A long journey by bus, car or train can be exhausting and puts a lot of strain on the body. What to do to make it pass comfortably? Learn the rules of safe travel and learn how to stay safe when traveling abroad.

Contents:

  1. How to travel safely? Don't overload your spine
  2. How to travel safely? Be careful what you drink
  3. How to travel safely? Emergency numbers
  4. How to travel safely? Take care of your legs
  5. How to travel safely? Don't get sick
  6. How to travel safely? Disturbance of circadian rhythm
  7. How to travel safely? Watch out for food
  8. How to travel safely? Don't overdo air conditioning

A long journey is ahead of youjourney ? No matter what you travel, you can significantly minimize fatigue and stress. Follow these few rules and your journey will turn from a terrible torment into a comfortable and safe one.

How to travel safely? Don't overload your spine

When you sit for hours,the spinebegins to take its toll because prolonged pressure on the nerve endings causes pain. And when you lift heavy bags or carry them from place to place, you put enormous strain on your spine. If this is repeated frequently, the ligaments may permanently stretch and the discs may dislocate or fall out.

Our advice:

  • Adjust the seat in the car so that the weight of the body is shifted from the thighs to the buttocks.
  • When getting into the car, sit on the seat first, then tuck your legs in.
  • While driving, tilt the rearview mirror slightly upwards - you will need to keep your position upright to take full advantage of it.
  • If you are a passenger, get a crescent-shaped pillow - it prevents muscle strain around the cervical spine. Drivers will need the so-called lumbar pillow supporting the lower spine.
  • On long car trips, stop every hour and walk for 5-10 minutes to stretch your bones and do some exercises.
  • When traveling by coach, train, ship, plane, from time to time get up and take a walk.
  • Pack your bags skillfully - bettertake two smaller than one large and very heavy.
  • When lifting heavy bags, crouch first and then lift them, straightening both legs at the same time.
  • Carry luggage in both hands, evenly distributing the weight. An even better solution are suitcases on wheels with a retractable handle.

How to travel safely? Be careful what you drink

When you go to tropical countries or travel far away from civilization, be careful what you scare (but also rinse your mouth with what you wash your fruit with). Drinking water of uncertain origin may, at best, end in diarrhea and fever, in the worse case - a disease that is dangerous to your he alth.

Contaminated or dirty water may contain viruses, bacteria, spirochetes, intestinal parasitic protozoa that cause, among others, amoebiasis, cholera, dysentery, typhoid fever.

During the journey, we do not know if the water in a given area is safe to drink. But we can decontaminate it ourselves using the portable SteriPen filter. It uses a bactericidal wave of UVC light that destroys pathogenic germs. This device (it looks like a small marker pen) is very easy to use - just dip it in a container of water and wait for a while. It costs about PLN 500.

Always have bottled mineral water with you.

Read also:

  • Is it possible to drink tap water?
  • How to prepare to go abroad? Advice from a doctor's point of view
Important

How to travel safely? Emergency numbers

In the event of an accident, danger to safety, he alth or life, call the emergency number:

  • European emergency number - 112
  • Ambulance - 999
  • Fire department - 998
  • Police - 997
  • Municipal Police - 986
  • River Emergency (Restricted Area Operated) - 984
  • Mountain rescue (also used by TOPR) - 985

How to travel safely? Take care of your legs

When you travel for a long time, with your legs bent down, clothes that are too tight, the blood flow in the veins is significantly impeded. And when blood cannot flow freely to the heart, it flows back towards the legs and stays in the vessels, increasing its pressure.

This can lead to damage to the veins and valves, which promotes the formation of varicose veins. People who work in a sitting position on a daily basis and avoid movement are particularly at risk.

Another problem that can occur during a long journey is the risk of clots forming (these are clumps of e.g. insoluble fibrin, proteins oraccumulated blood cells) in the veins of the legs. They cause the vessel lumen to narrow or close, preventing proper blood flow.

There is also a danger that the clot will detach from the vessel wall and travel with the blood towards the heart, and then obstruct the pulmonary arteries, causing a life-threatening pulmonary embolism.

Thrombosis is usually asymptomatic, but sometimes it is associated with swelling and numbness in the legs. The risk of disease for a he althy traveler is minimal. The most vulnerable are, inter alia, people after surgery, cancer patients, over 60 years of age, overweight, pregnant women, using hormone therapy (contraception, hormone replacement therapy), smokers.

Our advice:

  • Lots of mineral water when traveling (avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks).
  • Every now and then stretch your legs in front of you (don't cross them).
  • Massage your legs from ankles to knees from time to time.
  • Bend your legs whenever you can, stretch your arms, wiggle your toes, roll your foot into circles, tighten your calf muscles, take a walk, do a few squats, hit your heels on the floor.
  • Wear light, non-binding clothing, no cuffs.
  • To avoid leg swelling, wear comfortable shoes with wide toes (to allow your toes to move freely).
  • If you have varicose veins, wear special knee socks or medical tights.

How to travel safely? Don't get sick

Motion sickness (kinetosis) occurs most often while traveling by car, train, coach, less often by plane, while at sea it has a different name - seasickness.

