Today we are talking about acclimatization on a vacation: how to act not to let your rest be spoiled by unexpected surprises.
Summer is the traditional time for vacations. Someone chooses a vacation nearby not leaving the zone where he or she normally lives. And some prefer changes and go on a journey to see faraway places. But travelers do not always think about how to protect their body from severe climate changes. The body reacts to everything, adjusting to changes in the environment – temperature, pressure, humidity, daylight duration. And, if the adaptation goes not too successfully, the body begins to rebel.
Acclimatization Signs
The revolt may take place in various ways: for example, in hot climates you may have sudden fever and a runny nose. At night insomnia happens, during the day – excessive sweating, shortness of breath and palpitation. Another traveler’s plague is stomach problems. It is not about food poisoning (although, of course, this risk also exists), but about how the body responds to the changing climate. The reaction may be manifested as an upset stomach or, alternatively, as constipation, which is sometimes called “traveler’s constipation.” The reasons are the same – accumulated fatigue, stress and strain on the road, plus the stress from adapting to the new climate.
How to Make Acclimatization Easier
There are some simple tips to avoid the most frequent acclimatization problems:
- Traveling by plane or speed train, be more attentive to your well-being. The faster you move in space, the more resources the body needs to adapt to the new environment. Therefore, the problem of adaptation is not particularly relevant for tourists who travel by bicycle, boat or on foot.
- If you have cold symptoms, do not take aspirin – it is possible that this is a symptom of acclimatization. You’d better take 1-2 grams of vitamin C for a few days.
- If you suffer insomnia, lie down for five minutes with your blanket off. Cooling helps the body to switch to “sleep mode”.
- Sweating, palpitations, shortness of breath are the typical features of acclimatization. To help the body go through this difficult period, it is necessary to drink plenty of mineral water, then the body will quickly go back to the norm.
- But you should eat less. All the forces of the body are involved into the process of adaptation, and no need to “redeploy” them to digestion of rich exotic food. If you suffer from constipation, you are also recommended to move and swim as much as possible. And do not forget about prune juice.
More Acclimatization Facts
Women should pay particular attention to these tips – they respond to climate change sharper than men. But there are general rules for both men and women. The main thing is: the process of acclimatization lasts from three to seven days. So if you have only one week of vacation, it is best to spend it in those places, where the climate is not particularly different from the usual. If the trip involves changing climatic zones, the vacation must continue for at least 2 weeks – then the body will have time to get used to changing conditions and gain strength. But upon return it is better to leave yourself a couple of free days to get back to the normal rhythm, and only then go to work.
