Yoga for Busy Mums: Preparing Your Body and Mind for Travelling
We all long for our holidays, we dream and look forward to this time with much anticipation. Going on a holiday when you were younger without your kids was a very different type of travel as you only had yourself to think of. This new type of travelling requires lots of planning and a bit more patient than normal. To prepare the kids for travelling can be exhausting and stressful but if you plan ahead of time, it will make a huge difference to how you and the rest of the family feel.
As a busy mum, preparing for travel can often feel like adding another item to an already overflowing to-do list. However, amidst the chaos of packing bags and organising schedules, it's essential to priorities your well-being. Introduce the concept of travel and highlight the excitement it brings. Engage the kids in the planning and make them do a list of what to bring especially when it comes to their own carry-on bag. Having some new games or treats packed is always exciting and a surprise when they open their bag.
In this blog post, we'll explore how yoga can help busy mums prepare their bodies and minds for traveling, ensuring a smoother and more enjoyable experience for the whole family.
Preparing Physically for the Journey
Traveling with young children can be a wonderful adventure but also a significant challenge so it’s important to be prepared both physically and mentally so you can handle the journey with grace and resilience. Here’s how you can prepare your body and mind for traveling with young kids.
Physical Preparation
Build Your Strength and Stamina
Exercise Regularly: Incorporate strength training, cardio, and flexibility exercises into your routine. Activities like walking, jogging, yoga, and Pilates can boost your endurance and help you stay active during your trip. Core Strengthening: Strengthen your core muscles to help manage the physical demands of carrying and lifting children, strollers, and luggage.
Prioritise Sleep
Establish a Routine: Create a consistent sleep schedule leading up to your trip. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night to ensure you’re well-rested. Sleep Aids: Use natural sleep aids like herbal teas, essential oils, or a white noise machine to improve your sleep quality.
Stay Hydrated and Nourished
Hydration: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and irritability. Healthy Diet: Focus on a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. Avoid excessive caffeine and sugar, which can cause energy crashes.
Practice Gentle Yoga and Stretching
Morning Routine: Start your day with gentle yoga stretches to wake up your body and improve flexibility. Poses like Cat-Cow, Downward Dog, and Child’s Pose can help relieve tension and increase energy. Evening Routine: End your day with restorative poses like Legs Up the Wall and Reclining Bound Angle Pose to relax your body and prepare for restful sleep. Traveling often involves long periods of sitting, lifting heavy luggage, and navigating crowded airports or train stations. Yoga can help mums prepare their bodies for these physical demands by strengthening core muscles, improving posture, and increasing flexibility.
Yoga to prepare for your travels
Here are some simple yoga poses and stretches that can be used to practice and strengthening your body pre-travel. They can be done whilst you’re on the go to target areas commonly affected by travel, such as lower back, hips, and shoulders.
Mountain Pose (Tadasana): This foundational pose helps to improve posture and strengthen the legs, which can be particularly helpful for carrying heavy luggage. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms by your sides, and palms facing forward. Engage your core, lift through the crown of your head, and distribute weight evenly through your feet.
Forward Fold (Uttanasana): Forward fold stretches the hamstrings, calves, and lower back, providing relief from tension accumulated during travel. Stand with feet hip-width apart, hinge at the hips, and fold forward from the waist. Allow your head to hang heavy, and grasp opposite elbows or reach for the floor.
Chair Pose (Utkatasana): Chair pose strengthens the legs, core, and back muscles, preparing the body for lifting and carrying heavy items. Begin in mountain pose, inhale as you reach your arms overhead, and exhale as you bend your knees and sit back as if sitting in an imaginary chair. Keep your weight in your heels and your knees in line with your ankles.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II): Warrior II strengthens the legs, opens the hips, and improves balance, making it an excellent pose for travellers. Start in a wide-legged stance, turn your right foot out 90 degrees, and bend your right knee to stack it over your ankle. Extend your arms parallel to the floor, gaze over your right fingertips, and repeat on the left side.
Low Lunge (Anjaneyasana): Low lunge stretches the hip flexors, thighs, and groin, alleviating tightness from sitting for extended periods during travel. Step your right foot forward between your hands, lower your left knee to the mat, and untuck your toes. Sink your hips down and forward, keeping your front knee stacked over your ankle. Repeat on the opposite side.
Plank Pose: Plank pose strengthens the core, arms, and shoulders, providing stability and support for lifting and carrying luggage. Begin in a push-up position with hands shoulder-width apart, wrists aligned under shoulders, and legs extended behind you. Engage your core, keep your body in a straight line from head to heels, and hold for several breaths.
Seated Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana): Seated spinal twist releases tension in the spine, shoulders, and neck, which can accumulate during travel. Sit on the floor with legs extended, bend your right knee and cross it over your left leg, placing your right foot flat on the floor outside your left knee. Inhale to lengthen the spine, exhale to twist to the right, placing your left elbow on the outside of your right knee and gazing over your right shoulder. Repeat on the opposite side.
Mental Preparation
Travelling and preparing for a trip can be hectic so it’s important to have some plans in place so you can feel ready and enjoy your time away.
Manage Stress
Mindfulness and Meditation: Practice mindfulness or meditation daily to reduce stress and increase mental clarity. Apps like Headspace or Calm can provide guided sessions. Deep Breathing: Incorporate deep breathing exercises to calm your mind and reduce anxiety. Try techniques like box breathing (inhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, exhale for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts).
Set Realistic Expectations
Adjust Your Mindset: Accept that things may not go perfectly and that’s okay. Be flexible and go with the flow.Plan for Breaks: Schedule downtime into your itinerary to rest and recharge, for both you and your kids.
Organise and Plan Ahead
Checklists: Create detailed packing and to-do lists to ensure nothing is forgotten. Include items like travel documents, snacks, entertainment, and comfort items for your children. Prepare for Contingencies: Have a plan for potential challenges, such as delays or tantrums. Pack extra snacks, toys, and a change of clothes for emergencies.
Connect with Support
Communicate: Talk to your partner or travel companions about sharing responsibilities to lighten your load. Support Networks: Reach out to fellow mums or online communities for tips and support.
Incorporating yoga into your pre-travel routine as a busy mom isn't just about physical fitness—it's about nurturing your body and mind to better handle the challenges and joys of travel with your family. By making time for self-care, preparing physically and mentally for the journey ahead, and finding opportunities for on-the-go yoga, you can ensure a smoother and more enjoyable travel experience for yourself and your loved ones. Don’t set too high expectations and be realistic of what you can do and achieve. Remember to be kind to yourself and listen to what you need. But most of all enjoy your travel preparation and have a great holiday.
