Spending time on the road and always out of your comfort zone makes it easy to put your personal health on the back burner, even when you are a travel nurse, Kathryn Lynn Trammel reports. It’s important to stay healthy to fight off illnesses and ensure you feel good for the days and weeks spent at home.
Some of the best ways to stay in good physical condition and avoid many hours of downtime due to sickness may seem hard to accomplish at first — particularly with a demanding schedule — but if you strive to make them part of your daily routines, they will eventually become habits and easier to manage.
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Top healthy travel nurse tips from Kathryn Lynn Trammel
Stay active
Staying active may seem like a joke for travel nurses who spend more time on their feet than not, but nothing takes the place of purposeful self-care through a workout routine. Kathryn Lynn Trammel advises considering yoga when you are already accomplishing mega miles walking the rounds at work or adding in a Pilates practice. Both are great options to promote relaxation and maintain muscle mass. Each practice is also easily portable after you master the basics. All you need is a mat and a towel; anytime can be workout time.
Other easy activities can include a relaxing stroll several times per week, a strength training routine using portable bands or dumbbells, or other favorite activities like kickboxing or Zumba. Find something that makes you happy and boosts your mood, and it will be easier to work in exercise a few days per week.
Eat fresh foods
As much as possible, avoid the chips and candies from any easy vending machine and enjoy new options from the cafeteria or at home. Look for fresh-cut fruit, salads, steamed veggies, and other whole-food options you can enjoy. Save your favorite snacks for the times you can savor them. By consuming fresh foods, Kathryn Lynn Trammel advises getting the most nutrition possible from food sources — a great boost for the immune system.
Keep up with vitamins
Speaking of nutrition, maintaining a multivitamin routine is essential when you are a travel nurse. Find a multivitamin and take it daily. Ensure it contains a mixture of your essential vitamins and minerals. Consider choosing one that meets other needs, such as helping with the immune system, or that contains added calcium or other nutrients.
Get your rest
Travel nurses can end up on unique rotations in hospitals with long shifts with only short periods of downtime. Always use these to rest and save errands and other necessities for your full days off. When there is a limited time before you are back on your feet, devote yourself to getting your best amount of sleep and other activities to boost your overall health.