On The Road To Health

Road warriors are easy to spot in airports. They look more calm, almost as if resigned to their fate. They’re used to their routine—and having that routine upset often. They spend a great deal of time on the road, away from their offices and their families, but have learned their own ways to survive the stress of frequent travel.

Plan to Reduce Stress

Linda Johnson and her husband have a weekly meeting every Sunday during which they plan the week ahead for their busy household. Johnson, an executive vice president at Benfield, Inc., an international reinsurance and risk intermediary company with an office in Minneapolis, travels two to three days every week for business.

Her husband has retired and stays home with their three young children. Johnson says, “When you’re on the road, you don’t have the demands of your household. You don’t have to get home for the kids’ dance lessons, or their soccer games, so working 18 to 20 hours per day becomes doable. I’m fortunate that I have found a way to make it work. I realize that not everyone is able to figure it out.” But frequent travel, coupled with longer workdays, can begin to take its toll on the business traveler. That’s why carefully planning details of your trips can help you in the long run.

Sick Airplanes

It turns out your mother was right: Washing your hands frequently is one of the best things you can do to protect your health. This preventive measure becomes even more important when you travel often.

Dr. Hal Martin is an infectious disease specialist and head of Park Nicollet Health Services’ Travel Clinic. He also has a master’s degree in public health. “Planes are crowded; they’re dirty. You’re shoved in a flying tube with a whole lot of people you probably don’t even want to be around and air is recirculated,” Martin says. “Who touched the tray in front of you? You’re going to touch it and you’re going to put your hands in your mouth.”

Martin is an advocate for hand hygiene. When he travels, he carries alcohol gel to sanitize his hands in the absence of water. When it comes to the spread of germs, the surfaces of the airplane—and in the airport—are greater cause for concern than the recirculated air in the airplane. Although it is possible to catch some airborne illnesses, you’re more likely to pick up germs by hand.

Dried Up

Recirculated air is still a problem, though. “For long-term or longer-haul flights, I find one of the interesting issues is the dryness of the air,” says Martin. “Not only are you recirculating air and getting everybody’s germs, but as your nose dries out, the mucus layer is less able to protect you from germs that you would inhale.” A key to combating this is to stay well hydrated. And that doesn’t mean alcohol or soda. You need noncaffeinated, nonalcoholic beverages. Water really is the simplest solution.