Most people are familiar with the fact that being in stressful situations, especially for prolonged periods of time, can have a detrimental effect on our immune system. The process of moving is very taxing for everyone, no matter how carefully you planned it. If you are using a moving company, a large portion of the stressful factors will be taken care of for you. However, that doesn’t mean that you will simply coast through the rest of the process. No matter what challenges are thrown at you, it is important to know how to stay healthy during a big move. You are beginning a new life in an unfamiliar place. You don’t want the process of starting over to completely grind you down.
Stay safe
Firstly, packing and moving can often be the cause of different injuries. Make sure to remind yourself that safety always comes first. Protective gloves are always a good idea when you are carrying things, taking them down or putting them up. The same goes for comfortable shoes that have soles with good traction. Wearing comfortable and practical clothes, in general, will ensure staying healthy and safe during a move.
If you are doing the packing yourself, make sure you are using the appropriate equipment. For heavier furniture, you will need equipment like sliders or dollies in order to move them. You also want to be mindful of the ways you lift and carry things. As a rule, it is much safer to bend your knees and keep your back straight in order to avoid back injuries. If you need to move something really heavy, make sure you plan ahead and hopefully get someone to help you.
Plan for stress-free packing
Generally speaking, planning things out can do a lot to ensure you stay healthy during relocation. It can be particularly useful for packing. Because it is time-consuming and takes a lot of effort, you may be tempted to put it off until the last minute. This is not advisable. Procrastinating will cause you a lot of stress, you can make mistakes and even hurt yourself. As said, certain bulkier items take quite a bit of logistics to pack up and move. Your moving company could handle those, but you will still be left with the rest of your belongings.
One of the useful ways to keep packing stress-free is to include the entire family. You can explain everything to your kids and they can at least help pack up their own rooms. You can also ask an older child to oversee and help the younger ones. Taking part in the move will make them feel useful and help prepare them for leaving. It will also take something off of your plate. Another thing you should probably do is go through your belongings and purge the items you know you absolutely won’t need. Pack your belongings room by room and mark the boxes very clearly so the moving in will be much easier.
Get enough sleep
This can be the hardest task to fulfill. It is also perhaps the most important how to stay healthy during a big move. Sometimes it is anticipation that is keeping you up and sometimes it’s the sheer amount of things you need to get done. Whatever the case, try not to let it disrupt your sleep pattern too much. Planning comes in handy here as well. The more you do and organize before the moving day arrives, the less you’ll have to do in those 2 or 3 days and the more sleep you will be able to get. If worrying or nerves are what is keeping you up, try some of the meditation apps that can help relax you before bed.
Eat well and stay hydrated 
Much like with sleep, eating well is a big part of staying healthy during relocation. These are important always, but you rely on your own energy and health even more during a stressful time. You may feel tempted to skip meals just because there is so much to do. Alternatively, you’ll opt for ordering in or grabbing a quick bite of some filling fast food. Neither of these two is advisable. It may take up a little bit of time in the preparation part of your move. However, planning for meals when you are busy packing, traveling and moving will actually do a lot for your health. An easy thing to do is to have some healthy snacks on hand like fruit or nuts, as well as to ensure you have a home-cooked meal.
Water is another important part of everyone’s diet. Hydration is particularly important if you are moving in the summer months with excessive heat. A lot of the move is very physical so staying healthy and safe during a move means always replenishing your water levels. Green tea can be a good alternative to coffee if you are trying to stay hydrated.
Hygiene
Times of an epidemic or pandemic like what the world is experiencing currently with the coronavirus do a lot to highlight the everyday importance of practicing good hygiene. One of the ways how to stay healthy during a big move is to ensure you always have a way to wash or clean your hands as they are bound to get dirty. If you are moving your family with children, it is important to remind them to be mindful of these as well. You should make sure to always have some wet wipes on hand or hand sanitizing gel in case there is no soap and water.
These will come in particularly handy on the day of the move when traveling, as well as during the moving in process. If your immunity has already been compromised by losing sleep and not eating well, these small precautions will hopefully stave off any illnesses that you could catch.