4 Low Impact Exercises To Help With Circulation

Whether you are traveling or staying home, sitting for prolonged periods and not moving your body can have a serious impact on your health. Poor circulation has long been a problem for frequent travelers but it can affect us whether we are traveling or not. Covid-19 has put a stop to business travel and due to the pandemic many of us are staying home more and not moving our body as much as we used too. Luckily, poor circulation can be easily managed by introducing a few simple exercises into your daily routine.

What is the circulatory system?

Your circulatory system refers to the system of arteries and veins that allows blood to circulate throughout the body. It is the system responsible for delivering nutrients, oxygen and more to your organs and limbs and removing waster products such as carbon dioxide. A healthy, unrestricted

Why is poor circulation bad?

Poor circulation can have number of negative health effects such as numbness in the hands and feet, swelling of the feet and ankles, muscle cramping, fatigue and even digestive issues. Sitting for long periods without moving your body can lead to poor circulation. When you sit for long periods the blood stays in your legs and pressure is put on your heart to move it back up through your body. Restricted blood flow is a key contributor to deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition that has been associated with frequent air travel for years. Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in your body, usually in your legs. Prolonged periods of sitting and remaining still, whether that be at home in front of a computer or on a long haul flight restricts the blood flow in your extremities and can result in some pretty serious health effects.

What’s the solution?

Exercise and movement is key to getting the blood moving and improving circulations. At Sanctifly we always encourage frequent travelers to get up and get moving whenever they can. That’s why we developed a series of exercise and stretch videos, specially designed for frequent traveler by travel and wellness experts. You can find them in the Sanctifly app, download today for free!

We know that you are not traveling right now, but that doesn’t mean that you are not facing similar problems. Working from home combined with less opportunity to go out and exercise means we are sitting more than ever before. Whether you are at home or at the airport remaining sedentary and poor circulation can cause serious health problems and we all need to work towards combating those effects. Check out these 4 easy, low impact exercise that you should work into your daily routine to help improve your circulation. You don’t need to be super fit to do them, these easy exercises are perfect for beginners and won’t take up much of your time. Cycle through them on your lunch break or just before going to bed to help stimulate blood flow and improve your circulation. You’re hands and feet will thank you for it!

Calf Raises

This exercise helps improve circulation in the lower leg by gently pumping the calf muscle. The lower leg area is one of the most problematic for frequent travelers due to restricted movement. This exercise requires good balance so do it close to a wall or chair so you can hold on and steady yourself.

How to do it: Find a comfortable standing position, lift your heels off the floor and stand on the balls of your feet. Squeeze your calf muscles gently for 1 second and release. Complete this squeeze and release action while still on the balls of you feel 10 times and then bring your heels to the floor. Repeat 3 times.

Downward Dog

The Downward Dog is a popular yoga position. It helps to build strength and stretch the entire body, making it the ideal low impact exercise not only for circulation but for general health and wellness. It not only inverts the upper half of the body which stimulates blood flow to that area, it also helps stretch and activate the calf muscles which are vital for good circulation.

How to do it: Start on you hands and knees with your wrists directly below your shoulders and your knees below your hips. Curl your toes underneath your feet and press your palms into the floor to lift your knees off the floor. Left your pelvis towards the ceiling and straighten your legs as much as you can so that you body is in a triangle shape. Gently pedal your feet to stretch your calf muscles.

Legs Up

This stretching exercise is particularly useful for helping with poor circulation caused by sitting for prolonged periods. It is an inversion of how we sit and so forces the blood that has gathered in our legs back up through the body, stimulating circulation.

How to do it: Lie on the floor next to a wall and move your tail bone to where to wall meets the floor. Stretch your legs up against the walls so they are up above you heart. Imagine you are sitting as normal with your back against the wall and your legs outstretched in front of you. Now flip that pose so that you head and back are on the ground and your feet are against the wall. Hold this position for 5-10 minutes.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

While breathing exercises tend to be more focused on improving mental health rather than physical health, diaphragmatic breathing, also known as belly breathing does wonders for both. Studies show that diaphragmatic breathing helps with stress, lowers your heart rates, lowers your blood pressure and helps circulation by relaxing the muscles and encouraging blood flow.

How to do it: Sit in a comfortable position and place one hand on your chest and one hand on your stomach. Breathe in through your nose, your stomach should expand while your chest remains still. Gently press on your stomach as you exhale, all the while making sure the hand on your chest does not more. Repeat for 5 minutes.

Walking is another great low impact exercise that helps improve circulation. Commit to walking for at least 15 minutes per day to help wake up your muscles and stimulate blood flow. If you are at the airport use the time before your flight to walk the terminals rather than sitting at the gate. Other ways to improve circulation include drinking plenty of water, avoiding alcohol an eating foods high in Vitamin C & E.

We at Sanctifly believe that travel wellness and healthy travel will be a top priority among frequent travelers when we return to normal. The post Covid-19 world is going to be very different and frequent travelers are going to feel the effects. Airports and airlines will be highly focused on sanitation and ensuring that travelers do not get sick from Covid-19 or other viruses. That unfortunately means that the other negative effects caused by frequent travel will not be prioritized. It will be up to you to prioritize your health and wellness and ensure that you are doing all you can to stay fit and healthy on the road.

To stay up to date with all things travel wellness and learn about how you can Travel Well when you get back on the road subscribe to the Sanctifly Travel Wellness Newsletter below.

Until we travel again,

Stay safe from all on the Sanctifly Team.

How Will Business Travel Change After Covid-19?

The spread of the Covid-19 virus has completely changed the world. For many companies, business travel has been shut down for months with no clear indication of when things will return to normal. Employees and employers are struggling to conduct business remotely and operate as successfully as possible in the new environment. Where business travel once played a major role in maintaining relationships and developing new prospects, companies are now learning how to do business with no in person meetings and learning the ins and outs of video conferencing.

Covid-19 has had a far reaching effect and there is no telling how long those effects will last. Even as things return to normal it is likely that the impact of Covid-19 will be felt for a long time. Business travel is certainly not immune to the massive impact of Covid-19 and it will affect business travelers as strongly as business travel associated businesses.

So, as we wait at home, hoping for an end to the pandemic and some hint of normality, we find ourselves wondering, how will business travel change after Covid-19? Of course, we can only speculate, quite frankly nobody knows what is going to happen over the next few months but here are some of the things we think will dramatically change when we all start flying again.

Airport journeys will change dramatically

Travel has shut down on a global level and the travel industry has suffered some serious economic losses as a result. Airports have turned into ghost towns. The images of empty terminals and grounded aircraft are eerie and unsettling. Although everything seems strange now, it is important to remember that we will return to travel. Airports will reopen and we will be checking in and boarding flights again. But in a post Covd-19 world, airport journeys will be fundamentally different. Cleanliness and hygiene will be top priorities for passengers and airport staff alike. Mandatory sanitization may be forced upon travelers, customs and immigration will be stricter, ‘proof of health’ may be required to enter countries and passengers will be more wary and less forgiving to those displaying any kind of illness symptom. It will not be a pleasant experience to board a flight if you have a cold.

The way we interact with each other will also change dramatically. Travelers will be more conscious than ever of health and hygiene and personal space. What could this mean for airport businesses? We may see an uptake in lounge use as passengers seek a quieter, less crowded place to wait for their flight. We may see a reduction in eating and drinking at the airport as passengers become more wary of their health and want to avoid high traffic areas and multi-use utensils. Spending as little time at the airport may become a top priority for travelers and, for those that do have to spend time at the airport during a layover, getting outside and in the fresh air will be a must. Airports will need to accommodate this new desired journey and that could result in a dramatic decrease in revenue for airport businesses.

Business trips will be more stressful

There is no doubt that the travel industry will take some time to recover from the impact of Covid-19. In the Flight Plan 2020 Report released by IdeaWorks and Cartrawler this month, Jay Sorensen speculates that the travel industry capacity will shrink significantly across all types of business. Many aircraft will stay parked on the runway, less popular routes will not reopen, and some hotels will close or reduce capacity.

As the secondary businesses associated with business travel struggle to return to normal, it is clear that business travelers will feel the effects. Route closers will result in more time on the road and more layovers as the availability of direct flights will decrease. We may see business travelers spend a lot more time in airports waiting for connecting flights. Even without the heightened awareness among travelers about health and hygiene, extra time spent in airports can be stressful. Airports will realise that helping traveler reduce travel stress is a top priority and we may see and increase in wellness focused businesses popping up in airport.

Will we see a reduction in the need for business travel?

Business travel is considered by many companies to be a vital business activity. The return on investment on business travel is estimated to be between $10 and $14.99 per dollar invested, with the highest return coming from client meetings. Covid-19 has put an end to in person meetings across the world and putting a stop to business travel was one of the first reactions we saw from big international companies to the Covid-19 pandemic. The question is, once the world starts to recover will we see a return to the same levels of business travel, or will there be a new attitude? Will businesses that have weathered this storm now believe that in person meetings and business travel is not a necessity.

The likely answer is that we will see a return to business travel but not to the same. While a video chat is a poor substitute for meeting up with friends and family, companies are realizing that is it possible to conduct business with less face to face time. In person meetings may not be as high of the priority list for some businesses when we return to normal. And let us not forget about the economic impact of the crisis. For those that took a significant hit, the funds for excessive business travel will not be available.

Business travel will not disappear, but it is likely that we will see a significant reduction in business travel after the pandemic and that reduction may last. What we will probably see an increase in is b-leisure. B-leisure refers to the combination of business travel with leisure travel and was becoming a significant trend over the past few years, particularly with the millennial generation. As travelers become more conscious of their health, well-being, and the value of their time post Covid-19, it is likely that frequent business travelers will take more time for leisure and b-leisure presents a great opportunity for this.

There is a lot of uncertainty in the world right now. But here is what we do know.

Business travel has always been tough, but it just got tougher.

In recent years we have started to see a change in attitude when it comes to business travel. Both employers and traveling employees were recognizing that frequent travel is detrimental to our health. It depletes our immune system, just when we most need it and can cause increased physical and mental stress.

Business travel was always tough, but it just got tougher. Covid-19 will have a massive impact on business travel. Airport journeys will be fundamentally different, with a huge emphasis on personal space and wellness. Frequent travelers will be more conscious than ever about health, hygiene, resilience and stress levels when traveling.

Traveling in these uncertain times will be stressful for everyone. Understanding how to protect yourself for unplanned cancellations and delays is important. Travel Insurance should always be an important consideration for companies and travelers alike and especially so in these strange times. It is important to review your current policies and understand what is the best option for you and your team. Consumersadvocate.org put together a great piece on the Best Travel Insurance based on in-depth research and reviews. Check it out and make sure you have the best policy in place for when you return to travel.

Employers need to change how they equip their people for this new reality. In travel, wellness needs to be every employer’s No.1 priority. Pre-Covid research highlighted the detrimental effect of travel stress on employees and companies. Travel stress will only increase in a post-Covid world and employers need to demonstrate a renewed duty of care in guiding their team to better travel habits & services in order to improve their experience and resilience.

No Gym? No Problem! 5 Tips To Help Maintain Your Fitness At Home Or On The Road

5 top tips to help maintain your fitness routine when you do not have access to a gym.

