Tired? Sick? Hungover? Here Are 8 Ways to Feel Better When You’ve Got a Long Day Ahead

A few Sundays ago, I was trudging through the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport like the walking dead. My flight was at 8pm and I had about five hours of travel ahead of me. My eyes were burning, my stomach was upset, my head hurt. Quite frankly, I was battling a hangover that was the result of my friend’s wedding the night before.

I had to work the next day and I knew if I stayed in this state the rest of the night, I was going to be miserable tomorrow. I’d be getting home late, feeling totally anxious, sick, and unprepared for the next day. My focus shifted from how crappy I felt to how I can comfort myself and feel better.

None of these tips are groundbreaking, new technology. They’re simple yet powerful. I share because I know we all have busy lives and when we’re feeling not 100%, it makes everything that much harder. Doing these few things helped set me up to actually feel good on Monday and have a productive day.

1) Freshen up. Never underestimate the power of a little spritz and reapply. I knew I looked rough, which made me feel rough. I went to the airport bathroom and spritzed myself with my Too Faced 3-in-1 Hangover spray. Another facial spray I love is the Herbivore Rosewater Hibiscus coconut water face mist. Carrying a facial spray in your purse is a game changer! Instantly refreshing. I threw some baby powder into my flat hair, reapplied concealer and applied a little blush. Though my head was still pounding, I at least looked and felt a little more alive. Don’t have any makeup with you? Splash a little water on your face, part your hair a different way, throw it up in a pony. A little freshening up does wonders. I’m a huge advocate of look good, feel good. Five hours of travel up ahead? I GOT THIS.

2) HYDRATE. Drink a ton of water. If you ask me, more water is the solution to everything. Flush out those toxins. We ideally want to drink half of our body weight in ounces of water each day. Bringing my own water bottle everywhere I go helps me drink more. If you’re flying, drink even more because there’s less humidity in the air so you become dehydrated easier. I forced myself to drink 36 oz of water before I got on the plane and felt my headache melt away. Thankfully I had an aisle seat.

3) Drink tea. Quick way to feel healthier? A cup of tea will do the trick. While feeling like a lethargic zombie in the airport, I stopped by Starbucks. Though I was tempted to get a sugary, frozen drink, I knew it would only perpetuate my crappy feeling. I needed something to soothe my body so I opted for Earl Grey tea. It settled my stomach, warmed me up, and relaxed me. Earl Grey is so underrated and it’s one of my favorites. It’s great for digestion, fights anxiety and depression with its calming effect, AND improves the immune system, which is perfect right before getting on an airplane.

Not sure which type of tea you need? Check out this helpful guide.

4) Stretch. A good stretch makes a world of difference. Not only is stretching great for flexibility and mobility, it helps melt away our stress. When we react to emotional stress, our muscles tense up. Next time you’re feeling stressed, notice how close your shoulders get to your ears. Stretching out those tense muscles gets the blood flowing; it calms our bodies. A few neck rolls, a rag doll pose, and stretching my arms above my head makes me feel so much better. Especially when I’m about to sit for three hours on an airplane.

5) Do a breathing exercise. Box breathing is my favorite breathing exercise. I do it any time I need to calm my body, which is pretty much daily. It’s easy and always accessible. Breathe in for four seconds, hold the breath for four seconds, release for four seconds, hold for four seconds. Repeat ten times. I try to focus only on nothing but my breath and it automatically gets me in a more relaxed state.

6) Listen to music. Depending what I need in the moment; a pump up song or something soothing to relax me, music helps instantly. I have a list of confidence boosting songs that I’ll switch on when I need to get my energy up. Conversely, I have a playlist of songs that are super calming. Need a quick way to relax? If you have Spotify, search for Tibetan Sound Bowl playlists. Play that while doing a breathing exercise and you’ll feel like a new person. Seriously! It’s amazing how your mood shifts just from the sound of music in your ears.

7) Listen to a podcast. When I’m feeling particularly crappy (like I was that day in the airport), I don’t feel like myself. A few days of overeating and drinking without exercise has that effect. Listening to an inspiring or informative podcast grounds me again. No matter how junky I feel, if I’m learning and listening to a podcast, I feel revitalized in a way. It feels like I’m doing something productive and healthy for my mind.

8) Spread kindness. The best way to feel better is to make someone else feel good. I’ve experienced my energy go from 0 to 100 just by talking to a nice stranger. It’s like a positive energy exchange when you uplift someone else. Knowing you made them feel better makes you feel good too. That day at the airport, I was tempted to throw my headphones in as soon as I sat down on the airplane. However, I was seated next to an older gentleman who wanted to chat. Why not? Talking to and learning about someone else lifted my energy, got me engaged, and made the flight go quicker.

Good day or bad day, the choice is ours. I always say, the day is going to pass us either way. I’d rather enjoy it as much as I can.

What helps you?

With love,

Alissa