Glossy heaps of Instagram reels, polished vlogs of travel creators, and cinematic drone shots of your favorite destinations make many of us feel that travel is an endless joyride. However, what many people don’t tell you is that there is another side to traveling – one where you wake in your hotel bed, stare at another packed itinerary, and instead of feeling excitement, you feel…exhausted! That, our dear friends, is most likely travel burnout.
It isn’t easy to define, yet it is very much prevalent, especially when travel becomes more of a performance than a personal experience. It doesn’t mean you’ve fallen out of love with travel – your body and brain are just asking for a breather. Worry not, team unstumbled’s here to tell you more about travel burnout and how you can deal with it.
When Wanderlust Wears You Out: Symptoms, Myths, And How To Deal With Travel Burnout
Symptoms And Signs Of Travel Burnout
Travel burnout is similar to a regular, day-to-day life burnout. It’s when your body and brain are simply too exhausted due to emotional, physical, and mental fatigue over a prolonged period of time. While occupational burnout results from workplace-related stress and is identified easily, travel burnout is only beginning to gain the attention of health experts and travelers around the world.
However, worry not! There are plenty of symptoms and signs that can help you identify whether you too are experiencing a travel burnout. Here are a few of them:
-
Constant Fatigue
It’s like you’re stuck in an endless cycle of exhaustion, where no matter how much coffee you chug or sleep time you get, you end up feeling sluggish. The excitement that you had for a certain activity during your trip suddenly feels like a massive burden – like a challenging task you must tick off from your to-do list. These are signs of fatigue, and ultimately signs of a travel burnout.
-
Irritability
Many travelers experiencing travel burnout often get irritated very quickly and quite easily. A sudden drop in WiFi quality or cold water running from the electric heater instead of warm water – such trivial instances too can make people irritated when they’re experiencing a travel burnout. This irritation at seemingly trivial things and the feeling of the world suddenly becoming ‘insufferable’ is a sign of the burnout speaking through you.
-
Emotional Indifference To New Experiences
When many of you try out a new experience or visit a tourist destination you’ve never visited before, you become awestruck. You feel a gamut of emotions – you’re either shocked, surprised, happy, or even emotional. But when you’re experiencing a travel burnout, you become indifferent to these emotions. Suddenly, the grand palace you’re stepping in for the first time doesn’t entice you as you thought it would. Instead of a ‘woah’, your mind goes ‘meh’ and dismisses any kind of emotion towards a new experience.
-
Binge Eating
Trying out different kinds of food when you’re traveling is a classic travel experience. But when your body starts depending a little too much on food – as a way to escape thoughts and worries – it might be a sign of a travel burnout. Some people, especially those who have been dealing with anxiety, can experience signs similar to stress eating and binge eating. Along with it, irregular eating patterns such as skipping meals, feeling foodsick, or the complete loss of appetite can also signal towards underlying anxiety, stress, or fatigue.
-
Indecisiveness
Travel fatigue speaks through you when your brain is not able to make a clear decision – especially when you know that deciding something could’ve been normal and pretty easy otherwise. Suddenly, deciding whether you want to eat at a local eatery or a fancy restaurant becomes a head-scratching task. Your brain is simply too tired to make a choice and this is a sign of your body experiencing a burnout.
Other important symptoms and signs of travel burnout are as follows:
- Restlessness
- Homesickness
- Negative thoughts
- Constant worrying
- Physical illness
5 Myths About Travel Burnout!
Myth 1: You Can’t Get Burnout In An ‘Easy’ Destination Or Somewhere You Are Familiar With
It is a big myth that traveling to a known, familiar destination or an easy-to-travel destination will not lead to burnout. However, a travel burnout is indifferent to the destination you’re traveling to – it does not depend on the destination but on the mental and physical turmoil you’re going through.
Myth 2: Traveling In A Group Rather Than Solo Can Prevent Burnout
Many travelers believe that travel burnout is more likely when traveling solo instead of in a group. However, even when traveling in a group (be it with friends or fellow travelers), there are chances that you might end up feeling lonely or left out. And this can ultimately lead to travel burnout.
Myth 3: Travel Experts Don’t Burn Out
It is often a myth that travel experts and seasoned travelers do not experience travel burnout due to their experience and expertise. It is considered that only new travelers are likely to experience travel burnout; however, even the most seasoned travelers are prone to travel fatigue. You’ll find many travel bloggers and creators voicing their experiences with travel burnout.
Myth 4: Burnout Is A Sign Of A ‘Bad Traveler’
To clear it right off the bat, it is a big lie! A burnout doesn’t mean that you are bad at traveling or planning your itinerary. Neither does it mean that you are disorganized or not meant for traveling. Just like having a sweet treat when you’re dieting doesn’t really make you bad at fitness, getting burnt out doesn’t mean that you are a bad traveler.
Myth 5: Planning To The T Will Prevent Burnout
Burnouts are often associated with messy planning and disorganized ways of life. However, in the case of travel, a burnout can occur even when you’ve meticulously planned your itinerary. While planning your trip to the T is certainly helpful, it won’t guarantee a burnout-free experience.
How To Deal With Or Avoid Travel Burnout
Get Your Sleep
A well-rested body allows you to make the most of your trip. While traveling to a new destination can be overwhelming, you should not compromise on your sleeping schedule. Getting a good night’s sleep will not only make you physically more active and sound but also invigorate your mind.
Have A Simple Exercise Schedule
Exercising, even for 10 to 15 minutes, can help you freshen up your brain and body. Go for a brisk walk, jog for some time, or do a simple yoga routine. You need not carry gym equipment or invest a lot of time in an exercise schedule. All you need is a few minutes of your trip itinerary and a little determination.
Slow Down, It Helps
It’s far less stressful to slow down and explore a place than to overstuff your itinerary with ten different activities. Limit your daily activities and try to explore a place over a couple of days instead of trying to cover it all in a day. Slowing down will not only help you avoid travel fatigue but also help you explore a certain place in an in-depth way.
Take Days Off
If you’re planning an itinerary, a good way to avoid travel fatigue is by keeping a day or two as ‘buffer days’. Keeping buffer days in your itinerary will help you rest and relax in between days of travel. This will help you recharge your body and soul and prepare you for the next day of fun-filled activities.
Listen To Your Body
Your body always sends you signals when it is in trouble – so try to listen to it when the signs show up. If you’re feeling exhausted, avoid climbing to that viewpoint. If your body is giving you signs that it craves a burger over a salad, go for it! No matter how big or small the sign is, we recommend listening to your body rather than avoiding it.
Summing Up
Travel burnout doesn’t mean you’re bad at traveling or you’ve lost your wanderlust passion. It simply means that your body needs to hit a pause, breathe, and recalibrate. So, when your body gives you signs, don’t ignore or postpone them; listen to them carefully. And remember that the best trips aren’t the busiest ones – they’re the ones where you truly feel alive, connected, and relaxed by the end of the day.