It is a strange time. As Covid-19 completely turns our lives upside down, it’s understandable that fitness is not top of everyone’s to do list. But as we were chatting among the team here at Sanctifly I realised that a common topic and problem for everyone was how much we are missing going to the gym and working out. Exercise will do wonders for your physical as well as your mental health and in these uncertain times, maintaining a healthy body and a healthy attitude is now more important than ever.

Covid-19 is keeping most people confined to their homes, preventing access to gyms and fitness classes and disrupting our fitness routines. Those with a fully equipped home gym and few and far between. And while we may have a dumbbell or two stuffed at the back of a closet, most of us do not have anything to replicate our usual gym facilities. While we usually focus on travel related topics here on the Sanctifly blog, what we are really interested in talking about and giving advice on is wellness and not letting anything (whether that be travel or a global pandemic) disrupt your routine. Some hotels, especially smaller, more affordable chains or inner-city boutique hotels do not have fitness facilities and when you return to travel and things get back to normal, you may find yourself in this same situation. Asking yourself, how can I maintain my fitness routine when there is no gym to go to? Here are 5 top tips for maintaining your fitness routine when you have no access to a gym. These tips are helpful now that we are staying home due to Covid-19 but keep them in your back pocket for the next time you are traveling and don’t have access to fitness facilities.

1. Follow a fitness instruction video

If you are a regular gym user, you probably have a routine that takes advantage of the equipment and weights available there. Translating that routine into an at home exercise routine with no equipment is difficult to do. Follow along with a fitness routine video to help get in a good workout without the pressure of designing it yourself. Search for ‘Exercise routine with no equipment’ and you will find lots of options. Check out this great core routine from Sanctifly ambassador and travel wellness expert, Sara Quiriconi.

2. Make a schedule and stick to it

Building habits is all about consistency. Make a routine and schedule for your fitness and stick to it! Plan out your week and decide which days and at what time you are going to exercise. Having a set plan written down makes it easier to do it. Set alarms on your phone to remind yourself to exercise and make sure that your workout clothes are clean and ready when you need them, just like you would if you were heading to the gym after work. Working out at home is hard enough, give yourself every chance to stick to your fitness routine and feel better for it.

3. Use what you have to replace equipment

No need to run out to the shop to buy gym equipment, just use what you already have at home as a substitute. Layer some towels on the ground to use as an ‘exercise’ mat. This will give you some protection from the hard floor and let you easily do some floor exercises without bruising yourself. Big books work great as light weights for side twists or overhead crunches and any ropes you have lying around can be re purposed as skipping ropes or resistance bands. OK, I know it’s not ideal, but if you get creative you can save a lot of the money and space required for kitting out a home gym.

4. Use your own body weight

Really you don’t need any equipment at all to exercise effectively at home. Body weight exercises have been around a long time and are used by fitness enthusiasts all over the world. Exercises such as lunges, squats, push ups and sit ups are a simple, effective way to improve balance, flexibility, and strength. Many of the ‘no equipment needed’ exercise routine videos will use body weight exercises so that you can easily work out at home.

5. Incorporate stretching and yoga into your routine

You don’t need to do a high intensity workout to get in some exercise at home. Yoga and stretching do not require any equipment at all and are a great form of exercise and movement. This situation can be a great opportunity to try yoga for the first time and feel the benefits of stretching and moving your body in an intentional and mindful way. If you are working from home and are sitting at a desk all day, a quick stretch routine at the end of the day can help loosen up your muscles and help you feel more energized. As an added bonus, most yoga routines will incorporate some kind of meditation or breathing exercises which can be beneficial for your mental and physical health.

The most important thing to remember is not to be too hard on yourself when it comes to your fitness. For some people working out by yourself at home is hard as it can be difficult to get into the right head space for exercise. While there are significant benefits to working out at home, especially as we spend more time inside, some people just exercise better in a class setting or by participating in a sport. On top of that, as we are all stuck at home, we are missing out on a lot of micro exercises through out the day. We are unintentionally exercising when we walk to the car or go to grab a cup of coffee. All this combined can make us put unnecessary pressure on ourselves to exercise more vigorously while at home. Don’t forget your mental health is as important as your physical health so don’t neglect it. Maintaining a fitness routine and moving your body is important but its OK if your fitness slips a bit during quarantine. Making sure you are safe, healthy and happy is top priority in these strange and trying times, so give yourself a break. 😊

Mental Health Tip for Quarantine

Get out in the fresh air at least once a day. You don’t have to leave your house, just stand in your garden for half an hour each day. Staying inside all the time can create a disconnect from the rest of the world and make you feel lonely and isolated. Even if you do not talk to anyone, simply being outside and breathing some fresh air will do wonders for your mental health.

Return to Travel

Right now, we are all staying at home and staying safe and for most of us, travel is the furthest thing from our minds. But things will get back to normal and we will travel again. We at Sanctifly believe that travel wellness and healthy travel will be a top priority among frequent travelers when we return to normal. To stay up to date with all things travel wellness and learn about how you can travel well when you get back on the road subscribe to the Sanctifly Travel Wellness Newsletter.

Until we travel again,

Stay safe from all on the Sanctifly Team.

Hygiene Tips For The Airport And Airplane

Hygiene Tips for the Airport and the Airplane

With the rapid spread of Covid-19, events being cancelled worldwide and many large international companies putting a restriction on travel, airports and airplanes understandably seem like places to avoid. With thousands of people passing through every day from lots of different places, airports can be risky environments. As Covid-19 grips the worlds attention, and causes some serious effects on the travel industry, many frequent flyers are asking, is it safe to travel? The World Health Organisation is advising against travel restrictions however they are recommending that travelers that are sick should avoid or delay travel to the affected areas and the elderly and those with underlying health conditions should do the same.

There is no way to avoid the fact that being in a crowded and/or confined space puts you at a greater risk of getting sick, but the most important thing to remember if you are flying during the outbreak is not to panic and take sensible precautions when you can.

Here are some tips you can follow to help avoid getting sick at the airport.

1. Avoid crowded areas. Food courts, shopping areas and busy gates should be avoided whenever possible. Find an empty gate to relax in, away from the crowds.

2. Avoid high touch traffic surfaces. For example, railings on stairs, escalators or travellators, vending machines and sockets with switches. Pack a power bank so that you can keep your devices charged while avoiding touching sockets.

3. Get out of the airport whenever you can. Being out in the fresh air is much better than being inside the airport. If you are airside and cannot leave, check to see if the airport has an outdoor area, perhaps an observation deck or a patio attached to a restaurant and spend your airport downtime there. If you have a long layover then it’s worth leaving the airport and heading to a local park or walking path. You can find information and directions to local parks at most major international airport in the Sanctifly app. Download it for free today.

4. Follow the health precautions recommended by the World Health Organisation i.e. wash or sanitize your hands whenever possible, avoid touching your face and cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and dispose of it immediately.

So those are the guidelines for airports, but what about on the plane? Air travel seems like the perfect environment for spreading diseases and viruses, you are in close contact with a large group of people, in a locked cabin breathing recycled air. However, the risk of catching Covid-19 or another virus while on an airplane is not that much greater than the risk on other forms of mass transport. The World Health Organisation states that you are at risk of potentially catching infectious diseases if a person sitting in your row or two rows in front or behind is infected and is coughing or sneezing. There is no real need to worry about the people that are further away from you on the plane.

Airplane air is frequently filtered through hospital-grade HEPA filters that remove 99% of bacteria from the air, making it cleaner and less dangerous than the air on a bus or train with the windows closed. HEPA stands for high-efficiency particle air. A HEPA filter is a mechanical air filter that works by forcing the air through a fine mesh that traps harmful pathogens, removing them from the air. In a plane, this filtered air is mixed with fresh air and recirculated within the cabin very regularly.

The real worry about being on a plane is that you are left with very few options should the person next to you be sick. On a train or a bus you can get up and move away from the, however because most planes fly full, the opportunity to get up and move is not always available. The best we can do as frequent travelers is to protect ourselves as much as possible and take precautions whenever we can.

Here are some health and hygiene tips for the plane to help you avoid getting sick.

1. Pack disinfectant wipes in your carry on and wipe down the seat, seat belt, tray table and arm rest before you sit down. If you are by the window don’t forget to wipe down the wall beside you too.

2. Choose a window seat whenever you can. A window seat puts you in proximity to less people and reduces your risk of being close to a sick person.

3. Do no take complimentary pillows or blankets. While airlines will have procedures in place to thoroughly clean any items distributed to traveling passengers it is best practice to avoid using anything that is not your own.

4. Use card payments or exact change whenever possible. Cash is a high traffic touch item and runs the risk of transmitting germs from one end of the plane to the other.

5. Avoid using the bathroom if you can. Bathrooms are small, enclosed, high traffic areas within the plane and so become high risk areas for viruses to spread. If you do need to use the bathroom, ensure you wash your hands thoroughly before returning to your seat.

6. Turn on your overhead air vent on. Although the air in the cabin is generally safe, turning your air vent on can help disperse any pathogens in the air around you and ensure you are breathing the freshest possible air.

7. Follow the health precautions recommended by the World Health Organisation, i.e. wash or sanitize your hands whenever possible, avoid touching you face and cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue and dispose of it immediately.

Remember your health an well-being is always important, and especially when you are traveling. Take care of yourself and others and Travel Well. For more information on how you can prevent the spread of Covid-19 and help boost your immune system to fight it check out this post.

Travel Tips During The Covid-19 Outbreak

Tips for travel hygiene and health during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Here is everything John covers in his video:

• 00:00 - 01:24

  Hygiene tips for travelers

• 01:25 - 03:18

  Tips to boost your immune system and what foods you should avoid

• 03:19 - 07:50

  Supplements to consider taking*

With Covid-19 taking over headlines and business travel entering an uncertain time we wanted to get some expert advice for you on how you can still travel safe amid the coronavirus outbreak. We reached out to John Ayo, Travel Wellness expert, naturopath and author of Travel Balance for some tips on how to stay safe and healthy while traveling. Check out his video above for some expert tips.

*All suggestions are not medical advice and independent medical advice should always be sought if required.

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The question on every business travelers mind… Is it safe to travel?

With companies all over the world putting a ban on business travel in the midst of the crisis, it is understandable that travelers are a bit wary before heading for the airport. As of February, 29 2020 the World Health Organisation is advising against travel restrictions however they are recommending that travelers that are sick should avoid or delay travel to the affected areas and the elderly and those with underlying health conditions should do the same. Cough, hand and food hygiene is essential and travelers returning from affected areas should self-monitor for symptoms for 14 days and follow the protocol of your country.

Are you more at risk on the plane?

While it is true that being in a confined space with an infected person increases your risk of getting the virus there is no need to panic. Almost all modern commercial airplanes are fitted with sophisticated HEPA filters (High-Efficiency Particle Filters) and the air inside the cabin is filtered (removing bacteria and viruses) and re-circulated regularly.

You also need to be in fairly close proximity to an infected person in order to catch the virus. The World Health Organisation recommends practicing social distancing of at least 1 meter from anyone that may be showing symptoms. Now, we know that’s not an easy thing to do while on a plane, but it is important to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions when you can.