The symptoms of kinetosis - fatigue, headaches, nausea and vomiting - are the body's response to conflicting signals reaching the brain.

Błędnik sends him information that we are in motion (we feel the shocks of the vehicle), and the eyes deny it - they can see that we are sitting in the chair. This information chaos makes the brain unable to properly assess the situation.

Interestingly, people who suffer from this disease while driving as a passenger usually have no symptoms when driving themselves. As drivers, we are able to predict the next movement of the vehicle and react to it appropriately (we lean down, bend our feet), thanks to which the information sent to the brain is consistent.

Our advice:

  • Don't go on the road with an empty stomach - eat something light and drink ginger tea (ginger fights nausea). While traveling, suck ginger candies or drink cold lemon balm tea.
  • Beforewhen traveling, do not drink strong coffee, tea, alcohol, carbonated drinks, do not smoke.
  • The stuffiness and heat are conducive to headaches, so open the air vent wide, open the window, and if you are traveling in a car, turn on the air conditioning (lower the temperature gradually), take frequent breaks.
  • Do not read while traveling - look ahead, at a point on the horizon (do not follow the changing landscape with your eyes, because you will feel dizzy), close your eyes in the plane. Rest your head against the headrest.
  • Avoid intense smells (e.g. perfume, cigarette smoke), if this is not possible, cover your nose with a tissue.
  • Take a seat facing the direction of travel and where it shakes least: in the car - in the front, in the coach - in the front (but not in the wheel) or in the middle, on the ship - in the stern, in the plane - in the vicinity wings.
  • Take plastic bags in case you vomit.
  • If you feel nauseous while driving, get out quickly and take a few deep breaths. In other modes of transport, close your eyes, breathe deeply, and if possible, open the glass and get some fresh air. If vomiting occurs, replenish fluids - a couple of sips every half hour.
  • If you know from experience that nothing works, reach for preparations from the pharmacy.

How to travel safely? Disturbance of circadian rhythm

When you travel through the skies and cross different time zones, after reaching your destination you may feel weak, irritable, have headaches, indigestion, trouble sleeping.

These symptoms, known as jet lag, are related to a disruption of the natural rhythm of the day and night. They are more annoying when traveling from west to east (it is easier for the body to switch to a longer day than to lose a few hours), they disappear after a few days.

The problems related to jet lag are not easy to remedy, but they can be alleviated. When you travel west, go to bed later than usual a few days before departure. If possible, choose a flight around noon. I am awake while traveling. Take a walk from time to time, drink plenty of water, eat an easily digestible meal rich in protein (e.g. fish, cheese).

When you reach your destination, do not give in to drowsiness - you can only afford to sleep in the evening.

If you are going east, do the opposite: go to bed earlier, try to fall asleep during the flight, but avoid sleeping pills and alcohol (it delays the body's adjustment to the new rhythm), better eat something that helps you fall asleep (e.g. rice , pasta).

Note: If you are taking medication at certain times, consult your doctor before traveling. To regulate the time of falling asleep, you cantake preparations with melatonin (over-the-counter).

How to travel safely? Watch out for food

Stomach troubles are the bane of travelers. Eating in unreliable roadside bars, tasting local speci alties or poorly stored, stale food can result in bothersome diarrhea, usually accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and even fever.

Our advice:

  • Do not eat raw meat, undercooked dishes, pies, mayonnaise salads, ice cream and cream desserts.
  • Avoid everything that needs to be washed with water (raw fruit and vegetables) before eating. You can safely eat them only in five-star hotels.
  • Drink water only from a known source - preferably factory-bottled.
  • Avoid adding ice cubes to drinks - they can be made from contaminated water.
  • Wash your hands after leaving the toilet and before eating - if you are unable to do so, carry mineral water and tissues with you, so that you can use them to wash and dry your hands if necessary.
  • If you get diarrhea, get help from the pharmacy.
  • Drink at least 3 liters of fluid a day to prevent dehydration. The best is highly mineralized water (replenishes electrolyte losses), bitter tea, herbal infusions (e.g. chamomile, mint), lightly s alted water.
  • Change your diet. On the first day, just drink. When your vomiting has subsided and your diarrhea has subsided, reach for biscuits. In the following days, eat normal foods that are easy to digest.
  • If you are in Africa, Asia, South America and diarrhea lasts more than half a day, see your doctor (preferably through a resident). The specialist will give you agents that are much more effective against local bacterial strains than Polish preparations.
You must do it

How to travel safely? Don't overdo air conditioning

Air conditioning has many advantages. However, dry air is bad for the skin, mouth and eye mucosa. Therefore, before traveling, be sure to:

  • lubricate the skin with a moisturizing cream with a filter (UVA rays penetrate the windows),
  • also take thermal water to spray it on your face from time to time
  • when traveling by plane, bring moisturizer samples as well as facial moisturizing wipes - you can only bring liquids up to 100 ml on board.
  • drink plenty of water while traveling (even if you don't feel thirsty).

If you wear contact lenses, take drops (also called artificial tears) with you and use the drops every now and then to keep your eyeball moist. ButAlso, have your glasses with you, because when the drops don't help, just take your lenses out.

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