If you travel by air regularly, it's worthwhile doing some online research to see if any of the airports you'll be visiting have gyms. Not every airport does, of course, but there are a number of airports that have fitness facilities for travelers to use, either in the terminal itself or in an airport hotel that is connected to the terminal. Air travel and working out might not seem to go hand in hand, but when you think about the opportunity to break a sweat during a day of travel, there are a lot of reasons to pack some workout clothing in your carry-on bag and join a fitness class.

A Healthy Layover Activity

Long layovers aren't just dull. They also can be detrimental to your physical health. When you're stuck at the airport during a lengthy layover — four hours, for example — it's easy to be tempted by the restaurants and bars that are seemingly always within sight. Eating and drinking excessively is a habit that some air travelers adopt, and if you make this mistake frequently, you may gain start to gain weight. Conversely, joining a fitness class at an airport athletic center is a perfect way to build a healthy body during your layover.

Relief For Travel-Related Aches

Air travel can sometimes cause soreness that can make you feel miserable. Spending long hours cramped in an economy class seat on an airplane can cause back, neck, and knee pain. Additionally, if you don't sleep very well while you travel, you may be sore from tossing and turning throughout the night. Joining a fitness class at the airport is an opportunity to loosen your sore muscles and get your blood flowing to reduce the soreness that you're dealing with.

Help With Feeling Alert

Physical fitness can often provide feelings of alertness, which can definitely come in handy on a day of air travel. Getting up early to be at the airport and the mundane nature of air travel can often be exhausting, and you may find yourself struggling to stay awake without a lot of caffeine. This is especially a concern during business travel, but taking some time to enjoy a short fitness class can invigorate you and help you to feel alert for the rest of your day — and prevent you from needing the caffeine that may be effective in the short term, but that can also make you jittery and compromise your ability to sleep.

For more information, check out exercise classes at the airport during your next layover.

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