Health Forward Cardiovascular

Travel Far, Stay Healthy: Managing Well-Being with HUAWEI WATCH 5

Written by Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz

Travel Far, Stay Healthy: Managing Well-Being with HUAWEI WATCH 5

8 min read
Published on 19/11/2025 · 14:00

8 min read

Published on 19/11/2025 · 14:00

The life of a top athlete involves a great deal of travel. Whether for training camps, competitions, sponsor events, or international tournaments; I fly and take the train many times a year, often with several competitions abroad each season.

One of the biggest challenges is staying healthy and conserving energy during these often long and tiring trips. That means getting enough high-quality sleep and keeping stress levels under control.

I’ve learned how demanding long trips can be on both body and mind, to find simple ways to keep the body active and the muscles well oxygenated. Whether heading to a race or crossing time zones for a project, travel often disrupts sleep, increases stress, and challenges my routines. In recent months, the HUAWEI WATCH 5 has become an essential tool in my daily life—not just for training, but for staying healthy on the road. Here’s how I manage my well-being during travel, and how this smartwatch supports me every step of the way.

About the Author

Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz

Professional Ultrarunner from France

I am Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz, a 32-year-old professional ultrarunner. My journey in endurance sports began in 2012, driven by the daily motivation to progress and excel in every competition. Among my career highlights are the title of French Champion in 2018, a second-place finish at the UTMB in 2022, and victories at the Diagonale des Fous and the Hardrock 100 in 2023.

The Impact of Travel on Health

Traveling often comes with tight schedules, unexpected delays, and unfamiliar environments. All of these factors can increase stress and quickly affect mood, focus, and even the immune system. Jet lag, strange hotel beds, and early departures frequently disrupt sleep.

I’ve noticed that even a slight drop in sleep quality can impact my recovery and performance. Long flights, extended periods of sitting, and salty in-flight meals can also raise blood pressure, which increases cardiovascular risk — even for those in top physical shape. On top of that, being far from home can sometimes feel isolating. I’ve personally experienced dips in motivation when I’m away from my usual routines or training partners.

One of the most useful tools during my recent trip was the real-time heart rate monitoring. At rest, my heart rate is usually between 35 and 55 beats per minute, which indicates that my stress levels are under control. I checked it regularly during the journey to ensure I stayed within this range. Another important metric I tracked was my skin temperature. During travel, waiting areas can vary greatly in temperature depending on the climate or indoor heating, and this can have a direct effect on my energy levels.

Staying Healthy While Traveling

I make it a priority to stay active every day, even if it’s just a quick workout in the hotel room or a brisk walk during a layover. Movement helps with circulation, stress relief, and overall energy levels. Although the general recommendation is to take 10,000 steps a day, I aim for at least 5,000 to 6,000 when I am on the road. The watch makes it easy to keep track of that. It also recorded my sleep duration automatically while I wore it, helping me ensure I was getting the rest I needed.

Managing stress is just as important. A few deep breaths or a short mindfulness session can make a big difference, and sometimes my HUAWEI WATCH 5 even prompts me to do one when it detects signs of stress. Good sleep is essential too. I avoid caffeine late in the day, reduce screen time before bed, and seek daylight after arriving to help reset my body clock. The smartwatch also tracks my sleep quality and offers tips for improvement. Staying hydrated and eating well matters as well. I carry a refillable water bottle and healthy snacks like nuts or dried fruit so I don’t have to rely on airport food. Wearable tech plays a crucial role in all of this. By tracking heart rate, stress, and sleep, the watch gives me real-time insights and helps me stay in tune with my body, even when my daily rhythm is completely out of sync.

Multi-sensing X-TAP Technology

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eSIM Cellular Calling

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The Role of the HUAWEI WATCH 5

• X-Tap: Quick Health Checks

One of my favorite features was the Health Glance. In just one minute, the watch provided a comprehensive overview of my physical state by measuring various health metrics, such as respiratory rate, stress level, blood oxygen saturation, and skin temperature. Having all of that information at a glance was incredibly helpful. This gives me an instant snapshot of how I’m doing without having to search through menus or open the app. Several tests are performed automatically during the process so far, no anomalies have ever been detected. When running on little sleep and a tough schedule, it’s reassuring to know everything looks good.

