Kelly Miller
Does anyone have tips for traveling long distances? How do you prepare before the trip? What do you bring with you to help manage symptoms and maximize comfort?
CommunityMembera4b3bd Member
When flying, I always check my bag. It’s worth the extra money for the peace of mind. I can nap in the airport & not have to worry about my luggage. I only use a backpack as a carry on. It’s a makeshift pillow or I can put my arms through it when I sleep to keep it safe. I generally travel alone. As others have mentioned, snacks are key. Anything crunchy to wake up my senses and hard candy for a sugar boost. Also, moving hard candy around in my mouth keeps me alert in any situation. I book the earliest flight possible-everyone is sleeping on those flights! I find my gate immediately, then get my snacks and locate an empty gate nearby to nap. I set alarms and reminders so I can make it to my gate with plenty of time and I won’t have far to go if I’m groggy. I don’t sit down when I get to my gate. I try to be one of the last to board and I wear headphones so my neighbor won’t expect me to engage in long conversations-that’s not happening. I set vibration alerts 30 minutes before landing to wake up and snack up. I don’t have a real meal until my final destination. I sleep harder and the sleep inertia is worse on a full stomach. When driving long distances, I rally my friends and family to continuously annoy me by calling throughout my drive. I keep crunchy salty snacks nearby & I drink A TON of water so I’m forced to stop frequently and have opportunities to take a quick nap if I need it. I never listen to music in the car, only audiobooks. I avoid caffeine because the crash is a sleep force I can’t recover from quickly. I also keep peppermint oil in my console for when I need a sensory boost.
CommunityMembera4b3bd Member
Tatiana Corbitt Moderator & Contributor
Joanna1126 Member
When traveling long distances I always take a co-pilot to help keep me awake. I also take a LOT of snacks. I have learned that using music, conversations, and snacks help a huge amount. When there are trips that can take over a hour, I have just let someone else do the driving, the safest way to travel. Another thing is I tend not to travel without my service dog. My current service dog, Elvira, loves to travel and help me along the way. I have had a service dog since I was 17 years old, will be 50 in October. I believe that the key is always have a safety plan in place and NEVER travel alone
Lori.Foster Community Admin
What great strategies,
Tatiana Corbitt Moderator & Contributor
Lauren Frankland Moderator & Contributor
Best Wishes, Lauren (Team Member)
Tatiana Corbitt Moderator & Contributor
Lauren Frankland Moderator & Contributor