing will do wonders for your physical and mental well-being. Again, apologies for repeating myself on here but exercise is hardly ever a bad idea. Whether you’ve been cooped up in a plane for hours, sitting on a train, contorted in a bus or sleeping in a car, your body will definitely benefit from a bit of movement. Even if it’s a simple 10 minute workout, I promise you’ll feel better for having done something physical post-trip. If you’re looking for exercise inspiration I’ve made many workout videos over on my YouTube channel that I will link to here. 

5. Fuel up with whole, nutritious foods. Airport food is notoriously expensive and not of the best quality so why not treat yourself to a warm, nutritiously-dense home cooked meal. If you’re looking for inspiration I have many dinner recipes here on the blog under the ‘nutrition’ tab. I’ve also made an ecookbook Travel to Table filled with recipes from all over the world (vegan and vegetarian recipes included) which you can find at the top of this page under the ‘ecookbook’ tab. 

6. Find some time for meditation or deep breathing. Now that you’ve made it home or to your destination and no longer have to worry about missing your flight/train/bus/rickshaw why not take 5 minutes or so to breathe deeply and calm the mind. Stillness is peace. Studies show that controlled breathing, especially longer exhales, have a remarkable impact on calming the parasympathetic nervous system. If you’re interested in seeing some of my favorite breathing techniques check out the video I made here.

What are some of your favorite ways to relax and unwind after a busy week/ journey? I’d be really curious to know so leave a comment down below if you feel like sharing :D

Thank you all so much for stopping by this week and I’ll see you here next week for a fresh video!

Xoxo,

Alexandra