Yoga And Travel – Overcoming Travel Sickness With Yoga

Traveling is exciting, but it loses its appeal when you suddenly get motion sickness, get tired or sore. You’re excited to start your trip, but sitting, standing, or moving for hours can make your spine, breath, and energy feel heavy. No matter where you’re going or how long you’ve been on the move, yoga is a safe and gentle way to get back to yourself. In this blog, you’ll learn about yoga poses that are good for travel that can help with nausea, loosen tight muscles, and improve your balance, all without looking silly or needing special equipment. These mindful exercises help you quickly reset your body so you can arrive at your destination feeling refreshed, present, and ready to explore without pain.

Travel Sickness

Although stimulating, traveling comes with several challenges. You may experience travel sickness in the form of intense exhaustion and tiredness from the long journey. The fatigue from the heavily loaded backpacks, delayed flights, or congested drives gets the best of you. It leaves your entire body sore and creaking at the edges, depriving you of all the fun you could have on your trip.

Yoga: Your Traveling Sickness Medicine

You wouldn’t want a hectic traveling experience to steal your journey’s enjoyment, right? Yoga while traveling can help rescue you from this suffering!

Bringing life back into your bones with powerful asanas and nourishing poses, yoga is like a medicine for your travel sickness that can revive your flexible spine and pull the searing pain out of your body. You’ll be all set for a trip you will never forget.

Let us surprise you. You won’t even need a yoga mat to perform these poses! Don’t worry, they won’t be embarrassing if you mind doing one in public.

Ready? Set, Go.

Yoga And Travel

There are several sorts of journeys with varying traveling needs. So, we have got you covered with the most suitable yoga poses, ranging from standing and sitting to even lying down. Worry less about your aching and stressed-out body and enjoy your journey more.

Standing Yoga Poses That Look Less Awkward When You Need to Stretch Out in Public

1. Standing Side Bend

Isn’t the name ‘standing’ so relieving after a long, arduous journey on your hips and back? We can feel you.

• Pull yourself up in mountain pose.
• Take a long inhale and stretch your arms overhead. Aah… don’t be shy, and sigh it all out.
• Now, grab your right wrist with your left hand and tilt your body towards the left.
• Feel the stretch easing out the tension from the right side of your body as you bend further, enjoying a deeper stretch.
• Repeat with the left hand to nourish the left side of your body, too.

2. Twisted Goddess Pose

A soothing hip opener with a twist, this yoga pose will relieve your spine and release the pressure your hips are burdened with from a long-seated journey.

• Bring your feet wide apart while standing and bend your knees, entering the goddess pose.
• Now, place your hands on your knees and twist to your left as you move your right shoulder down.
• Got relaxed? Repeat on the other side.
• Hold it for as long as you desire to feel the relaxing stretch and soothing sensation in your spine and hips.

3. Standing Forward Fold With Arm Extension

Has traveling exhausted you physically and mentally, draining away all your energy? Let us bring your blood flowing back to your brain and your body.

• Stand straight in Tadasana and interlace your fingers behind your back.
• Slowly bend your knees and tilt forward to reach your head downwards with your stomach resting on your thighs.
• Reach your bound arms above.
• Hold here for a calming few minutes as the blood circulates through your brain, waking you up.

This yoga asana will help with your posture and massage the internal organs, aiding digestion, a crucial thing when you have been relying on outside food throughout your journey.

Floor Yoga Poses When You Have Some Privacy and a Soft Land to Fall On

1. Extended Child’s Pose

Missing your bed and your pillow? Sleeping in unfamiliar places, different time zones, and noisy environments can be hard. Let’s get down to the floor and ease out in your new space!

• In Vajrasana, bring your knees wide on the floor, with your big toes to touch.
• Gently lean ahead and touch your forehead to the ground, stretching your arms in front of you.
• Feel a soothing stretch on your sides, hips, and lower back.
• Relax, breathe deep, and ease out your entire body in this asana, finding a sense of calmness within.

