I just returned from a lovely road trip to Wisconsin to visit my brother and his family, who moved there this past summer. It’s a fourteen-hour trek from New Jersey—much longer than I’ve tackled in years. It was wonderful to see my loved ones, as we are a very close-knit family and we all used to live within thirty minutes of one another. Now, with one brother fourteen hours away and another looking to move about four hours away, road trips are going to be a much bigger part of my life.
Knowing the toll travel takes, I tried to prepare for the challenges I might encounter as someone living with chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, and anxiety. But despite my best efforts, I still turned into a raisin.
The Symptom Spiral
My dry eye symptoms flared, even though I wasn’t staring at a computer screen all day, unlike at work. My cuticles were dehydrated and peeling despite applying hand cream after every wash. My sinuses were dry as a bone, and my rosacea flared up—hot, red, and oily—giving me that “sunburn” feeling. To top it all off, I was constipated. I definitely wasn’t in the mood for photos, though thankfully, my adorable nephews were happy to take center stage.
I kept asking myself: What am I doing wrong? I was drinking plenty of water with a homemade electrolyte mix. I was moisturizing my skin and using gel eye drops intended for severe dry eye symptoms. I even applied oil to the inside of my nostrils! So why did I still feel like the Sahara?
Lessons Learned: How to Stay Hydrated
After some research, I realized where I stumbled. Here is how to avoid “raisin status” next time you travel:
- Watch the Water Temp
I love iced drinks, even in the winter. If you follow Human Design, I have what’s known as “cold thirst” or “cold digestion,” meaning I naturally prefer cold or cool food and beverages. However, iced drinks can actually rehydrate you more slowly. Next time, I’ll keep adding electrolytes to my water but aim for room temp instead.
- The Sinus Routine
Don’t skip the maintenance. Using a Neti pot or saline rinse daily, followed by a drop of oil in each nostril, helps alleviate inflammation. Pro tip: If you aren’t sure if you’re dry, notice if it’s painful to pinch your nostrils together or if there is blood when you blow your nose.
- Pack the Humidifier
I use a humidifier at home to combat the indoor heating, but I figured I could skip it for a few nights. I was wrong. Small travel humidifiers are a game-changer and can fit easily on your hotel nightstand (some can even be placed in the cupholder in your car!).
- Moderate the Caffeine
Between the travel fatigue and being social, I doubled down on caffeinated coffee to perk up. Since excessive caffeine consumption can lead to dehydration, I should have stuck to my usual half-caf. (I did well with my alcohol intake, though! With so many great breweries in the Milwaukee area and so many fun beers to try, I kept it to only one or two per day.)
- Combat the Car Heat
My husband likes the car hot, and even with my vents closed, the “toasty” air sucked the moisture right out of my eyes. Next time, I’m bringing my eye massager and car humidifier and using the “warm washcloth” trick in the hotel mornings and evenings to soothe the dryness.
Traveling with chronic illness is always a learning process, and this trip was definitely a reminder that my body needs a little extra TLC when I’m away from home. I’m already planning to bring my eye massager and travel humidifier for the next trek to Wisconsin!
I’m curious—do you have a “must-have” item in your travel bag that keeps you feeling human? Or a hydration hack I missed? I’d love to hear your tips in the comments so we can all travel a little more comfortably!