Keeping your surroundings sanitized and disinfected is the best thing you can do to prevent yourself getting sick. Pack disinfectant wipes in your carry on and wipe down your seat, tray table, screen and seat belt buckle before you even sit on down. Check that wipes are at least 60% alcohol.

What should I being doing to stop the spread of Covid-19?

Make sure you wash your hands as much as possible. Some coronaviruses can survive on surfaces for days and when you touch those surfaces you run the risk of transmitting the virus to yourself and others. Washing your hand thoroughly and as often as possible will help stop the spread. If you do not have the option to wash your hands using hand sanitizers with at least 60 percent alcohol can be highly effective.

Also, make sure to keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. Your eyes, nose and mouth are all potential entry points for the coronavirus (and many other germs) so keep touching your face to a minimum. Many airports are going to great lengths to ensure high traffic areas are cleaned and disinfected regularly but it is good practice to avoid touching surfaces when you can and wash or sanitize your hands often.

Practice cough and sneeze hygiene by covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or a tissue if you cough or sneeze and dispose of the tissue immediately. It is best to dispose of the tissue in a closed bin and wash your hand immediately.

Remember, if you are feeling unwell, do not travel.

The most important thing you can do to help stop the spread of Covid-19 is to listen to your body, monitor how you are feeling and act accordingly. Do not travel if you are feeling ill or if you know you have had contact with an infected person. Symptoms of the coronavirus include a cough, a fever and difficulty breathing. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms seek medical attention immediately, following the guidelines of your local authorities.

How can you stay healthy while on the road?

One of the key things frequent travelers, or anyone really, should be thinking about at this time is, how can you boost your immune system so that you are in the best shape to fight a virus

Manage Stress

One of the most effective things you can do is manage and reduce stress. The coronavirus is all anyone can talk about and while it is important to stay informed, the media is not doing a great job at dispelling panic. Stress can have serious negative effects on your immune system, weakening it and making it less effective at fighting illnesses. One of the best ways you can strengthen your immune system is by practicing stress relieving activities such as meditation, exercise and breathing techniques. Find a quiet, empty spot at the airport (unused gates are a great option for this!), switch off social media and do some meditation and gentle stretching exercises to help relieve stress.

Eat healthy foods

Add lots of fruits and vegetables to your diet in order to help boost your immune system. If you tend to head to the fast food joint or the bar for a greasy burger when at the airport, make a change and find a healthier option instead. Avoid foods that have sugar, dairy or wheat and focus on nutrient rich vegetables and omega-3 fats.

Practice intermittent fasting

Digesting and processing food requires a lot of energy from your body. If possible, practice intermittent fasting (only eating within a small-time window) so that your body better preserves energy and can use it to help you fight infections and viruses.

Take Vitamin D supplements

Viruses absolutely thrive in the wintertime and one of the main reasons for this is that humans are lacking in Vitamin D during the winter months. When our skin is exposed to sunlight it produces Vitamin D and unfortunately sunlight tends to be lacking in the winter. Vitamin D deficiency has been proven to make you more susceptible to infections and weaken your immune system. Taking a Vitamin D supplement can help boost your immune system and make you less vulnerable to viruses and infections.

Other supplements to add to your diet

Iodine is vital for thyroid health which helps your bodies metabolism and energy creation. Your body needs high and healthy energy levels to fight infection. Hydrochloric acid (your stomach acid) helps kill any pathogens that make it to the stomach. High dose Vitamin C & Vitamin A help protect your cell walls and preventing viruses from getting in.

Phew, that’s a lot of supplements to remember! Why not head to your local health food shop and ask them for recommendations on a combined supplement to suit your needs. Essential oils are also great for improving well-being and you can get oil blends made specially to combat the stresses of frequent travel.

Taking care of yourself and your well-being, especially while traveling is so important. Staying healthy while on the road is about building good routines and maintain positive physical and mental health habits. Don’t let stress and media hype cloud your judgement when it comes to the covid-19 virus, or another other virus that we may face in the future. Take advice from the experts and remember prevention is key to maintaining a healthy and balanced life.

What Happens To Your Body During A Long-Haul Flight?

As a frequent business traveler you will no doubt face a long-haul flight at some stage. Hopping on a plane for an hour can seem like an easy job, some people drive for longer than that to get to work! However, facing down a 12-hour flight with a 4-hour layover would be daunting for anybody, even the most seasoned of traveler. Unfortunately, a long-haul flight is just as bad for our bodies as it is for our minds. Long-haul flights are an unnatural and not very comfortable environment to be in and it can have some serious negative effects on your health and well-being. The average business traveler takes 6.8 trips per year. Most of these will be shorter trips but it is likely that at least one or two will be long-haul. Read on the find out how a long-haul trip affects your body and what you can do to ease the effects.

Your taste buds change

A study commissioned by Lufthansa in 2010 found that your taste bud change when in the air. Due to the pressurized cabin and the dry, recycled air, travelers sense of smell and taste is numbed, making food taste bland and uninteresting.

Sitting for prolonged periods

A sedentary lifestyle can have serious and prolonged negative effects on your body and mind. Airports and air travel are notorious for sitting and waiting and not moving very much at all. We use much less energy sitting than standing and sitting for prolonged periods can increase the risk of obesity and other related diseases. It is no wonder that frequent business travelers are 92% more likely to be obese than those that do not travel often for work. Sitting for prolonged periods can also cause reduced circulation, especially in the legs putting travelers at risk of DVT.

Dehydration and low oxygen will make you feel sleepy

Dehydration is a common problem from frequent travelers. Not only do we tend to drink less (no one want’s to be dying for the bathroom while in line to board the plane!) but the reduced moisture in the cabin air can also cause problems for us. Dry skin, scratchy eyes and headaches are all a symptom of dehydration and reduced oxygen in recycled cabin air can also cause headaches and leave you feeling sleep and zapped of energy.

You may get gassy

Flying thousands of feet in the air in a pressurized tube is a bit of a shock to the system. You may have noticed on your last flight that you were feeling a bit more bloated and gassier than normal. This is due to shifts in cabin pressure which causes the natural gas in your gut to expand. Check out these great tips from travel wellness expert Sara Quiriconi on how to prevent bloating while traveling.

One of the worst things about a long-haul flight is that it is almost impossible to arrive feeling fresh and energized. Even if you get to sleep on the plane it will never be a very good quality sleep and sitting in cramped conditions in the same clothes on a plane for hours will no doubt leave you feeling that you desperately need a shower to freshen up. One of the best options if you are a frequent long-haul flyer is to invest in a Sanctifly membership. You can get access to airport gyms, pool and spas (with showers) all over the world and help combat the effects of long-haul travel. Here are some other great tips for combating the effects of long-haul travel.

Choose your seat in advance

Paying the extra money to choose your seat is something most business travelers consider a necessity. Although you cannot choose who you will be sitting next to at least you can potentially avoid the dreaded middle seat when you choose your own. Many people prefer the window seat while traveling as it gives you something to look at however the aisle seat is the best option for long-haul flights. You get a little extra room to stretch your legs and you can get up and move around as much as you like without disturbing your neighbour. If you have the opportunity book a seat in an exit row or at the front of the plane so you can get more legroom.

Bring food with you

Packing your own snacks is the best way to not only combat hunger during a long-haul flight, but also irritation. If you have not eaten in a while and your only option is process, unappetizing and increasingly expensive airplane food, it may not put you in the best mood for the rest of your journey. This is especially important if you are going to have a stopover at night in a smaller airport. During the night smaller airports often have little more to offer than a vending machine. Pack some tasty snacks to keep you going throughout the flight and ensure that you arrive full and satisfied, believe me it is well worth the luggage space!

Bring an in the air sleep kit

We often encourage frequent travelers to pack a sleep kit with them while on the road so that they can make their hotel room feel more like home and get a better night’s sleep. The sleep kit for the plane won’t be that different from the one you pack for your destination, although we don’t recommend spraying lavender spray in the cabin! Include a large scarf to act as a blanket and a travel pillow to your in the air kit and try to get some sleep on the plane.

Dress comfortably

You might need to put on your suit for your next meeting but that doesn’t mean you have to sit for hours in it. Dress comfortably for the plane, choose something flexible and breathable so you can have the most comfortable flight and schedule in some time to get changed on arrival if you need to head straight to a meeting. Baubax is a great option for clothes made specifically for traveling.

5 Healthy Ways To Spend Time At The Airport

5 Healthy Ways To Spend Your Airport Downtime

1. Learn a new skill

2. Read

3. Get a massage

4. Walk the terminals

5. Stretch or Yoga

Airport downtime is inevitable for any traveler. For a leisure traveler that only fly once a year the airport may be a novelty. You start the holiday early and treat yourself to a drink or happily spend an hour or two browsing the duty free and testing cologne or trying out make up samples. For holidaymakers the airport experience is just another part of your holiday experience and while it’s not the most exciting part, provided you don’t experience any significant delays or other disruptions it can be enjoyable.

For frequent business travelers airport downtime has different connotations. It’s not a once or twice a year event that signifies the beginning of a holiday, it is a consistent part of their work life. The TSA recommends arriving at the airport 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights. When you take away average times for getting through security and boarding the plane that leaves about 1-2 hours of airport downtime for passengers and that is not factoring in possible delays. If you are a frequent business traveler that travelers 3-4 times a month for work, you could potentially be spending 16 hours a month hanging around the airport. That’s over 800 hours a year!

We were curious about this downtime and how people spend it here at Sanctifly, so we asked a number of our frequent business traveler members how they spend their extra time at the airport. The overwhelming majority said, ‘I use the time to catch up on emails and get some work done’. Now, while their employers are probably delighted with this answer, we were wondering if that is really the best use of their time? When you go on a business trip it can be hard to switch off and tie away from work is vital for productivity, employee well-being and to avoid employee burnout. It is beneficial for the employer and the traveling employee to take time off whenever it is available, and I believe taking advantage of airport downtime for wellness and self-care is a great opportunity!

Here are 5 healthy ways you can kill time at the airport, without working or catching up on emails and without mindlessly scrolling through social media for hours.

1. Learn a language or learn another new skill

Airport downtime is a great opportunity to take some time to learn something new. Learning a new skill will help keep your brain sharp and focused and some studies have even showed benefits for memory loss. If you are heading to a different country where they speak a different language learning some basic greetings and other phrases can be very beneficial, not only for your brain but it will help you make a great impression in your business meeting. Being able to say ‘Hello, how are you? It’s nice to meet you’ in the language of the land will show you put a real effort into preparing for this meeting. So, the next time you are heading on a business trip pick up a phrase book and start learning! Or choose another skill to master, maybe you always wanted to learn how to draw, or journal or take and edit photos. The downtime you have at the airport is the perfect chance to learn something new.

2. Use the time to read

I absolutely adore reading, but as a busy professional with as many obligations outside of work as in, reading often gets pushed down the priority list. While sitting down with a cup of tea and a good book is a pretty standard part of my Sunday routine, during all other parts of the week I find it very hard to find the time. Airport downtime (and business trip downtime, if you find yourself with any) can be a time to catch up on reading. If you dedicate yourself to avoiding work during your airport downtime, there is literally nothing else to distract you while you are waiting for your flight. Except of course the hustle and bustle of the airport, but a good pair of noise cancelling headphones will solve that. Make sure you have a book that you are excited to read in your bag and dedicate your airport downtime to reading.

