While we’re all excited about seeing our loved ones this Thanksgiving, there’s less cause for celebration when it comes to holiday travel. The roads are sure to be busy this year, and that can create a lot of stress. You can stay ahead of muscular tension, aches, and pains with some simple holiday travel tips and the help of chiropractic care.
Holiday Travel Tips to Help Reduce Stress
Leave Extra Time
There’s no quicker way to needlessly ramp up stress over a holiday than falling behind schedule. If you’re running late and in a rush, stress is only amplified, even if you manage to avoid traffic and other holiday travel hazards.
Be proactive in everything from packing to leaving for your destination—do everything a little bit earlier than needed so that you have less to worry about when it gets to crunch time. The same can be said for heading back home. Try to avoid traveling the day before you’d need to go back to work. Leave a buffer day so that you can take your time on the road, unpack, and decompress.
Be Prepared
Road trips can create a lot of stress, especially around the holiday. But they can also be a great way to make memories. To make the most of the opportunity, try creating a loose itinerary for the drive. You can block out time to play classic road trip games like I Spy and 21 Questions, listen to music or podcasts, and just relax and enjoy the scenery.
Practice Proper Driving Posture
No matter how long your holiday travel is, it’s important that you take care of your spine with proper posture. You shouldn’t sit too close or far back from the wheel—try to maintain a fairly upright but slightly leaned back sitting position with your tailbone pushed toward the back of the seat. Your driving posture should be pretty similar to how you work at your desk, with elbows slightly bent, neck pushed back slightly so that your ears are over your shoulders, and eyes forward on the road ahead.
Chiropractic Care Helps with Holiday Travel
Seeing a chiropractor regularly yields many great benefits, and those benefits are especially clear when traveling for Thanksgiving. Chiropractic adjustment and spinal decompression help ward off aches, pains, and stiffness that can feel especially pronounced when you’re behind the wheel. With treatment, you’ll have less tension in your muscles and less stress overall, allowing you to feel more relaxed during what’s otherwise a stressful time.
Schedule Your Chiropractic Appointment in Midland, MI
Chiropractic care can help you get ready for holiday travel and recover after the fact. Preferred Chiropractic of Midland is ready to help whenever you need it. We offer same-day appointments at our offices in Midland, MI. Just call us at (989) 837-5998 or schedule your appointment online. However we can help this holiday season, “We’ve Got Your Back.”
