Have A Happier, Healthier Trip

The secret to a truly restorative vacation starts with the journey. Here’s just what you need at every step of the way.

- Cassie Shortsleeve

PACK A BODY-FRIENDLY BAG.

A suitcase with four spinner wheels and a straight, uncontoured handle is one of the smartest travel purchases you can make, says Alan Hedge, a professor in Cornell University’s department of design and environmental analysis, who directs the human factors and ergonomics programme. The wheels rotate 360 degrees, so you can push the bag through terminals instead of pulling it, preventing shoulder and back strain. And with uncontoured handles, you can use a lighter grip to manoeuvre the suitcase, so you don’t end up with wrist and arm pain, Alan says. In addition, look for one that also comes equipped with convenient USB ports to charge your phone and a scale built into the carry handle for easy weighing.

DISMANTLE AIRPORT STRESS.

Long lines, flight delays, crowds – frustrations lurk everywhere in an airport. The worst thing to do is to try to ignore your exasperation in the hopes of maintaining peace, says Dr Alex Lickerman, author of The Undefeated Mind: On the Science of Constructing an Indestructible Self. Instead, acknowledge that you’re angry and that being angry on vacation is making you even more angry. Own it, let it out for a few minutes, and then drop it, so your thoughts won’t fester, and you can move into vacation mode.

DON'T LET GERMS TAKE YOU DOWN.