As summer unfolds, many Canadians embark on adventures, whether they’re venturing overseas or exploring the Prairies. While planning for your journey, including must-see attractions and necessary items such as sunscreen, it is crucial to prioritize one often-neglected element for traveling healthily: a robust hydration strategy—and your trusty water bottle.
Understanding the Importance of Hydration on Vacation
Experiencing illness during or after a trip is a common issue—about eight out of ten Canadians report feeling unwell post-vacation. Various factors contribute to this, many of which can be alleviated by staying hydrated.
The Impact on Your Immune System
Traveling, especially in enclosed spaces like airplane cabins, increases exposure to germs. Hydrating effectively can enhance immune function; for instance, maintaining moisture in mucous membranes assists in warding off viruses. Moreover, proper water intake aids in flushing out toxins accumulated during travels, whether from bacteria or indulgent meals.
Combatting Travel Fatigue and Jet Lag
Red-eye flights can leave you exhausted, but adequate hydration may improve sleep quality and help you bounce back from jet lag.
Adjusting to New Environments
Destinations with warmer climates, such as Cuba and Mexico, are favorites for many Canadian travelers. Staying hydrated can help mitigate health concerns related to heat exposure.
Despite the benefits of hydration, travel itself often leads to increased dehydration.
Prepare for Dehydration Before You Fly
“Dehydration while traveling is prevalent,” warns Valerie Creel, a registered nurse and enthusiastic traveler. This is particularly the case with air travel.
“Aircraft cabins feature reduced moisture levels because they intake outside air to maintain cabin pressure; higher altitudes inherently result in drier air,” explains Creel. “Additionally, airplane interiors are dehumidified. These conditions yield humidity levels between 5% and 20%, whereas the typical household maintains levels of approximately 40% to 60%.”
This scenario leads to a quick depletion of water simply by being aboard a plane.
Even when you’re not flying, the act of traveling can detrimentally impact hydration levels.
“The nature of travel may lead to dehydration as it disrupts routines, exposes individuals to varying climates, and often increases physical activity (like navigating airports or managing luggage),” states Stephanie Webb, a tour guide situated in Niagara Falls.
“Couple this with a busy travel itinerary, unfamiliar water supplies, and occasionally excessive indulgence (hello, cocktails!), and it’s unsurprising that many end up feeling depleted and parched,” Webb adds.
Prioritize Hydration as Part of Your Travel Routine
Before you load your bags into the car, take a moment to drink a glass of water and strategize your hydration plan.
“Often, travelers are so focused on logistics that the importance of hydration is overlooked,” observes Amy Neary, CEO of an IV hydration therapy clinic network.
“However, maintaining hydration is one of the most straightforward yet beneficial strategies to support your health on the go,” Neary adds. “The impacts of dehydration can manifest as fatigue, headaches, mental fog, digestive complications, and a compromised immune system—all of which are undesirable when exploring new places. Hydration should be included on your packing list right alongside your passport.”
This article was originally published in the July 2025 issue of Thewindowsclubs magazine.
