How to Avoid Germs and Getting Sick While Traveling

Thank you OLIKA for sponsoring this post, but as always all opinions are my own.

Traveling to new places and being exposed to new germs in small confined spaces on planes or trains can increase your chances of getting sick. Have you ever tried sightseeing in a new place while being sick? I’ve missed certain cities because during that leg of a trip I was so sick that I was confined to my hotel! I also often get sick after I come home, probably due to an increase in exposure to germs on the plane and a decrease in hours of sleep! The number one way to avoid germs and getting sick is to carry hand sanitizer!

On recent trips I’ve been carrying around hand sanitizer and it has seriously helped decrease my travel sick days. For this article we partnered with Birdie by OLIKA, the “world’s most beautiful hand sanitizer” according to Fast Company, to bring you top tips on how to not get sick while traveling. Birdie is a 2-in-1 hand sanitizer spray and textured dry wipes in a pretty little bird shaped container. It doesn’t smell like other unnatural hand sanitizers and it actually hydrates your skin according to market studies! It also locks so it won’t spill in your carry-on. From the fun marketing where Birdie has a personality to the adorable container, Birdie is the most fun way to avoid getting sick while traveling!

Here are our top tips for staying healthy and avoiding germs on your travels!

Sleep: Get as much sleep as possible, especially before a trip if you know it will be a very active trip. Being exhausted with a weakened immune system before a trip is the easiest way to get sick.
Vitamins: Stock up on your daily vitamins and vitamin C, especially on travel days and regularly during your trip. I take adult gummy vitamins while traveling which don’t require me to find water when I take them, so I can take them whenever and wherever.
Hydrate: Drink as much water as you can before flying or traveling. Some recommend buying a bottle of water before a flight if the airline does not provide water bottles and only serves water in cups.
Layers: Wear multiple layers while traveling so that you are comfortable and not cold in over-air-conditioned transportation.
Nasal Spray: Whenever I feel like I might get sick, hydrating my nasal passages helps me avoid actually getting sick so I can, literally breathe easy. There are many over-the-counter solutions like Flonase.
Avoid touching your face: Avoid touching your eyes, mouth or nose while traveling, and if you have to, make sure to regularly use hand sanitizer.

Sanitize your hands: Use hand sanitizer on your hands in between touching luggage, seatbelts and more. Use a hand sanitizer that will not spill but locks like Birdie.
Sanitize your surroundings: On a plane or train, sanitize your tray table, armrest, remote control and area to avoid any germs left by other passengers. The Birdie wipes paired with hand sanitizer are perfect for this, helping you to decrease germs to which you might be exposed!

Birdie is the perfect travel-sized gift for yourself or friends with its 2-in-1 hand sanitizer and textured dry wipes. It retails for $8.99 and is available in three colors: Robin’s Egg (my favorite), Charcoal and Eggshell. It’s also super pretty and a fun conversation starter with new travel friends. Birdie has a personality and can often steal the show, so when photographing the cute feathered friend for this article, I couldn’t help but turn it into the full-blown photoshoot below!