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Traveling for Work? How to Optimize Sleep, Nutrition, and Fitness on the Road

Increasingly, business travelers are looking to sustain healthy habits on the road—and airlines, destinations and employers are helping them

by Fatima Durrani

February 4, 2025

Illustration: Yo Hosoyamada

What do travelers fear most? Beyond long lines, lost luggage or TSA delays, a quieter, more persistent worry looms: staying healthy during long-haul flights. It’s not just cramped seats or altitude-induced headaches—it’s the challenge of maintaining wellness amidst traveling, jet lag, fatigue and disrupted routines.

For today’s business travelers, the stakes are even higher: delivering peak performance while navigating the physical toll of global travel. With wellness emerging as a top travel priority, both individuals and companies are redefining how to stay fit, focused and resilient on the road.

Photo: Allegris Business Class. Courtesy of Lufthansa

The concern of wellness goes beyond just body aches from cramped seating, headaches and ear congestion from altitude changes, or general motion sickness. Business travelers frequently experience “performance anxiety” as well, and the fatigue from insufficient sleep while hopping between flights only exacerbates the issue.

According to Dr. Mark Fischer, regional medical director for International SOS, “Insufficient sleep can significantly impair focus, productivity and overall cognitive performance, especially for business travelers managing demanding schedules.”

To counteract the effects of inadequate rest, travelers should prioritize sleep, take short naps and enhance their sleeping conditions with items such as noise-canceling headphones, eye masks and neck pillows to create a more comfortable environment during flights. “For frequent travelers, especially those who often take long-haul flights, disruptions to the body’s natural circadian rhythms can worsen jet lag, making sleep even more essential,” says Amanda Al-Masri, vice president of wellness at Hilton.

“Research shows that tools like sleep apps—offering guided meditations, white noise and sleep tracking—can significantly aid in promoting relaxation and improving rest.” Al-Masri notes that Hilton has embraced these scientific findings through initiatives like a Sleep Retreat hosted at one of its properties in Hawaii in collaboration with Dr. Rebecca Robbins, a sleep science expert.

Kilolani Spa at Grand Wailea, Maui, Hawaii / Photo: Courtesy of Kilolani Spa

Other health issues can completely interfere with a trip, such as the risk of blood clots or an asthma attack due to changes in air quality. “During long-haul flights, passengers can decrease the risk of deep vein thrombosis by staying hydrated, changing positions in the seat or walking around the aircraft often, and wearing light compression stockings,” Fischer adds.

Food allergies are another hazard. “Increasingly, most urban destinations worldwide highlight diet-friendly options within their menus,” says Matt Burdette, VP of business development USA at The ASA Group, a leading travel security firm. “It is worth researching several options in advance of your trip around your planned locations.”

Luckily, while travelers may not be able to control crowded airports or the change in time zones on long-haul flights, they can control their approach to wellness. The key is to start preventive routines before the flight, such as adequate hydration and skimming back on salt, and maintain them during the flight.

The Savvy Traveler

The concept of wellness has democratized access to all kinds of health and healing methods. After years of isolation and lockdown, business travelers are demanding to “travel with purpose,” protect the environment, and focus on mental health, sleep and self-care.

“Today, wellness is everywhere, as travelers seek inventive ways to enhance their personal well-being,” says Cathy Feliciano-Chon, managing partner of Finn Partners’ global travel practice. In fact, the Global Wellness Institute has valued the wellness tourism sector at $830 billion, with projections to reach $1.4 trillion by 2027. Traveler preferences and behaviors are indeed evolving.

Photo: Courtesy of GLō Best Western Pooler SAV

“I try to stick to a routine when I travel, similar to at home. My vitamins, digestive enzymes and water intake schedule don’t change just because I’m traveling,” says frequent flyer Kimberly Evans, CEO of Purposed Consulting in Frisco, Texas.

“I’ve always used hand sanitizers, but after Covid, I’ve upped my game, such as asking the air hostess or waiter to bring me a cup of boiling water, in which I place my utensils first, and then wipe them with a paper napkin.”

The hospitality industry, too, has become savvier. According to Jodi Fernandez, director of global sales at Hyatt’s Wellbeing Collective, the hospitality company now offers everything “from in-room Peloton content to get the morning started to complimentary mindfulness content via Headspace to help wind down for a good night’s sleep.”

