It’s easy to imagine that the life of frequent business travelers is exciting, glamourous even.

Jet-setting on first class from one big city to another. Catching up on emails in swank airline lounges where only the biggest miles earners can wheel and deal. And checking into hotel suites adorned with Egyptian cotton sheets and a well-stocked mini-bar.

Yes, it’s easy to imagine. If this isn’t your life.

The truth is quite different. For starters, that might be the life of a few well-heeled corporate CEOs, but mid-level managers, support personnel and start-up workers often experience a far different itinerary: long layovers, middle seats in Economy Class and no-frills hotels where healthy meals are slim pickings.

But wait, there’s more. According to mounting studies and reports, the life of the career business traveler comes with some major drawbacks, namely huge risks to one’s physical and mental well-being, which are tied closely together. Adding to that data is the sheer size of the workforce at risk. U.S. companies spend more than $420 billion to send workers on more than $500 million business trips annually — and those are just the domestic getaways.¹

Road warriors and frequent flyers must deal with more than flight cancellations and uncooperative PowerPoint presentations. Lack of healthy food, jet lag, and no time or facilities to exercise are increasingly putting business travelers at risk for chronic conditions. And the stress related to this itinerant lifestyle is producing its own debilitating effects.²

In this article, we’ll share some of the hard evidence laying out the hardships of the modern business traveler. And we’ll also curate some suggestions and techniques for giving this lifestyle a healthy makeover.

The Physical & Mental Toll Paid by Business Travelers

We won’t spend a lot of time here detailing the challenges that frequent business travelers face in the pursuit of wellness, from jetlag to greasy airport eateries. (We have a detailed article on travel health that can clue you in.) But we will share some of the growing evidence about how frequent business travel can contribute to an unhealthier lifestyle, and even worse, a predisposition to chronic physical and mental conditions.

• The symptoms are showing. More and more of the most frequent business travelers are self-reporting symptoms of what could become more concerning problems down the road. For example, when compared to those who travel 6 days a month, those who travel 21 days are more likely to: “smoke… report trouble sleeping… be sedentary… and score above clinical thresholds for alcohol dependence, and mild or worse anxiety, and depression symptoms.” This is according to new research from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. ^{(3, 4)}
• Risk are becoming reality. An unhealthy lifestyle is a precursor to a number of potential outcomes, from simply feeling rundown to actually dealing with the realities of stroke, a heart attack and other serious conditions. One review of recent scientific studies in this area concluded that the risks of these events are proven to increase with frequent business travel (or a routine that researchers call “hypermobility.”) Additionally, this lifestyle can ramp up the aging process for travelers. ^{(5, 2)}

• The claims are real. It’s one thing to grow alarmed at the high number of self-reported symptoms of an unhealthy lifestyle for these uber-business travelers vs. professionals who travel infrequently, or not at all. It’s another to see the hard data. One case study in particular illustrates that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. An investigation of more than 10,000 staff and consultants employed by the World Bank found that insurance claims for travelers far outpaced those of non-travelling workers. Specifically, claims were 80% higher for men and 18% higher for women. The No. 1 claim? Psychological disorders. ⁽⁶⁾

This is a lot to take in. And there is abundant amount of additional research we haven’t even touched on, from studies linking specific weight gains (and poor Body Mass Index, or B.M.I. scores) to business travel to the emotional stress that families experience when one spouse is pulled away from the other — and the kids. But it’s certainly enough data to illustrate that frequent travel can be a dangerous business. The good news is that there is growing attention on the matter, and a growing body of research underscoring the severity of the problem. And, as you’ll see below, there are a number of steps that the folks who live out of a suitcase can take to reclaim their health and wellness, virtually anywhere.

Healthy Changes Business Travelers (And Employers) Can Make

Sure, you can pack 5-lb. weights and some granola in your carry-on, but for frequent business travelers who have unhealthy habits ingrained in their routines, it’s going to take a lot more to win back their wellness. It actually starts with employers. After all, these are the ones determining travel budgets and arrangements.⁽⁷⁾ If those holding the purse strings and setting itineraries need motivation to book fewer red-eye flights and create more downtime for their mobile workforce, they simply need to look at their bottom line. That’s because an unhealthy workforce hits employers where it counts. In fact, productivity losses tied to absenteeism accounts for more than $225 billion in the United States each year alone.⁽⁸⁾

Employers who see the light can take actions such as offering generous enough meal reimbursements so that workers can choose salads over burgers, as well as only booking hotels with robust gym facilities (and not “micro-gyms” with one treadmill and a yoga mat). Additionally, companies can provide onsite resources for stress management, such as counseling and workshops, as well as programs meant to stoke physical activity, including workforce pedometer / step challenges. While they’re at it, employers should look around the office to see how they’re setting the tone at home. After all, how likely are they to look after the wellness of employees who are traveling hundreds of miles away if they’re not taking care of the ones right there under their roof? Are vending machines only stocked with chips and candy? Are there walking trails within walking distance or a bike rack for employees who wish to ride to work? ⁽⁷⁾

All of this said, it’s ultimately up to the employee to want to change. They need to realize that substituting an apple here for a donut there and skipping the elevator for the stairs are setting the right mindset even if they’re not moving the bar overnight. Also, they need to put in the work to disrupt unhealthy habits. If they’re booked in accommodations with a spacious, modern gym, they need to make that wake-up call to ensure they have enough time to take advantage of it. They also need to connect their current work routine to the bigger picture.⁽⁹⁾ How is the long slog of business travel, and any poor healthy habits they’ve amassed, impacted their current health? Or even broader, how has it impacted their goals for retirement and beyond?

The health of America’s workforce is finally coming under the microscope. While we may not like everything we see — especially if were among the most frequent travelers –more and more solutions to take back their health and wellness are coming into focus.

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