Four Important Health Hacks for All Travelers

Travel Views Out of The Window | PC: Leilani Fischbeck

Four Important Health Hacks for Traveling 

All seasoned travelers have their own hacks to avoid getting sick when traveling. Whether you are a regular traveler or just preparing to venture out for the first time, here are some #healthhacks that are bound to make navigating your travels easier (and cleaner).

 1. Ask them to change the air filter in hotels. 

Did you know that most hotels should change their air filters more often? Every hotel varies, and it is becoming more of an outstanding issue after the #Covid outbreak. If you start to feel your allergies kick up during your stay, or experience any sort of sinus symptoms, this could be because the air filter had not been changed for a while. On top of that, the traffic in hotels is exponentially higher which means the air filter gets more use than those in your home. This creates more dust, bacteria, and particles in your breathing space so there is even more of a reason to be aware of the air quality where you’re staying. 

Some hotel rooms have air purifiers for guests but the majority do not; try to request [as a guest of the hotel] the last date the air filter has been changed and ask for a replacement air filter. In hospitality, #HVAC filters have been reported to be changed only 2x a year and sometimes, quarterly during maintenance routines. However, air quality and filters in hotels/motels/air b&bs, etc are not monitored by any health agency. This is on the radar of Hospitality Tech, quoting Gil Blutrich, founder and CEO of Clear Inc. in Toronto: “Air quality is perhaps more important in hotels than in residential buildings because human traffic in a hotel environment is much higher and changing all the time… You need to use extra steps to promote public health” (Kostuch Media Ltd., 2023). 

2. Drink tons of water and request complementary water.

There are

My Trusty Hydroflask | PC: Leilani Fischbeck

 a couple options here; first, I would strongly recommend bringing your own refillable water container. For all of the obvious reasons, hydration is super important for your health, organs, and immune system. Reusable containers can be taken on the plane as long as they’re empty, and there are designated water dumping stations before going through security. There are multiple refillable water stations throughout airports thanks to sustainability measures and #EPA encouragement, too. These are purified water stations made for drinking. Another fun article with a controversial hack from Daily Dot explains that you can go into hotel gyms and grab a bottle of water, especially when you cannot find them in the lobby or hotel. It is perfectly legal- the water is being offered for free- although some staff members throughout hotels encourage you to simply ask for water. So give it a try; always ask for a complimentary water at the desk. The staff will usually always provide this service or guide their guest to a location where clean drinking water is available. 
Remember, the worst that could happen is that someone can say is, “No”. 

3. Ask if the comforters are washed. 

CTV News in Vancouver did an investigation titled, “How clean is your hotel bed?” There is a lot of conversation around this topic, and decades ago, it was questionable whether your comforter had been washed...like ever. Today, more chains are aware that this is an important necessity for their guests. Even so, you are allowed to ask for this information for your health and safety.

The Latest Tray Table | PC: Leilani Fischbeck

4. Wipe down everything on the plane, especially tray tables.

Weird as this is for a regular topic of conversation, multiple flight attendants and two healthcare professionals have both vocalized (in my presence) the cesspool of germs that exist on an airplane. And that was just in a six-month window of travel. The minute I sat down on the plane, the healthcare professional (and bride-to-be) sitting next to me began wiping down all of the surfaces surrounding her, including her armrests and tray tables.  She is well aware of the amount of germs that can stay alive and be transferred on surfaces. An article by The Washington Post explains that the airplane cleaning process is not federally regulated, and a study revealed some disturbing information. When bacteria was measured,  “The winner — or loser, depending on your position — was the lavatory sink handle, which scored the highest reading, at 657,689 RLU [Relative Light Units]…The tray table was the runner-up, with 427,147.” That is a LOT of bacteria. 

To preserve your health and well-being, and avoid potential illness, follow these tips and share some of your favorites below!