The Big Picture: Dr. Shelandra Bell, Family Medicine. says, “Travel stress is a thing, prepare for it!”
Doctor’s Expert Insights About Stress During Travel and Your Health in South Dakota
Know this: “At the risk of sounding like I’m simplifying the problem too much–prepare for the stress rather than let it surprise you during your holiday travels. You can ease holiday travel anxiety by identifying triggers like traffic, flight delays, and fellow unruly travelers. You should also plan on using stress management techniques like breathing exercises and acknowledging that you’ll need patience! Also, keeping hydrated is a must. If you can, exercise before your travel to release calming endorphins. Try to maintain calm in disruptive situations and let the flight crew handle unruly passengers. You’re not here to become the next viral story on TikTok!” Dr. Puja Uppal, Family Medicine.
Beyond the news: Actively trying to reduce your stress levels can lead to less aggressive behavior in crowded settings and improve overall travel safety. A proactive approach to mental health can serve as a model for handling stress in other high-pressure public settings.
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Key Drivers in Pennington County:
The monograph by Dr. Asim Shah stresses the importance of knowing one’s anxiety triggers and preparing accordingly.
“Triggers might include the uncertainty of traffic, flight delays, being in public places or seeing friends and family for the holidays,”
Dr. Shah, a Psychiatrist, notes that stress activates the Amygdala Limbic System–this leads to a biological response to stress that can be detrimental to your mental and physical health.
Key Resource: The NIH has excellent articles that highlight the impact of travel based stress on your health. (View Materials)
What they’re saying:
- Try to take morning flights and think about a backup flight in the event of cancellations.
- Travel with airlines that will automatically book you for the next flight.
- If your schedule permits, book your travel to arrive a day early so you avoid the risk of arriving at the last minute.
- Purchase travel protection plans for expensive flights.
- Take direct flights when possible and sign up for flight alerts to prevent arriving to the airport with a major delay or cancellation.
- If you check a bag, have some clothes and important items in your handbag or tote if your luggage gets lost.
- Bring items that will allow you to pass the time: read a book, watch a movie, catch up on work or anything else that will entertain and distract you. (Study Source)
Health Standard Newswire: Yes, holiday travel can be stressful!
Living in South Dakota, the following health facts impact your physical health directly!
Did you know there were 124.0 deaths from hypertension in South Dakota in 2021?
16.7% of you in Pennington County are depressed.
28.9% of you in Pennington County have high blood pressure.
19.8% of you in Pennington County regularly binge drink.
All of these variables above play an important role in the outcomes of your overall health.
The Health Standard Newswire.