3. Get a massage

What better way to relieve the stress of traveling and continue on your journey feeling relaxed and energized than by treating yourself to a massage. Many larger airports have airport spas in the terminal, Be Relax and XpresSpa are two of the larger chains that offer airport spa services all over the world. Often, airport spas will cater their offering to your needs so even if you only have 15 minutes to spare you can still get a massage. Make your airport downtime an enjoyable experience by heading to the spa and integrating some self-care into your travel routine.

4. Walk the terminals

Staying sedentary, meaning that you are taking part in activities that require very low energy expenditure, i.e. sitting, can have some real negative effects on your health. Of course, if you live a sedentary lifestyle, meaning even outside your travel days you do not do much physical activity, it can affect your obesity levels and lead to a number of chronic health effects. But did you know that extended periods of inactivity and sedentary behaviour can reduce metabolism and impair the body's ability to control blood sugar levels and regulate blood pressure? Being at the airport is synonymous with sitting and waiting and not moving very much at all. If you travel frequently you need to be aware of the health risks that you are imposing on your body by sitting around the airport. And the solution is so simple! Walk the terminals. Airports are often vast and almost empty spaces. While they may seem busy and chaotic around the food court and the duty free, in larger airport there are often lots of distant and empty gates that you can walk to. Airports often have really amazing art installations dotted throughout them so why not make it a point on your next trip to take a walk and look at the art?

5. Stretch & yoga

As mentioned above moving your body and doing some sort of physical activity is really important. If you don’t want to aimlessly walk the terminals another option could be to find a quiet space, perhaps one of those empty gates or check and see if the airport you are in has a dedicated yoga room and do some stretching or yoga. Sanctifly members get access to a series of travel wellness videos including airport friendly workout routines, yoga routines to help energize you or to help you relax your body so that you can sleep on the plane. Your airport downtime is a great opportunity to take care of your body and improve your health through some gentle exercise. For more information on the benefits of becoming a Sanctifly member click here.

When you change the way you view your airport downtime and take the time to do something good for you it will have lasting benefits on your health, your productivity and your mental well-being. Next time you have a business trip treat that time at the airport as personal time and use it to your benefit.

Interested in becoming a Sanctifly member? Join today and get access to 2500+ wellness locations at over 130 international airports including access to airport executive lounges, airport gyms, pools and spas. Make the most of your airport downtime and make healthy choices on your next trip. View our different membership types.

4 Benefits Of Business Travel For The Business Traveler

Business Travel is great for business. Can it be good for the traveling employee too?

4 reasons business travel can be great for employees

1. Face-to-face meetings are more effective

2. Experience different cultures

3. Learn new skills

4. Build confidence

Last year, a lot of research came out about the negative effects of business travel. It’s not all that surprising, we have been talking about the negative impact of business travel on traveling employees’ health and well-being for years. But it can get a bit disheartening when you start reading all the stats and quite scary from a business point of view when you consider the real cost on employee productivity and loss. And while we try to provide positive, proactive tips for combating the negative effects, looking back over the last year it’s all been very doom and gloom.

There is one quote that we at Sanctifly constantly find ourselves referring to: Business travel is not bad; it is our travel habits that are bad. Business travel is great for business and necessary. Executives and traveling employees believe that 8% of business would be lost if business travel was ceased. And business travels can benefit greatly from business travel. On average US executives state that the return of business travel is between $10 and $14.99 for every dollar invested.

So that’s a pretty good argument for the businesses point of view, and it seems that businesses do not need to be convinced on the benefits of business travel. Business travel spend has grown year on year and is projected to reach $1.6 trillion in 2020. But are there any benefits for the business traveler? Yes, but only if travel wellness is made a priority. Here are some reasons business travel can be great for you, as a traveling employee.

1. Face to face meetings are more effective

In today’s high-tech world, it may seem like face to face meetings are becoming less and less relevant. As video conferencing and collaboration tools become more powerful and every company communicates online through email or messaging apps such as Slack you may wonder if there is really any need to hop on that plane and meet your customers or prospects in person? The answer is yes, after all business is conducted with people, not machines, and fostering and maintaining relationships is a vital part of the process. According to a report published by the Harvard Business Review a face to face request is 34 times more likely to succeed than an email request and 95% of people say that face to face meetings are essential for established long term business relationships. You can get more deals made and create longer lasting and stronger business relationships when you meet face-to-face.

2. Experience new cultures and different ways of working

Travel is a fantastic tool for broadening your mind and expanding your knowledge. When you travel for business you get the chance to experience new places, new cultures and different ways of working, all of which will help you build a more well-rounded world view. Interacting with and experiencing different cultures will also help to foster creativity, which you can then bring to your job. Research shows that business travel cultivated creativity and productivity, two traits which will help you get noticed at your job.

3. Learn and hone new skills

As much as I am trying to focus in the positives, there is no denying that business travel can be stressful. Things wont always go smoothly and sometimes you will need to think on your feet and take initiative to salvage a situation. While this can take a toll on your stress levels it can also be a great learning opportunity and help you to hone vital soft skills. Being able to handle stressful situations and make on the spot decisions is a valuable skill to any business and will help you stand out among your colleagues. Business travel also affords you great networking opportunities to help broaden your network and progress your career and bring bigger and better deals to your boss.

4. Build confidence

One of the most valuable benefits of travel is that it puts you out of your comfort zone and helps to build your confidence. We are all guilty of getting too comfortable in a situation whether that be in our personal lives or professional lives. The commute to the office becomes automatic, our everyday tasks do not challenge us, and we eat lunch at the same spot with the same people every day. Travel plucks you out of that routine and challenges you to adapt to a whole new environment. Navigating a new city successfully, understanding and acknowledging cultural differences and successfully building a business relationship or closing a deal will give you a huge confidence boost and help you navigate unfamiliar and challenging situations in the future.

There are lots of benefits to business travel, it can be a great perk to your job. However, if you don’t make your health and well-being a priority while on the road the negative effects of business travel will easily outweigh the positive. Make your health a priority with a Sanctifly membership. Get access to thousands of healthy airport activities all over the world so that you can make the most of your travel downtime and stick to your healthy routine while on the road. Freshen up with a shower at an airport lounge ahead of a long flight home or hit the gym at the airport hotel to help de-stress before continuing on your journey. Get access to all the healthy options when you are a member of Sanctifly. No matter how often you travel, we have a membership plan for you. Get in touch today an let’s discuss your healthy travel routine for 2020. Corporate packages are also available. Travel Well this year with a Sanctifly membership and make sure you experience only the positive effects of business travel.

The Surprising Effects of Business vs Leisure Travel

Do you care about your health and well-being? Here’s what business and leisure travel can do to you.  

While travel certainly may benefit your professional status or even be essential in getting you to your next vacation, often it has significant downsides. Even more so, the downsides are related directly to what people are working on optimizing: personal health and wellness. 

Recently reported in a survey conducted by YouGov, 20% of business travelers say business travel is bad for employees. While we’ve already compiled a list to work on improving company travel culture, what about personal relationships? Studies have shown that interpersonal stress can be a huge downside to business travel. Spouses and children have to pay the price. 

On top of that, both leisure and business travel have negative effects on weight management. Often we are drinking and eating more while exercising less, regardless of what kind of travel experience we may be embarking on.

It’s worth noting, that while there are certainly negative impacts of either type of travel, leisure travel has a redeeming factor. Leisure or vacation travel provides a unique balm to our frenzied schedules. On vacation we slow down, sleep more and are even nicer. All of this adds up to a reduction in stress, overall a huge win for our total health and well-being. 

Check out the full infographic below from Reservations.com, The Surprising Effects of Business vs Leisure Travel on Your Health and Well-Being. They’ve illustrated how travel takes a toll on us and even given the magic number of vacation days required to reduce stress.  

Sources available at: https://www.reservations.com/blog/resources/business-vs-leisure-travel/

One of the best ways to reduce travel stress is by making the most of your airport downtime and doing something good for your body and mind. Sanctifly is the leading travel wellness club, providing frequent business travelers with access to airport hotel gyms, pools an spas without booking a room as well as special rates on airport lounges and spas. Take back you travel downtime with a Sanctifly membership today.

7 tips to sleep well while traveling

7 tips to help you to sleep better while traveling

1. Manage jet lag

2. Create a sleep travel kit

3. Get some exercise

4. Avoid screen time before bed

5. Create a bedtime routine

6. Avoid stimulants

7. Get sleep where and when you can

Sleep is one of the most important processes we go through, it is a chance for our bodies to rest, recover and restore after the day. And it is as important for our mental health as it is for our physical health. According to the National Sleep Foundation sleep also plays a vital role in strengthening and defining our memories. We take in so much information during the day and our brains take the time while we are sleeping to process and store this information. A good night’s sleep is important for staying sharp and focused, both of which are incredibly important if you are about to head into that big sales meeting or meeting a potential client for the first time. Business travelers need to get a good night’s sleep but studies show that this is not the case. According to a global study commissioned by IHG in 2019, 80% of frequent travelers have trouble sleeping when they are away from home and business travelers lose on average 58 minutes of sleep each night! While juggling time zones, early and late flight times and disrupted routines may be inevitable for frequent travelers there are some things every traveler can do to improve their sleep routine. Here are some tips to help you sleep better while traveling.

1. Manage jet lag

Jet lag is a caused by disruption to our circadian rhythm (a 24-hour internal clock that allows your body and brain to cycle between periods of alertness and sleepiness). Travelers experience jet lag when moving between time zones and our circadian rhythm falls out of sync with the world around us. We feel sleepy in the middle of the day and can’t sleep at night leaving us tired and cranky when we need to be focused. Every experienced traveler has their own jet lag fighting tips and tricks, but we at Sanctifly are a fan of following the science. We all use the Timeshifter app to manage our jet lag while traveling. Timeshifter helps you create a personalized jet lag plan so that you can arrive at your best and adjust to new time zones 3 times faster. Sanctifly members can use a Sanctifly pass to get a 12 month membership to Timeshifter. Download the app and check it out!

2. Create a personal sleep kit

Sometimes it’s the little things that make a huge difference, especially when it comes to sleep. Create a sleep kit that is on hand to throw into your luggage and add it to your packing list. A sleep kit will be personal to you, whatever you feel will help you to sleep better while on the road. I include some lavender spray, a sleep mask, ear plugs and some natural sleep aids. Here’s a good tip I recently picked up, start sleeping at home with an eye mask (even if you don’t really need it). By creating this habit, you are signalling to your brain that putting on an eye mask means sleep. When you put in the eye mask while on the road, your body will instinctively start to get ready for sleep.

3. Get some exercise

Countless studies have shown that exercise improves sleep quality and sleep duration. Tiring out your body with exercise not only makes it easier for you to relax, exercise is also a great way to relieve stress. Stress is a common cause of sleep problems and traveling for work can be very stressful. Even just 10 minutes of exercise can have great, lasting effects on both your physical and mental health so make sure you schedule in some exercise time on your next business trip.