Doing this yoga while traveling will ease your body pain and soothe your nerves, allowing you to have a good, sound sleep.

2. Pavanamuktasana or Wind Relieving Pose

Have you got an upset stomach? Maybe it is from the spicy treat you had last night, or is it the dessert to be blamed? Traveling serves as an excellent excuse to eat junk to your heart’s content. But it pays you back later, and you know how.

• To ease it out, lie down on your back and bring your knees to your chest.
• Felt relieved already?
• Rock a little side to side, massaging your stomach.

This posture will help you release any pressure or flatulence and support digestion.

3. Bridge Pose

Before traveling, you wouldn’t have imagined getting backaches or a curved spine from lengthy treks, long seated journeys, carrying heavy luggage, or a child at your back on a fun trip, maybe?

• Lie down with the knees bent and shoulders tucked in.
• Slowly pull your hips off the ground and reach your lower body upwards.
• Interlace your fingers behind and breathe deep.

Here you have it! A bridge of your own that will strengthen your back and spine, reviving your healthy posture and relieving any fatigue and stress from your travel.

Read More: Bridge Pose (Setu Bandhasana) Benefits: Strengthen, Stretch, and Relax Your Body

Extended Yoga Poses When You Have Some Space to Move

1. Dancer’s Pose

When your journey becomes boring, dance it out!

When traveling by car or train, our head often seems to be moving even after getting off board. The dancer’s pose acts as a great asana to regain your balance and coordination in such times.

• Ground yourself firmly in mountain pose.
• Shifting your weight on the right foot, lift your left leg off the ground and catch its ankle with your left hand.
• Stretch your right arm and left leg as if in a dance pose.
• Repeat with the other leg.

2. Trikonasana or Triangle Pose

Back pain is ridiculously painful and recurring if you don’t give yourself a break. As soon as you get a chance to move, leave everything on hold to do the instantly soothing Trikonasana.

• From the mountain pose, send your left leg back and pivot on it.
• Extend your right hand to meet the ankle of your right foot and stretch your left hand up, reaching your gaze above.

Read More: Top 7 Health benefits of Trikonasana (Triangle Pose)

3. Side Plank

Prolonged journeys can drain your energy, motivation, and excitement for your actual destination, depriving you of the joys of your trip.

To stir you up for your destination,

• Get on to all fours.
• With an exhale, come up to a strong plank.
• Tilt your body to the right, bringing your left hand off the floor and toward the sky.
• Hold this position as you feel your abs burning, bringing heat into your body.
• Repeat with the other side.

Got some time besides your travel and some space and land that serves as a yoga mat? Try Suryanamaskar, which will inspire instant invigorating energy, rejuvenating you entirely.

Conclusion

Traveling doesn’t have to be uncomfortable or exhausting. By incorporating simple yoga poses, breathing exercises, and mindfulness techniques, you can prevent motion sickness, reduce stress, and stay energized throughout your journey. Consistent practice not only supports your body during travel but also enhances overall well-being, making every trip a more enjoyable and refreshing experience.

FAQ

Q: How to stop travel sickness with yoga?
Ans: Practice deep breathing, gentle neck stretches, and poses like Vajrasana or Seated Forward Bend to calm your body and reduce nausea.

Q: How long does travel sickness last?
Ans: Symptoms usually last a few hours, but regular yoga and mindful breathing can shorten discomfort during travel.

Q: Which yoga poses help with motion sickness?
Ans: Seated Forward Bend, Cat-Cow, Child’s Pose, and gentle twists help ease nausea and motion discomfort.

Q: Can breathing exercises prevent travel sickness?
Ans: Yes, pranayama techniques like Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing) stabilize your nervous system and reduce nausea.

Q: Is meditation effective for travel sickness?
Ans: Yes, meditation helps calm the mind, reduce anxiety, and ease symptoms associated with motion sickness.

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