• Vital Signs on the Move

· Heart Rate Monitoring: The HUAWEI WATCH 5 continuously tracks my heart rate. If it’s higher than average, I know it’s time to take things slower.
· SpO₂ Monitoring: Especially useful during flights or at high altitudes to check if I am acclimatizing.
· Sleep Tracking: The watch breaks sleep down into deep, light, and REM phases, helping me identify ways to improve my rest.
· Stress Monitoring: It shows me if I’ve had a particularly tense day and suggests breathing exercises when needed.

• Breathing Exercise

Long journeys can often feel exhausting and monotonous. That is when the breathing exercises on the watch really made a difference. These short sessions, lasting between one and three minutes, helped me focus on my breathing and relax. They were surprisingly effective at reducing stress and supporting recovery. I found it extra relaxing to pair a breathing exercise with soft music from my HUAWEI FreeBuds 6, taking a short moment to disconnect myself from the outside world. Its active noise cancellation helps me slowly phase out noises and find my mind in a more comfortable place.

• HUAWEI Health App

All the data is synced with the HUAWEI Health App, where I can review long-term trends. I particularly enjoy the “Health Clovers” feature. It gamifies daily habits like hydration, smiling, or standing up regularly. It may seem like a small thing, but it helps me stay consistent, especially when my usual routine is disrupted.

“To stay healthy on the road, I follow a few simple but effective routines, and the watch helps me stick to them.”

Final Travel Health Tips

• Build in Recovery Time

Try not to overload your schedule immediately after landing. Give your body a chance to adjust and recover.

• Connect with People

Even a quick call home or a short conversation with another traveler can lift your mood and reset your mindset. Calling home with my HUAWEI FreeBuds 6 was quite a seamless experience, even in loud places like the airport, and put my spirits in a good place even when I was stressed. My family on the other end was also able to hear me clearly without distractions.

• Clean Hands, Stay Healthy

Planes and airports are full of germs. I always carry hand sanitizer and avoid touching my face.

• Listen to Your Body

Whether you're a professional athlete or not, rest when you need to. Prioritizing health always comes first.

“One of my favorite features was Health Glance. In just one minute, the watch provided a helpful overview of my physical state by measuring various health metrics, such as respiratory rate, stress level, blood oxygen saturation, and skin temperature.”

Conclusion

Frequent travel doesn’t have to come at the expense of your health. With a few mindful routines and the support of smart tools like the HUAWEI WATCH 5, I’ve found that I can stay balanced even when life gets hectic. Whether you're on your way to a race, a training camp, or halfway across the world. My recent train trip to Chamonix was the perfect opportunity to test both the Huawei watch and HUAWEI FreeBuds 6. I was genuinely impressed by the quality of both devices. They helped me sleep better, stay calm, and keep an eye on my health, all while on the move.

The author of this article is Aurélien Dunand-Pallaz. The views expressed are his own. The information is to be used as general information only, and is not to be taken as advice with respect to any individual situation and cannot be relied upon as such. A healthcare provider should be consulted when attempting to diagnose a condition or when determining the best course of action for any health-related concern.

The ECG feature is intended to be used by people aged 18 years and over, but is not intended to replace any medical diagnosis or treatment. Data obtained during the use of this feature is for personal reference only. Before using ECG, please carefully read the Instruction for Use

Due to national restrictions on obtaining approval / registration as a medical device, ECG feature only works on watches and smartphones purchased in countries where the service is currently available.
Supported smartphones: Mobile phones with Android 6.0 or compatibles, HarmonyOS 2.0 or compatibles, or iOS 12.0 or compatibles. The Huawei Health app version on your mobile phone must be 11.0 or compatibles. Please make sure that your wearable device and phone are running the latest versions before using ECG.

The Health Glance, skin temperature, stress monitoring, SpO2 monitoring, sleep monitoring and heart rate monitoring features are not a medical device, and therefore its monitoring data and results are for reference only and should not be used as a basis for medical diagnosis or treatment.