Two hundred and fifty days plus on the road, rails, seas and in the air every year and I’ve started to think my passports perhaps have nervous systems of their own. The thing that actually gets me isn’t jet lag or the hours of just sitting or even those screaming babies. It’s how I feel when I finally arrive: drained, stiff, stupid, foggy. Like I’ve been on a long-haul obstacle course. In desperate need to recover.
Whether it’s a 16-hour flight, a multi-day train journey across Peru, a Mediterranean yacht crossing or a long road trip across Canada (I have done all of these in the last few months), my body pays the price. Over the years, I’ve built a recovery toolkit that keeps me from turning into a human puddle no matter the mode of travel—a mix of rituals, indulgences and plain common sense that actually works. Some science backed, others just Daniel backed.
Reset And Recover From The Inside Out
I start inside. My go-to is an anti-inflammatory cleanse—Organic Pharmer is my favorite (full disclosure: my husband has a stake in the company). Not a detox in the Instagram sense but something that quietly tells my body: “Hey, you survived hours of recycled cabin air, bouncing on a yacht or cramped train seats. Let’s forgive each other.” It melts away my horrid bloating. I do feel a boost of energy, and some have told me it helps restore my glow.
Hydration is also critical. I’ve tried powders, tablets, sachets—they all taste like gym lockers. Coconut water is my weapon of choice if I am so inclined—slightly sweet, slightly magical and actually makes me feel human again. But really, I just drink tons and tons of water.
I also try to take a 24-hour caffeine pause. Some people roll their eyes. I roll mine later, sipping Moon Milk while they’re still bouncing off coffee. For me, skipping caffeine after long-haul travel can sometimes help circadian rhythms reset more efficiently. Not always, but worth trying.
Moon Milk And Custom Teas To Recover
Speaking of Moon Milk, it is my ritual for actually sleeping after any long haul—plane, train, yacht or car. Caffeine-free, earthy, with blue butterfly pea flowers, oat flowers and a pinch of ginger. Heat it with oat milk and honey, and it’s heavenly.
Sometimes, I contact Sarah Scarborough who owns Tea Huntress to create a custom blend just for me—valerian root, chamomile, oatstraw, whatever my nervous system needs to reset. There’s something comforting about a tea made for you, like it understands exactly how jet-lagged or travel-drained you are.
Re-Sync Your Body To Recover
After the internal reset, I focus on re-anchoring myself. Barefoot grounding is non-negotiable—feet in the grass, walks in the park, forest bathing whenever I can.
Morning sunlight is just as important. Light exposure at the right times helps reset your circadian rhythm after travel, especially across multiple time zones.
I usually add a little magnesium or adaptogens like ashwagandha and rhodiola. Subtle but after months of near-constant travel, subtle is exactly what you need.
One of my favorite rituals is walking barefoot in Central Park with my best friend Mary and our dogs, Ella and Thandi. No matter where I’ve been, we make time for it—letting the grass scrunch between our toes, stretching slowly, breathing in the city air. Ten minutes later, I feel grounded, present and restored. Also it’s always good to be with a friend who knows you best.
Move, Sweat, Reset And Then Recover
Movement also just feels good, so often the moment I land somewhere I go out and just walk—sometimes a few minutes, sometimes hours. If there’s a steam room or hammam, I’ll make a beeline—barefoot on tiles, letting the heat coax out every last ounce of travel stress.
On the other spectrum of movement, I love both pilates and yoga. Once I practice some of that, the reset of my spine starts to naturally happen—thank you cramped seats. I usually do Yoga with Tim on YouTube and Move with Nicole on YouTube.
Also worth mentioning is cold immersion as my reset switch. I do plunges in the Atlantic Ocean near Big Sur when I’m home in California. I’m not sure if it’s the shock, the salt or just the clarity it brings, but ten minutes in that icy water wakes up every part of me dulled by travel. And doing it with my friend Madigan adds to the joy.
Recover In The Lounge With Some Small Luxuries
Some airlines, trains and boats have gone beyond hydration and rest, creating experiences that feel like boutique hotels on the move. And since I spend a lot of time in these, some do it better than others which I very much appreciate.
By the time I hit The Pier Lounge in Hong Kong, I’m basically a walking travel experiment. Then I climb into their day suite with a bed, cabana shower, Aesop products (yes I still love that stuff) and a faint scent of jasmine. I lie down for a few minutes or hours, and there I feel human again.
Even more amazing is their onboard offering, the new Aria Suite on the 777-300ER. It has sliding doors, ambient lighting and can make a 13-hour flight feel like a private retreat. I half expect a butler to tuck me in.
Even a luxury train cabin or a boat suite can give similar restorative moments if you know how to treat them: fresh linens, ambient lighting and a ritual like Moon Milk (yes, pack some in your carry-on) can make all the difference. When booking I think about these things much more now—checking what sheets are washed with, asking beforehand about lighting in hotel rooms, asking for a hot water kettle before check-in.
Supplements Can Assist To Recover
And then there are the supplements. I do believe if you eat well and live well, your need for supplements is probably a little less. But with my schedule I need all the help I can get. When I am home in Madrid I rely on Dr. You. This nifty brand was born from a simple idea: no one knows you better than you. Founders Juan José and Andrea built a wellness space here in the Spanish capital. And yes, I pop in ever so often at this modern apothecary where they are blending supplements and generally just giving me wellness tools.
Because truthfully, travel just doesn’t always come with rest. Jet lag, new beds (bad beds!), and the adrenaline of arrival can keep me wired when I most need sleep. That’s when it’s not a heavy knock-out pill that I need, but a blend that actually helps me reset, and Dr. You’s Sleep formula does the trick—GABA quiets the noise in my head, slow release melatonin connects me back to my natural circadian rhythm, magnesium and L-theanine eases my body, L-tryptophan and botanicals like valerian, passionflower, lemon balm, lavender brings calm to my nervous system. I use it after long flights when my body feels in three time zones at once, and it steadies me into sleep the way I want it: natural, deep, and uninterrupted. Not drugged, just aligned.
Meditation And Mind-Body Recover
Finally, the mental side. A few minutes of meditation or breathwork, journaling to unpack both luggage and thoughts, sometimes even a full digital detox day. One thing I learned from my guru Bhagwati at the Parmarth Niketan ashram in India is that even ten conscious breaths, focusing entirely on inhalation and exhalation, can reset the nervous system after long travel. Sometimes I sit by the Hudson River or in a quiet corner of an airline lounge, close my eyes and just practice this simple technique. It works every time.
Sleep is the ultimate luxury and carving out a solid block of it makes everything else manageable. These are the simple tools I rely on. No need for it all to be perfect, just allow things to be. At least I have a game plan to recover.