4. Avoid screen time before bed

Blue light, which is produced by computer and phone screens mimics daylight and tricks our bodies into reducing the production of melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone we produce in order to make us sleepy and is suppressed during the daytime. When we look at screens just before bed the blue light signals daytime to our brains and bodies and we find it much more difficult to fall asleep. The best way to avoid this happening is to avoid looking at screens before bed. Create a pre sleep routine that does not include looking at your phone and stick to it! Also, add a blue light filter to your phone just in case you slip!

5. Create a routine

Following on from the previous point, creating a bedtime routine will do wonders for regulating your sleep while traveling. Again, it is all about sending signals to the body and the mind to let them know that it is time for sleep. If you do the same things for the hour before your go to bed every day, for example you may brush your teeth, do a skin care routine, read for 30 minutes or whatever else you like to do and then take that routine with you while you travel. Your body will automatically start getting ready for sleep as you go through your routine and you will find it much easier to sleep when you are away from home.

6. Avoid stimulants

This point pretty much goes without saying, stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine make your body alert and awake and make falling asleep much more difficult. The next time you are on a business trip and you want to get a drink opt for a herbal tea instead of alcohol or a coffee. Of course, there will be a time when you fancy a drink, don’t worry we have all been there! Check out this video by Sara Quiriconi, travel wellness expert for Sanctifly on how to have your drink but stay healthy too.

7. Get sleep where you can and when you can

A disrupted and disjointed routine comes with the territory when you are a frequent traveler. Flights leaving at odd hours, time spent waiting in the airport and different time zones do not lend well to a consistent routine. The best way to ensure you get enough sleep is to sleep wherever and whenever you can. Many airport lounges offer sleep rooms for rent and some airports are even beginning to offer sleep pods in the terminal. You can click the ‘Sleep’ option in the Sanctifly app to find all the sleep options available at your preferred airport.

Sleep is so important for a healthy and happy life. Even when things are stressful a good night’s sleep can do wonders to relieve stress and give you a new perspective on a situation. You can sleep and travel better with a Sanctifly membership. We have membership plans for every type of traveler, whether you only travel a few times a year or you travel every week. Download the Sanctifly app today and browse through 2500+ wellness focused locations available at 130+ international airports.

For more great tips on how to sleep better and how to fall asleep faster, check out this article from Sleepreport.

Sanctifly pass price increase

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

The price for a Sanctifly pass will increase from $25 to $29 on February 14th. Here are some frequently asked questions:

What is a Sanctifly pass?

A Sanctifly pass gives a Sanctifly member access to any of our 2500 paid wellness locations all over the world. Sanctifly members purchase passes in the Sanctifly app which are then stored in their account. Members can then book into any of our wellness locations in the app and exchange a pass for a unique access code. This code gives them access to the locations and helps build a healthy travel routine.

Why is the price increasing?

Here at Sanctifly, we pride ourselves on providing access to the best wellness facilities at the best prices. We went through some big changes in the last year with the release of the new app, the addition of thousands of new wellness locations and the creation of hours of travel wellness content. In order to continue to bring you the best possible service and continue to grow we have decided to increase the price of Sanctifly passes. However we are confident even at $29 per pass we are still providing our members with the best offer on the market.

When will it happen?

On February 14th at 00:01 GMT the price of a Sanctifly pass will increase from $25 to $29. This price increase will affect all future pass purchases from that date.

Will is affect passes I have in my account?

No, any passes you have in your account will not be affected by this price increase. Those passes will still be valid to access any of our wellness locations. All passes are valid for use as long as you are a premium member. Any unused passes at the end of the annual membership term will be frozen and only made available upon payment of the membership fee.

Will this affect the price of my membership?

No, the price of Sanctifly memberships will not be increasing. The number of passes included in each membership type will also stay the same. You can find out more about the different membership types here.

Can I stock up on passes before the price increase?

Yes! Purchase passes before February 14th and you will only pay $25. These passes will stay in your account and can be used for any upcoming trips. Or, if you want an even better deal you can upgrade your membership. If you upgrade to Sanctifly Gold you will get 30 passes at only $16.50 each!

If you have any questions about the price increase please email our support line on hello@sanctifly.club.

Travel Well,

Team Sanctifly

5 tips for plastic free travel

5 Tips for making your business trip plastic free

Sustainability, climate change and reducing single use plastics were hot tops in 2019 and I am sure they will stay at the forefront of everyone’s minds in 2020 and beyond. Air travel and sustainable eco practices are not two things that go hand in hand easily, the huge carbon impact of airplanes is an unavoidable fact. However, air travel is important, especially for business. In the modern age, thanks to the internet and communication technology, it has never been easier to run a global business. However, in order to grow and maintain that business face to face meetings are extremely important. According to a study by Forbes, 85% of people believe that they build stronger and more meaningful business relationships during in person meetings. According to all reports global business travel is here to stay and as travelers it is our responsibility to make changes in our travel routine and work towards a more sustainable travel industry. Airports, hotel chains and many other travel related businesses are also becoming aware of the need for change and are taking actionable steps to reducing the environmental impact of their industries. Here are 5 useful tips for keeping single use plastics out of your travel routine. If you have any more tips, please let me know!  

1.       Pack a reusable water bottle & coffee cup

Dumping your liquids (or avoiding having liquids altogether) is top of the to do list for frequent travelers that want to get through security quickly and simply. In the past, in order to stay properly hydrated, which is so important when facing the dry air of an airplane, this often meant purchasing a water bottle once you were past security. These bottles are a huge source of plastic waste and airports and travelers are taking notice. Refillable water stations post security are now the norm in all major airports with more and more being added to accommodate eco-conscious travelers. Here is a great resource for finding refillable water stations at airports. A reusable water bottle should be in your bag whether you are traveling or not, not only is it good for the environment and will help you avoid single use plastics, it will also be a helpful reminder to drink more water! I have also found that having a bottle of water in my bag discourages me from ordering other, more unhealthy options such as fizzy drinks or a glass of wine while eating, which has even further health benefits. Bottled water is not the only liquid we need to be conscious of while traveling. Early morning flights, long hours in the airport and challenging meetings often require caffeine. Disposable paper coffee cups can be hard to recycle due to the liquid proof interior lining which can be difficult and costly to process. A lot of café’s are making the move to compostable coffee cups but even then, they still create waste. Add a reusable coffee cup to your bag and avoid disposable coffee cups altogether.

2.       Pack your own snacks

Eating at the airport is almost an inevitability. Especially if you are going on a long-haul flight, between the time spent in the airport and the time spent on the plane you are most certainly going to be covering at least one, if not two mealtimes. And even if you are not going on a particularly long flight, airports are often boring and grabbing a snack or a bite to eat is a great way to pass some time. As a stickler for healthy travel habits I always encourage people to avoid the burger and beer and the airport bar and seek out a healthier option, however this does not always translate to plastic free. It is often much easier to get a plate of unhealthy, stodgy food served on an actual plate with actual cutlery. A plastic wrapped salad may be better for your gut but it’s not so great for the environment. Packing your own snacks for the airport and the plane is a great way to take control of your eating habits while traveling and stay plastic free. According to a survey by Amedeus unhealthy eating and lack of exercise were among the top causes of stress for business travelers. Do yourself a favour next time you are traveling for business and pack some healthy snacks to keep you full and hydrated while at the airport and avoid buying unnecessary plastic. Check out this blog post on the top filling and hydrating snacks, perfect for travel.

3.       Pack your own plastic free, travel friendly toiletries

Although we are starting to see a small change in the accommodation preference of business travelers especially with unique accommodation giant Airbnb setting their sights on the business travel market the overwhelming majority still opt for hotels when booking a business trip. 74% of business travelers prefer to stay in hotels over other accommodations and due to convenience, amenities and possible rewards associated with staying in hotels, this is not very surprising. One of the benefits of staying in a hotel, particularly a higher end one is that you don’t have to worry about bringing your own toiletries. I don’t know about you, but I hate bringing toiletries with me on the plane. The majority of business trips are approx. 2 days and checking in a bad is unnecessary, cumbersome and expensive, so toiletries need to be packed in the carry on. Not only do I have to go out of my way to buy travel sized toiletries I also have a constant worry about one of those little tubs bursting and covering my clothes in shampoo. Simply using the toiletries provided by the hotel was a convenient way of relieving that stress however as we become more conscious of the damage caused by single use plastics, the waste created by hotel toiletries cannot be ignored. Hotel chains are also recognising the need for change, which giants such as Marriott and IHG vowing to remove single use plastics from their hotels in 2020 and 2021 respectively. So, the hospitality industry is stepping up but as is the theme with all these tips, the individual traveler also needs to do their part. Create a plastic free, travel friendly toiletry kit to bring with you on your next business trip. Mine consists of a bar of soap, a shampoo bar and a conditioner bar (no more worrying about spillages!) and tucks neatly into my carry on. An alternative can be to purchase small bottles and decant your shampoo, conditioner and shower gels before your trip, however this option requires a little more effort on your part.

4.       Pack reusable cutlery

Plastic knives, forks and spoons are a huge environmental problem. Now I think we can all agree that getting plastic cutlery with our cheeky Friday night take out is wholly unnecessary and delivery giants such as Deliveroo are waking up to that fact making no plastic cutlery the default when you order through them, when it comes to travel it’s a bit more difficult to discount their usefulness. We are not at home, so we do not have a drawer full of forks to pull from, so plastic cutlery is the best option, right? Wrong! It is estimated that 40 billion plastic utensils are wasted in the US every year. Large airlines can use up to 85 million plastic utensils every year! That’s a lot of waste and though it may be more convenient to use a plastic fork while traveling, throw it away and not have to deal with the clean-up we need to change our attitudes in order to combat this problem. Airlines are taking steps to reduce their plastic cutlery waste by introducing innovative options such as biodegradable cutlery made from cereal starch, but we as travelers need to make changes too. Make a reusable cutlery set part of your packing list and avoid plastic waste on your next business trip. Here is a great option from Shell&Turtle. It has all the tools you could possibly need in a tidy travel case.

5.       Plan your meals

A business trip can take a lot of different forms. Sometimes its straightforward, one meeting in one place and sometimes you are running all over town from one meeting to the next. As employers try to get more return on their investment into business travel, the latter is becoming more and more common and that is not only creating more stress for traveling employees it also makes grabbing a pre-made sandwich or other snack, that are often wrapped in plastic, becomes the only viable option. We all have a responsibility to make a positive change when it comes to our plastic use but in order to create a sustainable change it needs to be realistic for our everyday life. Packing your own snacks for the airplane is easily done, however asking a busy business traveler to prepare and pack their own meals as they are running from one meeting to the next is unreasonable. The best balance I have found while traveling for work is to take a little bit of time to plan ahead as much as possible. A huge benefit of the public waking up to the plastic crisis is that more eateries are conscious of being plastic free and there is a whole lot more information out there on what businesses are making those positive changes. Taking the time to plan ahead, understanding where I will be for a particular meeting and at what time I will be eating and having a go to healthy spot nearby already saved in my phone has helped my to avoid the grab and go section of the store and avoid unnecessary plastic food wrapping. Not to mention the positive effect having a fully planned out day has had on my stress levels!

