Traveling has always been fun, but the rise of the smartphones and other devices has made it even better. They allow you to always have a camera on hand, and they help with things such as language translation or currency conversion.
One often-overlooked pitfall of travel, particularly on longer trips, is how hard it can be to keep your body in top condition. That’s not surprising, considering most travelers tend to liberally sample local foods and drinks, and travel isn’t conducive to sleep. Luckily, there are apps for this as well. Here are six to help you stay healthy when traveling the world.
The alarm clock app Sleep Cycle comes in handy, especially while traveling, but it can be useful at home as well.
Here’s how it works. Users place their phone next to them when they go to bed — on a nightstand for iPhone users, on the bed for Android users — and the app tracks sleep patterns using the device’s microphone and/or accelerometer.
The app also wakes you up gently over a 30-minute period, ending at your desired alarm time. The idea is to wake you up when you’re in the lightest possible state of sleep. Once you’re awake, the app visualizes your sleep patterns using a graph, allowing you to determine if you got a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Cycle is available for iOS and Android and is free, with premium upgrades available.
One challenge of traveling the world is understanding which vaccines are recommended based on the countries you plan to visit. In this case, the TravWell app from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has you covered.
The free app is available for both iOS and Android. It allows you to build a customized trip and then receive specific vaccine recommendations for each destination, a travel preparation checklist and a customizable healthy travel-packing list.
You can store your travel documents within the app and keep a record of your medications and immunizations. For travelers who regularly visit new countries, this app is a must.
When traveling from country to country, it’s hard to know where tap water is safe to drink and where it’s not.
From Vitens, the Water Advisor app for Android is an easy resource that educates you about local water throughout your travels. This is an easy way to prevent yourself from falling ill due to contaminated local water. For example, if you were traveling to Flint, Michigan you probably wouldn’t want to drink the tap water.
Getting sick from local water can ruin the fun of traveling, so, if you’re visiting somewhere new, add Water Advisor to your must-have app list.
There are two main reasons why the Map My Run app comes in handy while traveling.
The first is it can help you find your way back to where you’re staying, which is helpful when visiting a city you’re not familiar with. Also, the app features popular running routes for major cities across the world. This gives you safe options if you happen to be in unfamiliar territory.
The app is available for both iOS and Android. The free version offers plenty of features, while the $5.99-per-month MVP edition builds you a personal training plan, allows you to create custom splits and is free of advertising.
A common problem for fit travelers is finding a place to get your workout in. Day passes at the nearby gym can get expensive, and the workout center at your hotel has limited options.
The good news is, all you need for a grueling workout is your own body. The app Bodyweight Training: You Are Your Own Gym featuring fitness instructor and author Mark Lauren will prove it to you.
The app features more than 200 video demonstrations of exercises you can do wherever you are. Workouts start at just two minutes long and are no more than 36 minutes per day.
Bodyweight Training is available for Android, iOS and Windows phones but comes with a cost —$4.99 for Android or iOS and $2.99 for Windows.
The Fitocracy app is like having a professional personal trainer with you at all times.
The app assesses your fitness level and creates a customized personal plan for you. It’s more than just a workout regimen — the app gives you a personalized nutrition plan based on your needs.
The free version of the app for iOS and Android gives you free workouts and allows you to view your progress via interactive charts. More serious fitness freaks can spend roughly $1 per day on a coach who can help you meet your fitness goals. The paid version includes daily accountability and guidance from your coach to make sure you’re on track.
Staying healthy while on your travels can be difficult, but now you have no excuses. Download these six apps before you set out on your journey, and you will have no problem remaining in top condition no matter where in the world you are.
