Tom Daley at the 2024 World Aquatics Championships. Deepbluemedia/Contributor/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images
Summer is a busy time for travel, especially as the world prepares for the Olympics in July.
Business Insider spoke with Olympian Tom Daley about his tips for staying healthy while traveling.
Daly suggests stretching, meditating and finding free activities near your destination.
The sun is shining for longer hours and temperatures are rising, which means summer has officially arrived.
According to a survey by The Vacation magazine, about 82% of American adults plan to travel this season, with about a quarter of them planning to go abroad. With the Olympics in Paris, Wimbledon in London, and Taylor Swift’s next show on her Hellas tour, Europe is shaping up to be a popular destination.
But while travel is fun, it can also be stressful. Long flights, jet lag, and packed itineraries can make it difficult to prioritize your physical and mental health.
In partnership with European train booking app Trainline, Business Insider spoke with four-time Olympic medalist and British diving legend Tom Daley to get his tips for staying healthy while traveling this summer.
Whether you’re heading to Paris like Daily, taking on an Hellas Tour, or heading to another part of the world, here are five recommendations for maintaining your physical and mental health while on the road.
The most important thing to remember while traveling, according to Daly, is routine.
Tom Daley attends the 2023 GQ Men of the Year Awards. Mike Marsland/Contributor/WireImage
Daly, 30, told Business Insider that the most important thing to do while traveling is to try to maintain some kind of routine.
Daly began diving at age seven and made his Olympic debut in 2008, aged just 14. Naturally, Daly said his body has changed since then, which has affected his ability to travel.
“When I was younger, traveling between 10 and 15 years old, it didn’t really matter,” he said, “but as you get a little older, and now that you’ve been an athlete for 23 years, you have to start thinking about how to best take care of yourself while traveling.”
The concept of routine is also a key factor in keeping him disciplined during training and focused during competitions.
“I think the only way to stay motivated and determined and stay committed to what you have to do is a sense of routine. It’s all about sticking to a routine, knowing what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it and being consistent,” he said. “If you’re consistent with your routine, eventually you’ll achieve your goals.”
So if you normally like to go for a walk in the morning, plan to do the same while you’re on vacation. That way, you’ll have something familiar to do while you’re away from home, and it’ll be easier to continue part of that routine when you get home.
Whether you’re traveling by train, plane, or car, remember to get up and move around.
A woman walking to her seat on a train. Rizky Ade Jonathan/Shutterstock
While it’s tempting to spend all your time traveling watching House of the Dragon or RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, it’s also a good idea to take breaks and move around.
“Just being able to get up and move around and stretch my legs is enough,” says Daly, “and I often find myself doing different things to help me feel as relaxed and mobile as possible.”
The American Heart Association recommends walking around the airport instead of riding conveyor belts while waiting for your flight, and the AHA also suggests staying active during long drives by stopping frequently to stretch and take short walks around rest areas.
Stretching while sitting is also a good way to loosen up your body.
A woman stretching in her seat. Panyajam Patong/Shutterstock
“I try to do some stretching in my seat, like standing up and stretching my legs, stretching my arms,” Daly said.
Stretching is beneficial because it helps improve flexibility, mobility, posture and mental health.
Seated stretches include neck, shoulder, wrist and ankle rotations, which can improve circulation and help avoid stiffness.
Daly recommends meditation to stay mentally strong while traveling.
A man on a train. aappp/Shutterstock
Daly told BI that he finds meditation “really helps me start the morning feeling as fresh as possible.”
His personal meditation tips include focusing on points of contact, like where you’re touching the floor or your seat, and he recommends counting, breathing in on one, breathing out on two, and so on, until you reach ten.
“It’s all about keeping your mind active and not thinking too much about anything else besides breathing, but once you get the hang of it it really helps,” he said.
The benefits of meditation range from improving focus and concentration to increasing self-esteem and self-awareness, reducing stress and helping to manage anxiety and depression.
Once you reach your destination, don’t forget to make the most of your surroundings.
A couple is playing tennis. Wavebreak Media/Shutterstock
“There are so many great things to do in Europe,” Daly said, including playing tennis on public courts, surfing and his favorite, wakeboarding.
Whatever your interest, whether it’s hiking, cycling or water sports, Daily’s European Summer Sports Tour has more recommendations for staying active during your holidays.