Top tip for employers

Do you have employees that travel frequently for work? Create a plastic free travel kit for your traveling employees complete with a metal water bottle, metal straw, reusable cutlery and anything else you feel would be helpful for your traveling executives.

Want to reduce the time you spend sitting around the airport and reduce the temptation to buy plastic? Get Sanctifly and spend your airport downtime doing something good for you physical and mental health. Head to a lounge and relax away from the chaos of the airport (most will have some sort of snack bar so you can avoid purchasing plastic wrapped sandwiches from the airport shop) or head to the airport spa and treat yourself to a pre-flight massage to relieve any travel stress. If you have a bit more time to spare before your flight or if you have a layover, why not head to a Sanctifly partner hotel and hit the gym or go for a swim to re energize before your next flight. As a Sanctifly member you can use any of our partner location facilities without having to book a room. Find our more about our membership benefits and our membership plans.

Welcoming Aerospa to Sanctifly

We are absolutely delighted to announce our partnership with Aerospa. Aerospa is an airport spa with 8 locations across the UK that offers an array of beauty and wellness services, catered to the time you have available at the airport. Whether you have only fifteen minutes to spare or some extra time to indulge, the staff at Aerospa will ensure you leave looking and feeling fabulous.

Aerospa is now a part of the Sanctifly location network and members can use a pass to get a discount on any of the Aerospa services.

Where can you find Aerospa?

Aerospa has 8 locations across the UK and all are now available on the Sanctifly app. Find Aerospa at the following locations:

• Newcastle Airport

• Edinburgh Airport

• Doubletree Hilton Edinburgh

• London City Airport

• Glasgow Airport

• Gatwick Airport

• Birmingham Airport

• Manchester Airport

What do they offer?

• Massage (Bamboo massage, relaxation massage and deep tissue massage)

• Nail care (manicures, pedicures, cuticle care and more)

• Beauty treatments (brow and lash treatments)

• Hydrating facials

Please note not all services are available at all locations. Please check the Aerospa website for more details.

Not a Sanctifly member? Join the Club!

Become a Sanctifly members and get access to 2500+ wellness locations at over 130 international airports. You can visit airport executive lounges, gyms, pools and spas all over the world when you are a Sanctifly member. Make the most of your airport downtime and make healthy choices on your next trip. Learn more about our different membership plans here.

Is business travel bad for your employees? Over 20% of employees say yes

According to a recent survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of NexTravel, more than 20% of US business travelers surveyed report that business travel has a negative impact on their physical and mental health. Managing finances, maintaining personal relationships or missing important family events, lack of or poor-quality sleep and a decrease in productivity are just some of the factors that frequent business travel is having an impact on. There has been a lot of research into how business travel affects employees in the past few years and I’m sorry to say that the result are resoundingly negative. Combine this with the fact that face to face meetings are 34 times more likely to get favourable results, according to a research study conducted by the Harvard Business Review. So it seems that employers are pushing for more in person meetings and more business travel but falling short when it comes to looking after their employees’ well being. The opportunity to travel can be an inviting perk of any job however with more people researching company culture before taking a job, your company’s attitude to business travel and travel culture could be losing you valuable talent.

So that leads us to the question...

What can you do to improve you company’s travel culture and help attract and retain top talent?

At Sanctifly we talk with employers every day about their company culture and how they promote travel wellness among their traveling employees. Here are some of our top tips:

1. Help your employees to build a healthy resilience to frequent travel.

Frequent travel takes it toll on your health. Late nights, long flights, uncomfortable and unfamiliar surroundings all contribute to create unhealthy travel habits, removing us from our routine and normalises unhealthy behaviour. We drink more, sleep less and barely exercise and because we are away from home and outside of our normal routine, we justify it. Active steps need to be taken by employee and employer to help traveling executives counteract the negatives and build a healthy resilience to frequent travel. There are many things you can do to achieve this such as making wellness part of your travel policy, plan with your traveling employees so they know where they are going and what they should expect and help them to re frame their thinking around business travel and airport downtime. You can read about it in more detail here or, if you prefer to listen check out our webinar on ‘How to build a healthy resilience to frequent travel’ with Travel Wellness Expert, Sara Quiriconi.

2. Set realistic expectations

Time is always scarce when it comes to business travel. And it is understandable, everyone wants to get as much return on their investment as possible and unfortunately this can sometimes come at the expense of the traveling employee. According to the survey ‘22% of people say they feel they are being unproductive up to 50% of the time while on a business trip.’ Pressure from management to get things done combined with the feeling of being unproductive and not meeting expectations is extremely bad for your mental health. Setting clear and realistic expectations and setting out a plan for business trips can help alleviate stress for employees. Make it clear what they are expected to achieve, when they are expected to be contactable and what other work tasks they can realistically expect to get done while on the road. Talk through the plan with your employee and make sure you both sign off on it because sometime what may seem achievable from the office is just not feasible while on the road.

3. Prioritise physical and mental health

We always encourage employers to stress the importance of health and well being while on the road and help them to see airport downtime as a time to practice self-care. Workout, stretch, meditate or get a massage, if airport time is not considered work time and the employee is free to spend it as they wish, you can be sure they will arrive off that plane and into the meeting refreshed and energised. Sanctifly is the best option for employee travel wellness. Your employees can get access to airport lounges and spas and airport hotel gyms and pools without booking a room. For information on corporate rates contact us today.

4. Be proactive about jet lag and sleep deprivation

There are countless studies out there that prove lack of sleep leads to a reduction in productivity. We don’t even really need to read the studies; we have all had those days after a bad night’s sleep where we have been unproductive and probably a bit cranky. According to the survey ‘26% of people say business travel makes them feel exhausted’. Is it any wonder that so many also say they feel they are unproductive which traveling for business? Tiredness can have a greater negative effect on traveling employees than reducing productivity and effectiveness in meetings, it can also create negative connotations with business travel that can be difficult to change. Lack of sleep seriously affects our mood and overall happiness and if we associate a bad mood with traveling for work, we won’t be jumping with excitement at the prospect of our next business trip. By encouraging employees to look after their sleep schedule and take active steps to fight jet lag, you can help them to sleep better while on the road. Timeshifter is a create technological solution. Developed with sleep scientists the app helps you to create your own personalised jet lag plans. Sanctifly members can get a special rate on a Timeshifter membership as well as access to travel wellness content designed to help promote a healthy sleep schedule while on the road.

5. Ask your employees how their business travel experience can be improved

‘59% of those polled said ‘always, often and sometimes’ when asked how often they are ‘left unhappy with the experience of a business trip’. This is a worrying statistic as the majority of those surveyed travel for business multiple times a month. Business travel is clearly a large part of their working life and having a negative business travel experience will reflect negatively on their overall view of their job. Stress also plays a part here. As mentioned above, a stressful business trip experience can lead to bad connotations with travel and cause stress and anxiety when the next trip is looming. 16% of people have quit a job because of stress. Only your traveling employees can really know what will make them feel better about business travel so ask them. Conduct an in-house survey and really figure out what you can do to make your employees experience with business travel better.

 Business travel is an important activity for a lot of businesses but it should not come at the expense of your employees. And it doesn’t have to! Take these steps and help your traveling employees to Travel Well in 2020.

If you are looking for the best travel wellness solution for your traveling team then you need Sanctifly. Sanctifly is the number one global provider of wellness options ans activities in and around airports. Members get access to airport lounges and spas at a discounted rate and get access to airport hotel gyms and pools without booking a room. Help your team take back their airport downtime and start Traveling Well.

The Best Airports For Traveler Wellness

Travel and wellness don’t always go hand in hand. The airport is a stressful and chaotic place and for a long time that is just something frequent travelers had to put up with. However as we become more and more aware of the negative effects frequent travel has on us and the benefits of wellness activities, a shift in attitude is starting to occur. Airports are starting to recognize the wellness needs and wants of their traveling customers and are looking to build a new mindset around time spent at the airport, whether that is through fitness facilities, meditation rooms or other more innovative methods (check out what Frankfurt has to offer below!) At Sanctifly we recognize that airport downtime does not have to wasted and it certainly does not have to mean spending time at the bar. It’s great to see airports joining us in this new approach to travel downtime. Check out the best wellness options available at airports below.

Fitness

Incorporating fitness into your travel routine can be difficult. Although we always encourage travelers to fit in a workout whenever you can, even if you only have ten minutes at the gate, having the motivation to get up and stretch or do some squats is easier said than done. That’s why we love it when an airport gives it traveling passengers fitness options that can be accessed right from the terminal. These are our favourite fitness options at airports:

The TWA Hotel gym at JFK

The TWA Hotel is an amazing location by itself and the gym is something to behold. The facility is over 10,000 sq ft and is the largest hotel gym in the entire world! It boasts a full yoga studio, Peloton bikes, treadmills, weight equipment and so much more. The fitness center is within walking distance of the airport and can be accessed directly from Terminal 5 at JFK.

Sanctifly members get access to the TWA Fitness center and we send Sara, our travel wellness expert to check it out. Take a look at here video here. Find out more about the amazing benefits you get when you become a Sanctifly member here.

ROAM fitness at BWI

One of the few in airport gyms, ROAM Fitness at Baltimore Airport is an amazing facility. The gym is located after security next to gate D1. The perfect spot for a workout before or even after your flight to help you stay energized. The gym has lost of cardio and weights equipment for you to use and they even lend you workout clothes for free should you need it! That is some customer service! Of course you will need to rinse off the sweat you just worked up and ROAM fitness has you covered. You can reserve a shower for after your workout and continue on your journey feeling clean and refreshed. Day passes start at $25 and they have lots of other membership options available too. ROAM fitness at BWI are also part of the Sanctifly partner network and Sanctifly members can get access passes through the Sanctifly app.

CLE Health Walk

You don’t always have to hit the gym in order to add fitness to your travel routine. It is great when airports take an active interest in their traveling passengers physical health and provide easily accessible fitness options right in the airport. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport have done just that with their Start! Walking routes. The routes are available in all terminals and give passengers that are waiting for a flight or may be delayed a chance to get moving and get some exercise. CLE also has Health Tips related to diet and exercise posted throughout the terminals.

Stress relief

Airports and air travel are some of the most stressful experiences we go through. Even when traveling for pleasure the airport is a tiresome experience, with its large crowds and noisy atmosphere. Add to that the potential of your flight being delayed and it’s a recipe for stress. Airports are waking up to the fact that they need to take better care of their passengers’ wellbeing and are incorporating stress relief into the passenger experience. Here are some unique ways airports are helps travelers deal with stress.

The WAG brigade - Airport therapy animals at SFO

This almost sounds too good to be true… Your flight is delayed, you’re are getting more and more stressed and along comes a happy, cuddly dog to help melt your stress away. Well that’s exactly what could happen at San Francisco Airport thanks to the Wag Brigade. Trained by SF SPCA's Animal Assisted Interactions training program, these airport therapy dogs and pig (yes, you read that right, the Wag Brigade actually features a therapy pig named LiLou!) are used to the hustle and bustle of the airport and do wonders for stressed out passengers as they wait for their flight. Even just seeing them trotting along in the terminal is enough to put a smile on your face and relieve some of that inevitable airport stress.

