TravelClub

Travel Tips For Headache Sufferers
By alien
For some people travel is one big headache with regards to the stress and exhaustion of moving through several times zones. Others who have battled with headaches prior to travel will often find that the strain and bustle of travel leaves them with intense headaches or migraines. A sore head is a challenge in itself but when you’re away from the security and comfort of your home surroundings, it can be more unpleasant to deal with headaches.

Stress

Crowds, noise, bright lights and delays are all small stresses that can add up to one big headache or migraine. Anything stressful can potentially cause a headache and bright lights and noises are notorious migraine triggers. These perils of travel are inevitable in most cases, so it’s best to find ways to cope with the discomfort of travel stress. Be sure to pack sunglasses or a soft ‘blackout’ band to wear over your eyes. Not only can this help you to avoid glaring lights, but it can also help you to sleep. Look for ways to keep busy during delays. Grab a cup of tea, a bite to eat and a magazine. Some airports even have spa and massage services, so if you’re willing to splurge a little, you may wish to obtain a massage. You will feel much more relaxed and may ultimately be thankful of the delay.

Sleep

Lack of sleep contributes to headaches and when it’s prolonged, as it may be during travel, head pain can be quite frustrating. If you’re not one of those lucky few who can sleep through the flight, try to obtain even a little bit of sleep by blocking out noise with earplugs, and avoiding any stimulants such as caffeine. The supplement melatonin has been suggested as a sleep aid for jetlag, but talk to your doctor before taking any supplements, even over-the-counter ones. Some of the standard anti-nausea medications that travellers use for motion sickness also have the side effect of drowsiness, so you may find that once your tummy has settled, you are pleasantly sleepy and able to have a nap.

Diet and Dehydration

For people who experience migraines, avoiding food triggers is often a major lifestyle focus. Airplane food is often loaded with food additives to preserve the food and these can prompt painful migraines. It’s generally wise to bring your own food whenever possible. Don’t avoid eating because low blood sugar can further exacerbate a headache. Keep a variety of healthy non-perishable snack foods in your bag for when you travel. Nuts are an excellent choice loaded with fibre, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats, as well as protein. Fruits and bite-sized vegetables are also an easy snack to transport and you can conveniently munch on these throughout your flight. Be sure to drink water frequently, as dehydration can cause headaches. It may be difficult, but try to avoid the temptation to have that glass of wine to help you relax. Alcohol influences blood sugar and causes dehydration; it also can lead to withdrawal headaches so do aim for non-alcoholic beverages whenever possible.

Pressure

Pressure changes can lead to airplane headaches. Both cabin pressure changes and altitude can cause severe headaches, particularly sinus ones. Swelling in the sinuses from pressure changes leads to physical pressure on surrounding areas in your face and triggers headaches. Ear pressure can also contribute to headaches and is a common complaint during air travel. To address pain from headaches, you can bring over-the-counter painkillers such as acetaminophen. These should provide relief although try to find one that doesn’t include caffeine, as caffeine’s diuretic effects can be particularly dehydrating during travel.

Get Moving

Sitting for long periods of travel, whether by train, airplane or car, can leave muscles all over your body feeling cramped, tight and sore. Airplane seats are hardly known for comfort and your shoulders, back and neck may become very stiff, leading to tension headaches. Sometimes, the effects of travel are felt for days afterwards; your neck and back area can remain tensed and you may experience a dull headache that never quite goes away.

Whenever possible during travel, try to take a little walk around. If you’re driving, take regular stops, even if it’s just for five minutes to walk in the fresh air and stretch your body a bit. On a plane, you can usually walk up and down the aisles every so often to release tension in your legs and spine. Trains are often less taxing on the body because there is more space to move and seats are not as cramped as those on an airplane.

There are even airplane yoga books and flashcards you can purchase-these provide simple, straightforward ‘poses’ you can perform on an airplane. Most are done from the privacy of your seat, so there is no need to worry about making a spectacle in the aisles.

With a little bit of prior planning, you can ensure your travel plans don’t lead to headaches and migraines. This means less worry about head pain and more time spent enjoying your arrival in a new place.

Article Source: http://www.articlemap.com

Alien writes for Headache causes. He also writes for headache home remedies and depression symptoms

Galicia - Holiday Jewel Of North Western Spain
By stephenstewart
An extremely wide variety of tourist accommodation can be found in Galicia and Northern Spain. Visitor accommodation can be found to fit all tastes and even the choosiest customer will find something to suit their needs.

If you want something slightly different then most people would head for one of the various exclusive hotels throughout the region or one of the “Paradors” that can be found in various key places throughout the area. Good accommodation can be found also in some of the various mountain refuges where the stunning views complement the high standard of the accommodation but also for those looking for a beach holiday on a budget there are lots of campsites to be found in the coastal areas.

As expected the hotels in Galicia and Northern Spain are extremely spacious very clean and comfortable. Hotels are categorized and awarded stars by the regional tourist authorities. The local tourist Authority awards between one and five stars for each hotel and the status of the hotel can be found by looking at a blue plaque near the hotel door.

You can usually find en-suite bathrooms or at least a shower in each Hotel bedroom. Hostels and “Pensions” usually do not have en-suite facilities and have fewer comforts than hotels so as to be expected are slightly cheaper.

Don’t equate the number of stars on the outside door of the hotel to necessarily match the standards of the accommodation that is on offer and this is because in Spain the stars are allocated on the facilities on offer not necessarily the quality of the service. The more exclusive hotels offer all kinds of extra facilities, such as air conditioning, on-site parking, internet-access and rooms with televisions as well as facilities for the disabled.

It is advisable to plan in advance when you want to come to this area because as you would expect, prices and rates can vary on the season or time of year that you choose to visit. A popular option available in all of the autonomous regions of northern Spain are hostels (hostales) and guest houses (pensiones) which are cheaper than hotels. These are usually small family-run establishments offering just a few beds.

It is estimated that there are approximately 92,000 registered beds in this territory, described as “Green Spain” and there are in excess of 1500 hotels.

The largest hotel chains in the area are called Grupo Sol-Melia and NH. The standard of accommodation in these hotels is extremely high. Latterly there have been a growing number of smaller privately run hotels that offer memorable relaxing accommodation available.

In Spain they have dotted throughout the country a series of state run hotels that are known as Paradors. These are classified from between three to five stars. Spain’s first Parador opened in 1928 and now there is a wide network of them throughout the country. The idea behind the hotels when they were setup was that there should never be more than one day’s drive from one Parador to another. The best known Parador in the area is the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostela and this is in a former royal hunting lodge. Other Paradors can be found in monasteries, castles and other monuments. You will quite often find that there are a growing number of purpose built Paradors and these can quite often be found in either towns of historic interest or areas of spectacular scenery.

A Parador might not necessarily be the best hotel in town, but it can be counted to deliver a predictably high level of comfort. The standard of each Parador is extremely consistent with comfortable and spacious bedrooms all furnished to the same high standard. Quite often you will find that they offer outstanding samples of regional cuisine. |If you plan to tour in high season or to stay in the smaller Paradors, it might be wise to reserve the room. Bookings can be made either using the Central de Reservas which is a centrally based service based in Madrid or you can contact each Parador direct. As with most areas if you travel in the high season you will find accommodation can be quite expensive but if you are able to shop around you can quite often find special deals available.

Article Source: http://www.articlemap.com

Scott James writes about a great many Internet Travel based issues and more on the above can be found atHoteles GaliciaandTurismo Rural GaliciaFor a more complete overlook at Tourism in Galicia try www.turgalicia.es