First Class cabin on the upcoming Qantas Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000 / Photo: Courtesy of Qantas

Designated quiet spaces, frequency-inspired music and sounds, smart lighting, biophilic designs and green spaces in airports are all in the making. On the aviation front, cutting-edge technologies are being developed to enhance passenger well-being. For example, Qantas is expected to introduce its long awaited Project Sunrise Airbus A350-1000 planes to ease jet lag, which will fly from Australia to London and New York nonstop starting next year.

These aircraft will include an innovative onboard Wellbeing Zone, specifically designed to promote physical movement, stretching and hydration throughout lengthy ultra-long-haul flights. As explained by Qantas, “Situated between the Economy and Premium Economy cabins, the Wellbeing Zone serves as a dedicated space for passengers to engage in specially curated guided movements showcased on large, easy-to-view monitors.

Photo: Courtesy of Qantas Airways

In addition, travelers can indulge in a variety of healthy refreshments, creating an atmosphere of relaxation and rejuvenation.” This area will be available to passengers across all classes, ensuring everyone can benefit from a more enjoyable travel experience.

The Future Is Bright

According to the Global Business Travel Association, “A rising share of buyers (52 percent, up from 44 percent in 2023) predict an increase in their corporate travel budgets to support customer-facing meetings, sales initiatives, conferences and internal collaborations.”

Before Covid brought the world to a halt, travelers relied mainly on themselves when it came to wellness during a business trip. Packing gluten-free snacks or taking a yoga class during lunch break came instinctually for some. But for many, there was no time to ponder potential airborne health hazards. It was just something to “get through.”

Yoga / Photo: Courtesy of Kristen Siefert

The pandemic gave wellness a kick start, and we saw everything from functional medicine to the gut-brain axis being explored. And it wasn’t long before companies began to understand the value of having healthy travelers.

According to Travelport, “35 percent of business travelers say their biggest priority is having options that support well-being and productivity and aid recovery.”

However, these options often depend on a company’s culture and attitude toward traveler well-being. “Corporate travel policies that are shifting towards a more holistic approach consider individual well-being and allow traveling employees to take advantage of options that support their comfort, convenience and personal time,” says Jennifer Catto, chief marketing officer at Travelport.

“For many, this could mean handier departure times or meeting schedules or incorporating more time for recovery after a long flight or train ride. The goal is to encourage a more positive business travel experience while causing less of an upheaval to one’s personal life, which will enhance overall job satisfaction.”

You and Your Company—a Partnership

Business travelers need to excel while also requiring support. According to Wellhub, 78 percent believe their employers should assist with their well-being, and 79 percent would consider leaving a company that does not prioritize it.

“Asking your company to provide an allowance to hit a local gym or buy some dumbbells to use in your hotel room is reasonable,” says Monica Steiner, a three-time World Women’s Physique/Figure bodybuilding champion and avid traveler, who also coaches businesses on wellness. According to Sanctifly, 26 percent of business travelers express concerns about lack of exercise while on trips. Twenty-five percent of respondents expressed a desire for exercise gear in their hotel rooms.

Gym at The Westin Anaheim, California / Photo: Courtesy of Westin Anaheim

Surprisingly, only 10 percent of employers offer this option. “You could also request a portable TENS unit to ease pain and discomfort on a long-haul flight,” adds Steiner’s husband, fellow bodybuilder and black belt martial artist Dr. Greg Steiner.

Using technology is a traveler’s best friend, so don’t hesitate to invite your company to provide apps. For example, while managing jet lag can be done with adequate hydration and nutrition, travelers can also take advantage of cutting-edge apps such as Uplift. “It offers a natural science-backed solution to combat jet lag by aligning your body’s rhythms and clock systems to your new time zone using the precision nerve stimulation of pressure points,” says CEO Ted Finn.

A Brave New World

Remote work policies, staying green, digital nomadism and insurance mandates are major drivers of a new kind of business travel. Increasingly sophisticated policies go beyond travel vaccines and the occasional spa massage, but it’s up to the traveler to communicate preferences to the company.

“If you’re expected to hit the ground running and have an extremely packed schedule, don’t hesitate to ask your company for a business class seat so you can stretch out and rest well on a long-haul flight,” says Evans.

Business travelers must be at their best, and corporate wellness departments are advocating for them. No one wants to travel and come home sick with weakened immunity. Fortunately, demystifying wellness on the go isn’t hard, and taking care of yourself shouldn’t be, either.