Silent chairs at Frankfurt Airport

Frankfurt is one of the most progressive airports when it comes to passenger wellness, topping most lists as the best in the world for providing wellness amenities. It is not totally surprising that Frankfurt Airport has some unique facilities to help its stressed out passengers, one of which are the Silent Chairs. An airport can be a chaotic and noisy place and sometimes the thing you need most to destress is some peace and quiet. The Silent Chairs are dotted throughout the airport in both terminals are great spots for meditation. The chairs have soundproof glass panels on either side, with integrated speakers and earphone jack so you can enjoy your own music. The also come equipped with small tables, USB ports and power sockets if you need to get some work done.

Watch the fish at the indoor aquarium in Vancouver Airport

Vancouver airport is packed full of wildlife and one of the most peaceful ways to spend your airport downtime is to visit the 114,000-litre aquarium located in the International Terminal. Watching fish and other sea creatures is soothing and almost hypnotic to watch and can have incredible positive benefits for your mental health. The large aquarium at YVR is home to over 5,000 sea creatures and the small 1,800-litre aquarium is home to Pacific Sea Nettle Jellyfish. Except for the throngs of people, airports can often be lifeless places with very little space for nature, so it is great to see an airport incorporating local wildlife in such a unique way. Even if you don’t find fish particularly soothing, the bright and natural colours are at least a welcome change from the relative blandness and artificial light you often find in airports.

Many airports now feature yoga and meditation rooms for their passengers to use. Check out this blog post I wrote on the top 5 free yoga/meditation rooms at the airport.

Get outside

Airport Park in Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam

Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam has the perfect place to get some fresh air and get close to nature thanks to its Airport Park. The ‘park’ is located after security and is open 24/7. The space has lots of comfortable seating, plant life and a terrace so you can get outside and breath in some fresh air. Relax and enjoy the space while listening to the pre-recorded birdsong and you will feel like you are a million miles away from the airport. The space also has energy generating stationary bikes so you can work up a sweat and charge your phone at the same time! You can also get outside at Schiphol by going to the Panorama Terrace where you can do a bit of plane spotting with an expansive view over the airport runways.

Sun terrace at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Get some fresh air and soak up some Texas rays at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The airport has an outdoor patio in the South Terminal that is accessible to passengers once they go past security. The area has lots of tables and chairs for you to sit and relax before your flight and you can even grab bite to eat at one of the food trucks stationed in the outdoor patio. There is also WI-Fi access and charging stations available, but I recommend taking a moment to put down your electronics and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine.

Cultural gardens at Honolulu airport

Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu, Hawaii is one of the best airports for outdoor space. The airport has several cultural gardens for passengers to enjoy. The gardens surround Terminal 2 and offer a peaceful oasis for travelers with various plant life, water features and sculptures throughout. There are three distinct areas, the Chinese Garden with a bright red pavilion for travelers to sit and rest, the Japanese Garden with its zigzag bridge and colorful carp swimming in the ponds and the Hawaiian Garden with its quiet lagoons and Luau torches linking the paths. An amazing resource for anyone traveling through Honolulu and a great way to experience different cultural influence through natural design.

Runs/walks in the Sanctifly app

There are some airport specific outdoor areas listed above but there are so many more options if you are willing to leave the airport and go a little further afield. At Sanctifly we have gathered information on walking and running routes within 5 miles of all major international airports, and we are adding more and more every week! You can find all this information by downloading the Sanctifly app, creating a free account and exploring the run/walk section.

And if you would like to become a member and get access to all of our locations, including airport lounges, gyms, pools and spas all over the world you can get your Sanctifly membership here.

5 tips to help avoid travel stress

Travel can be stressful. Even when traveling for leisure the airport portion of the trip sends most people into a spiral. Add to that the pressure associated with frequent business travel, pressure from your boss, keeping up with work and communications, late night flights and little to no relaxation time and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a stressful and unpleasant experience.

Avoid travel stress by following adding these 5 easy tips to your travel routine.

Tip #1 Plan ahead

Being prepared and anticipating what you will have to deal with during your travels is one of the easiest ways to reduce and avoid stress. Your travel routine should start the night before to ensure you are not rushing or feeling unprepared. Step 1: Pack your bag the night before. Have a go to packing list that you can manually check when packing your bag so you can make absolutely sure you don’t forget anything important. Step 2: Plan how you are getting to the airports (and add a little extra time). Missing or being late for a flight is a huge cause of travel stress especially for business travelers. There can be a lot riding on making that meeting, not to mention the amount of money your employer is spending to get you there. Missing a flight because you are unprepared is just not a option. Remove this stress by organizing your transport to the airport in advance, knowing exactly where you are going to park and giving yourself some extra time in case of delays.

Tip #2 Learn about the airport and/or city you are traveling to

According to a survey conducted by Booking.com,  21% of business travelers cite unfamiliar surroundings as a cause of travel stress. Having to navigate a place that you have no experience of can be incredibly stressful and even more so when you have tight deadlines to keep. Heading straight to a meeting from the airport is a common occurrence among business travelers. Odds are you know your local airport like the back of your hand but one of the best ways to help reduce and avoid stress is by taking the time to get to know the airport and even the city you are traveling to. Take advantage of technology and use it to help you familiarize yourself with the airport or the city you are traveling to. Information on amenities, parking, maps and much more can often be found on the airport website and nowadays most airports will have an app that you can download. You could also download FLIO, the global airport app, where you can find maps and information on over 3000 airports as well as get some great discounts. Search YouTube for airport tours and travel vlogs of the city for some great inside tips and knowledge.

Tip #3 Pack a power bank

Your mobile phone is not only your primary source of communication, its your source of information and directions when trying to navigate a new place. Getting off the plane and realising your phone is about to die right when you need to find the address of your hotel or the number of your contact is incredibly stressful and something that is easily avoidable. You will no doubt have a regular charger in your carry on and finding an outlet or a workstation in the airport is an option. The problem is these are much more common when you are waiting to board a flight and can be difficult and awkward to find landside. Bring a power bank on the plane with you to alleviate that stress. Charge your phone while your flying to your destination and give yourself one less thing to worry about when you land. As an added precaution, in case you find yourself completely without technology for any reason, you should print out a document with important information such as flight times, accommodation addresses and phone numbers and keep it in your bag just in case. Packing a portable external charger in your carry on is one of my favourite pre flight wellness tips. You can find more wellness tips in this blog post.

Tip #4 Stick to your routine (as much as you can)

Travel has serious effects on our mental and physical health because it takes us out of our routine. Routines help our bodies to cope with everyday life because they have an idea of what to expect. People with consistent routine have lower stress levels, better sleep patterns and over all better health. But building a healthy travel routine is easier said than done. Even for those of us that travel frequently it can be difficult to develop a routine. Varying flight times, different airports and longer or shorter airport downtime can all combine to disrupt our healthy routine. 54% of business travelers say that they are less likely to exercise on a work trip than at home. Everyone’s travel routine will be different, and you may need to experiment in order to find out what works best for your wellness. Perhaps you need to arrive to the airport a little earlier, so you have time to stretch before your flight. Perhaps you need to make it a point to go out for a walk and get some fresh air as soon as you get to a new city. Whatever you need to stay healthy and well, try to build a travel routine that helps you and stick to it.

Tip #5 Meditate

One of the most effective ways for reducing stress is meditation. Meditation helps give you a sense of calm and helps you to gain a new perspective on a stressful situation. There are many different ways to meditate and as with most wellness practices you will need to find the way that is best suited to your needs and situation. There is so much meditation content and tutorials online that it can be a bit overwhelming for a beginner. I suggest following one of the guided meditation available in the Sanctifly app. Find a quiet spot in the airport (unused gates are a great option), plug in your head phones and let all your stress melt away.

Read some first hand accounts about the impacts of meditation here.

Interested in becoming a Sanctifly member? Join today and get access to 2500+ wellness locations at over 130 international airports including access to airport executive lounges, airport gyms, pools and spas. Make the most of your airport downtime and make healthy choices on your next trip. View our different membership types.

How to avoid getting sick while traveling - 6 essentials to pack

It’s getting to that time of the year again… Flu season. ☹ We all dread getting on that flight and hearing the coughing from a few rows back. Now, it’s not all bad, according to a study released in 2018 the chances of catching a cold from someone on a airplane are actually pretty low, unless you are unfortunate enough to be sitting right next to them. Not that that means there is no risk. Being in a confined space with lots of people and the minimal cleaning the airplane seats and tables get between flights is the perfect cocktail for getting sick. Unfortunately, being around lots of people is unavoidable when you are a frequent traveler but that doesn’t mean you have to get sick.

Here are the essentials you need to pack to avoid getting sick on your next business trip.

Hand sanitizer & disinfectant wipes

Millions of people travel through airports and on airplanes every day. That means lots of germs, on the things you touch, the places you sit and, for those of us dealing with long layovers the place you rest your head. We encounter germs everywhere but around this time of year when the weather is changing and more people are getting sick and our immune systems are fighting off more than usual, avoiding germs is essential if you don’t want to get sick. There are some ways you can help counteract the germs you may encounter while traveling. Pack a travel sized hand sanitizer in your luggage and don’t forget to use it. And I also ALWAYS pack some disinfectant wipes in my carry-on bag and wipe down my airplane seat and tray table before getting settled.

Water bottle – stay hydrated

Staying hydrated is extremely important if you want to avoid getting sick while traveling because it helps to keep your whole body operating at its best. Hydration should be a part of your daily health routine no matter what the season and especially when traveling. To help counteract the stress travel puts on our bodies you need to drink plenty of fluids, and I mean water not coffee! Studies have shown that staying hydrated helps boost your immune system and better fight infection. Check out this blog post on the best 15 hydrating and filling snacks to bring to the airport. (https://www.sanctifly.club/sblog/15-healthy-snacks-perfect-for-traveling)

Vitamin C tablets

As someone who automatically buys a carton of orange juice whenever I feel slightly run down (and believe me it works!) its no wonder vitamin C tablets are in my healthy travel kit. Vitamin C is one of the best supplements to help boost your immune system and prevent illness. It helps your white blood cells to function more efficiently and effectively protect your body against infections. There are lots of ways you can get some extra vitamin C in your diet, with lots of fruit and vegetables being rich sources. But it’s just not always feasible to get a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice at the airport or on the plane so vitamin C tablets are a great alternative. And you don’t have to worry about going over your liquid allowance!

Probiotics

Our bodies are full of bacteria, both good and bad and we need that good bacteria to help keep us healthy. Good gut bacteria helps to regulate and protect our digestive system, something that is prone to discomfort and upset when traveling. Probiotics are live bacteria that do just that. They help keep your gut healthy which is extremely beneficial to your overall health and well-being. It is advisable to start taking probiotics at least one week before your trip and continue to take them for up to one week afterwards in order to get the full benefits.

