10 De-Stressing Travel Tips That Really Work

View from the dock at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach

Travel is one of life's greatest pleasures – and sometimes – greatest stresses. Perhaps you are headed on a romantic spring getaway. (The Standard Spa's quite romantic, that's what the experts at Fathom Away tell us anyway). Wherever you are going and however you get there, we have some Standard Spa Secret Travel Tips that will have you arriving fresh, de-stressed and clear as Caribbean water.

1. Schedule your workout in the morning before traveling: You’ll feel more positive to the idea of spending hours in a seat. Plus, the workout gives you an endorphin rush and endorphins are believed to enhance the immune system, relieve pain, reduce stress and ward off premature ageing.

2. Skip the junk food and booze and find healthy snack alternative. When you are squeezed for time, select a juice, smoothie or raw nuts, all rich in nutrients to detoxify and recharge. Drink water to stay hydrated.

3. Concentrated breathing really helps. You can nourish your mind with the awareness of your breath: Breathe deeply. Sit upright, resting your hands comfortably on thighs. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Inhale through your nose and empty all air from your belly, heart, and mouth and then exhale through your mouth. Try to thinking of something positive on the inhale, something stressful on the exhale.

4. Travel Sun Salutes are the perfect mid-trip stretch:

  1. Arms up overhead reach: extend your palms upwards, inhale, exhale and stretch.
  2. Rag doll roll down + roll up: Lengthen legs (as best you can) and make sure to get a good flex with your legs, quads and buttocks by pointing your feet. Then bend your knees up toward the chest. Repeat.
  3. Self hug: Sit up tall and long, open your chest, inhale and exhale, then give yourself a hug curling forward. Breathe and repeat.


5. Keep you skin moisturized. Bring a travel-sized oxygenating face spritzer, your favorite moisturizer or masque, and lip balm.

6. Schedule a massage for when you arrive. A massage is an excellent remedy for jet lag.

7. Book a room with a bath tub, kind of like this one. Nothing restores quite like a medicinal soak. Smell is also very important. Pack a little travel size of your favorite fragrance (room aroma, candle or body scent).

8. Replace the roar of the engine with the babble of a brook. Pipe some meditation or holosync music through a pair of noise-canceling headphones (like the one we made with WeSC). Natural sounds, or something without lyrics or melodies, melt away tension because they resonate in a deeper part of the brain. Ocean surf, drum beats or rainforest sounds are preferred to Mozart. If you need something a little more entertaining listen to a pod cast. Yes this is when one listens to a podcast. Try Radio Lab from NPR, the perfect combination of entertaining stories and fascinating information. Or you can just listen to a good old fashioned book-on-tape.

9. Boost your water with Dr. Oz Brain Sticks for an added kick of energy before landing.

10. Hardly a secret, but nothing is more important than sleep: Take that power nap. Schedule some extra sleep. Sleep makes everything better.

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