After over 15 years of constant travel, becoming residents of Bulgaria was a game changer for us.
For the first time since we were live part-time in Grenadawe don’t live out of suitcases, hop between Airbnbs, or eat whatever suits us, no matter how healthy it is.
We’ve finally put down roots – and it turns out that having more full-time basis is one of the best things we’ve ever done for our health. We’re not as young as when we started travel lifestyle in 2008!
Now that we’ve become residents with a place to call our own, we’ve been able to build real routines and we’ve never felt better. I hope this list gives you some ideas that you can also incorporate into your daily life.
Here are the 10 things we are doing to improve our health now that we have a home base.
1. Saunas every week
One of the biggest perks of settling in was the easy access to saunas. We’ve made regular sauna sessions a non-negotiable part of our week.
THE benefits go way beyond just relaxing after a workout.
Regular sauna use has been linked to better cardiovascular health, better circulation, faster muscle recovery and reduced stress levels… not to mention, sweating after a few glasses of wine the night before is always a good thing!
When we lived near Plovdiv for almost 4 years in a bigger house, we had our own infrared sauna – it allowed us to sweat as much as we wanted.
These days, now that we have downsized and moved to Bansko, we go to the spa every week and enjoy a sauna session afterwards.
2. Prioritize our sleep
Here’s the problem with traveling: it destroys your sleep. Sleeping in different beds every few nights, jet lag, noisy streets, uncomfortable mattresses – it all adds up.
We are definitely attached to our mattress (I’m like the Princess and the Pea 😂). When we lived in Granada we didn’t think the mattress was up to par, so we bought a new one…same thing in Plovdiv.
Unfortunately, since our recent move to Bansko, the house we’re renting doesn’t have the best mattress – and our sleep is suffering as a result. We just ordered a mattress topper so hope that helps and if not we will be looking for a new mattress.
Companies like Simba they have a wide variety of mattresses, mattress toppers, and in fact, they have reflexology slippers with 9 pressure points that I can’t wait to check out! Anything that can improve my well-being, I participate in it.
Nick also has a Oura ring and I have a Apple Watch so we can track our sleep, which has also been very helpful.
Sure, we’ll still travel and sleep on available beds (or the floor in some cases!), but at home we want a quality mattress. You can hike every day, eat perfectly, and supplement religiously, but if you don’t sleep well, none of that really matters…
3. Soaking in Mineral Pools
Bulgaria is famous for its mineral springs and, living near Bansko, we took full advantage of them. The area is full of mineral thermal pools and bathing in them has become one of our favorite ways to relax and recuperate.
Naturally heated, mineral-rich water is packed with elements like magnesium, calcium, and sulfur, which are believed to help with everything from muscle aches to skin health.
Beyond the physical benefits, there’s just something relaxing and restorative about soaking in warm water surrounded by mountains.
We try to go to the swimming pools regularly. It’s the kind of thing we could never do consistently when we were constantly on the move, and now it’s a highlight of our routine.
4. Natural Cold Dives
On the other hand, Nick fell in love with cold baths – I, not so much! I’ve done this several times, but the water temperature has to be 10°C or higher, otherwise my body gets stressed.
And in fact, it is mixed reviews on whether or not cold dives are good for women.
But for Nick, around our new house he gets to dive into natural cold water rather than a pool. There’s nothing like the thrill of jumping into an icy mountain stream or plunge pool after warming up in the sauna.
Exposure to cold was linked to reduced inflammation, improved circulation, a boosted immune response, and a serious boost in mental clarity and alertness.
Those first few seconds are always a shock to the system, but the endorphin rush that follows is unbeatable: you emerge energized, focused and strangely euphoric.
5. Take Targeted Minerals
This one is a little “extravagant,” but it’s a fascinating part of our health journey. We both made a HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis), which analyzes a small sample of hair to reveal your mineral levels and ratios.
The results gave us a clear idea of where we were deficient (spoiler: pretty much every area), what we needed to focus on, and even showed what heavy metals were in our bodies…
Instead of guessing which supplements to take or throwing in random vitamins to solve the problem, we now supplement with the specific minerals our bodies are actually lacking.
It was eye-opening to realize how mineral imbalances can affect our energy, mood, sleep, and overall well-being.
If you are feeling unwell and can’t determine why, it may be helpful to have a proper mineral analysis done. Just be sure to work with a knowledgeable practitioner who can help you interpret the results and develop a plan for you. We went with Sophie from She Talks Health and I was very satisfied with his work!
6. Train several times a day
When you have a home base, you can finally establish a real fitness routine – and we benefit from it!
We’ll start the morning with stretching, followed by an hour of hiking or walking, then a midday run and strength training at the gym. Some evenings we will also go for a short walk.
Spreading movement throughout the day keeps our energy up and our body feeling good. Plus, it’s so nice to “move” when you’ve been work on our laptops.
7. Hike the Amazing Trails
Living near Bansko, right at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, we are surrounded by some of the most beautiful hiking trails in Europe.
Daily hiking has become an important part of our physical activity. It’s cardio, it’s strength (those climbs are no joke) and it’s mental health all rolled into one.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a short walk in the forest or a more challenging hike, we just love being in nature.
8. Cook more of our own meals
One of the huge benefits of having a home base is having a real kitchen.
When you’re constantly traveling, cooking is a luxury you rarely get and you end up dining out way more than is good for you – not that we don’t like going out to eat, but it’s not the healthiest option.
Now we cook the majority of our meals at home, which is great! Not only to have control over the ingredients we use, but it’s fun to prepare a meal together.
9. Real community and connection
Although we love each other’s company the most, in recent years we’ve really craved community. We have lots of friends all over the world, but having them in your city is different!
Becoming a resident changed all that – especially since moving to a small town. For the first time in a long time, we are part of a real community that will still be here next week, next month, and next year.
Bansko has a mix of expats, digital nomadsand locals, and instead of isolating ourselves in our own little work-from-home bubble, we made it a point to show up – coffee with friends, group hikes, community events, and dinners.
Health isn’t just about your body, it’s also about your relationships, your sense of belonging, and having people you can count on. Putting down roots finally brought us that.
10. Be more mindful of alcohol
Let’s be clear: we haven’t stopped drinking and we’re not about to. We love a good glass of wine and, living in this part of the world, there are some excellent local wine to taste!
When you’re traveling full time, going to bars and drinking is normal. Every new city has its craft beer scene and wine bars to discover, and when you meet people, it’s usually for drinks.
These days, we are more intentional with our wine consumption. We enjoy a few glasses around a good meal, or an evening with friends, but it is not everyday.
If I am totally Honestly, we don’t really notice the effects in terms of better sleep, motivation, recovery, etc. But we know it’s good for our organs and our general well-being… especially now that we’re in our 40s!
For us, cutting back makes the times we drink wine more special, and not to mention it saves money!
Final Thoughts
Becoming residents of Bulgaria after all our years of traveling was the best thing we did.
Don’t get me wrong, live in Bulgaria isn’t perfect and we still love traveling… but it feels good to slow down, get some roots and give our body and mind the consistency we’ve been craving.
These 10 changes have improved our quality of life. We feel healthier, stronger and more balanced than we have in a long time.
Most of these habits are things everyone can adopt, whether you’re a full-time traveler finally settling down or simply looking to improve your health at home.