Sleep aid

A good sleep will cure anything. While not completely true there is some truth to this old idiom. Sleep is how our body recovers, repairs and strengthens itself, all of which help you to avoid getting sick. Unfortunately travel and restful sleep just don’t often go together. Whether you are jumping between time zones and battling jet lag, catching an overnight flight or trying to survive a long layover getting some quality sleep while traveling is really difficult. Sleep aids are sometimes a necessity in order to maintain a decent sleep schedule while traveling. Instasleep Mint Melts (https://instasleep.us/) are a favourite travel essential for the team here at Sanctifly. They are a drug free sleep aid that tastes great and an easy addition to your carry-on bag.

Sanctifly

The ultimate travel survival essential – a Sanctifly membership (https://www.sanctifly.club/membership-types) 😊. Of course I am going to be a little bit bias here but a Sanctifly membership can really help you to avoid getting sick while traveling. As a Sanctifly member you get exclusive access to airport hotel gyms, pools and spas all over the world without the expense of booking a room. Remember mental health is as important as physical health when it comes to avoiding getting sick and maintaining a healthy exercise routine while on the road is of huge benefit. You can also get access over 250 airport lounges, most of which have showers and beds. Catch some ZZZ’s after a refreshing shower on your next layover when you become a Sanctifly member. You can find out more about membership benefits here (https://www.sanctifly.club/membership-benefits).

5 Free Yoga Rooms - Things to do at the airport

Travel and wellness activities should go hand in hand. Travel can be stressful and chaotic and having the opportunity to relax and recharge while traveling can be a life saver. Airports and airlines are starting to wake up to this fact and we are seeing more and more wellness focused activities on offer for travelers. Yoga rooms and spaces are popping up in airports all over. Often what started as a pop up has become a permanent fixture due to popular demand. The trend seems to be more evident in the US however we are sure it will become the norm worldwide in the coming years. So if you are looking for something good to do at the airport and want to get in a good stretch before your flight check out these options for free yoga rooms at airports:

Stretch at O’Hare Airport

One of the busiest airports in the US, and ranked as the sixth busiest airport in the world, Chicago O’Hare saw more that 83 million passengers pass through its terminals in 2018 and that number has been steadily increasing over the past 10 years. With such a high volume of passengers its no wonder the airport is making an effort to offer some relief from the chaos for its travelers. The Yoga Room at Chicago O’Hare is a tranquil space where passengers can relax, stretch and meditate for free while waiting for a flight. Located on the Mezzanine level of the Terminal 3 Rotunda the space is bathed in natural light thanks to a full wall of frosted glass windows. There are exercise mats available for visitors and wall mounted displays that show yoga poses to follow. The screens also show flight information so there is no chance of missing your flight.

Airport: Chicago O’Hare

How do I get there?: Located near the Urban Garden on the Mezzanine Level of Terminal 3.

Opening hours: 06:00am to 10:00pm

Image from https://www.flysfo.com/content/yoga-room-0

Yoga Rooms at San Francisco Airport

San Francisco Airport is the second busiest airport in California and the 24th busiest airport in the world. SFO saw more than 57 million passengers pass through its doors in 2018. Although it’s a bit quieter than O’Hare, San Francisco Airport is still aware that its passengers need some space for rest and relaxation. SFO was one of the first airports to open a facility such as this and it is a trend that many other airports have followed. There are two yoga rooms at San Francisco Airport, one in Terminal 2 and one in Terminal 3. Both are located past security and passengers require a valid boarding pass in order to access them. The yoga room is calm and serene and is described as a place for yoga, meditation and self-reflection and best of all it’s free to use!

Airport: San Francisco Airport

How do I get there?: Located in terminal 2 past security in boarding area D and in terminal 3 past security in boarding area E

Opening hours: 05:00am to 11:00pm

Yoga / Exercise area at Dallas Fort Worth Airport

Dallas Fort Worth is the fifteenth busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic and the fourth busiest airport by aircraft movements. With six terminals to navigate and over 69 million passengers passing through its doors in 2018 DFW airport can be an overwhelming place. If you are looking for somewhere to exercise or relax DFW has the perfect spot do you. The airport has a yoga/exercise area that is free to use by traveling passengers. It is located past security at Gate D40 in the hallway that connects Terminal B and D. However, this yoga area may not be for you if you are looking for some peace and quiet or privacy. The space is not quite separate from the hustle and bustle of the airport with only a room divider and some greenery blocking it off. But if you pop in your earphones and get in the zone you can definitely find some peace within the chaos. The studios provide guests with complimentary practice mats and other exercise equipment such as exercise balls and stretch bands. There are also displays which show instructional videos that you can follow along with or do your own thing.

Airport: Dallas Fort Worth

How do I get there?: Located at Gate D40 in the hallway connecting Terminal B and D and at Gate E31.

Opening hours: 24hr

Image from https://shop.frankfurt-airport.com/en/service/yoga-raum

Two yoga rooms at Frankfurt Airport

Yoga rooms or spaces at airports it not such a big trend outside of the US unfortunately but Frankfurt Airport is looking to change that. As one of the most wellness focused airports in Europe it’s no surprise that Frankfurt Airport has not one but two yoga rooms for it’s traveling passengers. Ranking at thirteenth busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic this calm and serence space is a welcome treat. You can find one studio in Terminal 2, Area D on Level 3 and the other in Terminal 1, Area C on Level 2. Warm colours and pleasant lighting create a calming atmosphere with complimentary mats, blocks and cushions available to guests and a large mirror so you can see yourself doing the poses.  

Airport: Frankfurt Airport

How do I get there?: Located near Gates C14 and C16 in Terminal 1 and near Gates D1 and D4 in Terminal 2.

Opening hours: 24hr

Relax at Miami International Airport

MIA is a major hub for the Southeastern United States and the main hub for long haul flights in South Florida. In 2018 over 45 million passengers passed through the airport and that makes it the thirteenth busiest airport in the United States and the 40th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic. Miami International Airport has a free yoga room available to its traveling passengers and uniquely this yoga space is not located past security. That means you do not need to go through security to use the space. The yoga room is located in Terminal H on the first floor and visitors can use the complimentary mats available in the space.

Airport: Miami International Airport

How do I get there?: Located before security in Terminal H on the first floor.

Opening hours: 09:00am to 09:00pm

Another option: London Heathrow

There is a yoga room available at London Heathrow but unfortunately it is not free. The yoga room is offered by the Skyteam Lounge and you can purchase a day pass to the lounge for approx. £30. The lounge has lots of other amenities such as showers and day beds so it could be a great option for anyone with a long layover at Heathrow. Heathrow has another option in Terminal 3, a rest and relaxation room located after security between gate 24 and 25 that is free to use. Although not set up for yoga it is a good spot to relax and meditate while waiting for a flight.

Not all airports have a space for travelers to practice yoga but that doesn’t mean you have to go without! You can always find an empty gate to get some peace and quiet and get in a good stretch. Log into the Sanctifly app to find our stretch and relax or meditation video series. Follow along with travel wellness expert Sara Quiriconi and make healthy choices for your airport downtime. You can find out more about all the benefits you get as a Sanctifly member here.

3 tips to minimize back pain during a flight

Are you wishing for pain free travel? Here are 3 tips to minimize back pain while traveling.

It’s all to easy to slump back in the airplane seat just to try and get a bit of comfort. We tell ourselves its not so bad, its only for a few hours. According to Statistica in 2018 Americans went on 463.6 million domestic business trips and that number is only increasing. That’s a lot of time in the air and it all adds up. When we look at our time spent traveling as a whole rather than individual occurrences its easy to see how those bad habits all add up to have a negative impact on our health. Creating healthy travel habits especially when we are traveling consistently for work is important for our overall health and well-being.

Sitting slumped over and bad posture can have some serious repercussions on our overall health. According to a great article on The Healthy some of the possible side effects of bad posture are headaches, spasms, tiredness and of course back pain. There have even been studies showing that bad posture can have a negative effect on your mental health. (https://www.thehealthy.com/osteoporosis/surprising-ways-bad-posture-can-affect-your-health/)

Business travel is a multi million-dollar industry and shows no signs of slowing down. That means there is a pretty good chance you will be heading on a business trip at some stage in your career. Here are 3 tips and items to help improve your posture and reduce back pain when you are on a plane. Whether you plan ahead or want to improve your posture on the fly we have an option for you.

Tip #1

Bring two tennis balls with you and place then in a bag. Put these behind you in the airplane seat between your middle and lower back. By placing these behind your back you will force yourself to sit upright throughout your flight.

Plus, if you move around a bit, it acts as a nice massager to help you relax during your flight. Move the balls up to behind your neck for part of your flight and move your head from right to left for a nice neck massage. Your neighbour might be looking at your wondering why you’re are shifting around in your seat so much but who cares? I’d rather leave my long-haul flight with zero back pain and feeling refreshed and relaxed wouldn’t you?

Tip #2

Use your water bottle to help you sit up straight. Place your reusable water bottle length ways down the center of your back. Reusable water bottles are much better than a plastic bottle (not only because they are better for the environment - #nosingleuseplastics) but because a reusable water bottle is often much sturdier and will give you better support. Once you have drank all the water in your plastic water bottle it loses all its structure and can easily get crushed behind your back resulting in even worse posture than you would have without.

Tip #3

For those that don’t have the space to bring extra items or just didn’t have the chance to plan ahead (don’t worry it happens to the best of us!) you can use a magazine to give yourself lumbar support. You will nearly always find a magazine stuffed into the pocket in front of your seat or invest a few dollars and get one from the shop before you hop on the flight, your back will thank you for it later! Roll up the magazine and use it in the same way as the water bottle above, placing it length ways down the middle of your back. This will force you to sit up straight and lift yourself from the chest and help reduce back pain during any long-haul flight.

Staying healthy while traveling take a lot of effort. Believe us, we know. That’s why we at Sanctifly want to help every frequent flyer to travel well by providing high quality travel wellness content along with helpful tips and hacks for healthier travel. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure don’t let your health and well being become a second thought. Download Sanctifly today for more travel wellness tips.

Talking travel wellness and healthy business travel in Madrid

Talking travel wellness and healthy business travel in Madrid

This was Sanctifly’s first experience at the legendary South Summit event in Madrid, Spain, and it did not disappoint.  We were delighted to be a top 100 finalist, selected from thousands of tech start-ups all over the world.

The week kicked off for me with a speaking slot at Google for start-ups masterclass, attached for hundreds of peer entrepreneurs where I gave my take on 5 key requirements on going from start-up to scale up (Sanctifly did grow from 500 to 1500 locations in the last 12 months, so plenty of experience the draw on!).

The event kicked off on the 2nd in the wonderful Le Nave arena with lots of outdoor breakout areas to enjoy the 28°C weather under the clear blue sky. The event was jam-packed with investors, interesting start-ups and advisers.

Sanctifly had a stand and there wasn’t a quiet moment, lots to follow up calls and meetings this week and thankfully huge interest in what we are aiming to do – change travel habits and downtime of frequent flyers for good. I got the chance to present Sanctifly to a full house as part of the start up competition and share with all the attendees the amazing journey Sanctifly has been on over the last 12 months.

I finished the week with a visit to our new Medford Partner, Square Fitness and joined a HIIT class, OUCH. The pains of being the founder of a wellness start-up! One day I’ll just get a massage!