After more than 15 years of basically constant travel, becoming residents of Bulgaria has changed the game for us.
For the first time since we were living part time in Grenada, we’re not living out of suitcases, hopping between Airbnbs, or eating whatever’s convenient – no matter how healthy.
We’ve finally put down roots – and it turns out that having a more full-time base is one of the best things we’ve ever done for our health. We’re not as young as when we first started this travel lifestyle back 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. Hopefully this list gives you some ideas that you can incorporate into your daily life as well.
Here are the 10 things we’re doing to level up our health now that we’ve got a home base.
1. Saunas Every Week
One of the biggest perks of settling down has been 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, improved circulation, faster muscle recovery, and reduced stress levels…not to mention, sweating it out after a few glasses of wine the night before is always a good thing!
When we were living near Plovdiv in a larger house for almost 4 years, we actually had our own infrared sauna – this meant we were able to sweat it out as much as we wanted.
These days, now that we’ve downsized and moved to Bansko, we go to the spa weekly and enjoy a sauna session then.
2. Prioritizing Our Sleep
Here’s the thing about travel: it wrecks your sleep. Sleeping in different beds every few nights, jet lag, noisy streets, uncomfortable mattresses – it all adds up.
We’re definitely all about our mattress (I’m like the Princess and the Pea 😂). When we were living in Grenada, we didn’t think the mattress was up to par, so we purchased a new one…the 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 has been suffering. We’ve just ordered a mattress topper, so hopefully that helps and if not, we’ll look into a new mattress.
Companies like Simba have a huge variety of mattresses, toppers, and actually, they have some reflexology slippers with 9 pressure points that I’m keen to check out! Anything that’ll add to my wellbeing, I’m in.
Nick also has an Oura Ring and I have an Apple Watch so we’re able to track our sleep, which has also been really helpful.
Of course, we’ll still travel and sleep on whatever beds are available (or the floor in some cases!), but when at home, we want a quality mattress. You can hike every day, eat perfectly, and supplement religiously, but if you’re not sleeping well, none of that really matters…
3. Soaking in Mineral Pools
Bulgaria is famous for its mineral springs, and living near Bansko, we’ve taken full advantage. The region has lots of mineral spa pools, and soaking in them has become one of our favorite ways to unwind and recover.
The naturally heated, mineral-rich water is packed with elements like magnesium, calcium, and sulfur, which are said to help with everything from sore muscles 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 make it out to the 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 Plunges
On the flip side of the sauna, Nick has fallen in love with cold plunging – me, not so much! I’ve done it a few times, but the water temperature has to be 10 °C or warmer, otherwise my body gets stressed.
And actually, it’s mixed reviews on whether or not cold plunges are good for women.
But for Nick, around our new home, he’s lucky enough to plunge in natural cold water, rather than a pool. There’s nothing like the rush of stepping into an icy mountain stream or plunge pool after warming up in the sauna.
Cold exposure has been linked to reduced inflammation, improved circulation, a boosted immune response, and a serious hit of mental clarity and alertness.
Those first few seconds are always a shock to the system, but the endorphin rush afterward is unbeatable – you come out feeling energized, focused, and weirdly euphoric.
5. Taking Targeted Minerals
This one’s a bit “out there”, but it’s been a fascinating part of our health journey. We both did an HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) test, which analyzes a small hair sample to reveal your mineral levels and ratios.
The results gave us a clear picture of where we were deficient (spoiler: basically all areas), what we needed to focus on, and it even showed which heavy metals were in our bodies…
Instead of guessing which supplements to take or throwing random vitamins at the problem, we now supplement with the specific minerals our bodies are actually lacking.
It’s been eye-opening to realize how much mineral imbalances can affect our energy, mood, sleep, and overall wellbeing.
If you’ve been feeling off and can’t pinpoint why, getting a proper mineral analysis might be worth looking into. Just be sure to work with a knowledgeable practitioner who can help you interpret the results and build a plan for you. We went with Sophie from She Talks Health and have been very happy with her work!
6. Working Out Multiple Times Per Day
When you have a home base, you can finally build a real fitness routine – and we’ve been taking advantage of that!
We’ll start the mornings with stretching, followed by an hour hike or walk, and then a midday run and strength workout at the gym. Some evenings, we’ll head out for a short walk as well.
Spreading movement across the day keeps our energy up and our bodies feeling good. Plus, it’s so nice to “move” when we’ve been working at our laptops.
7. Hiking the Incredible Trails
Living near Bansko, right at the foot of the Pirin Mountains, means we’re surrounded by some of the most beautiful hiking trails in Europe.
Daily hiking has become a big part of our physical activity. It’s cardio, it’s strength (those uphill climbs are no joke), and it’s mental health all in one.
It doesn’t matter if it’s a short forest walk, or a more challenging trek, we just love being in nature.
8. Cooking More of Our Own Meals
One of the huge perks of having a home base is having a real kitchen.
When you’re traveling constantly, cooking is a luxury you rarely get, and you end up dining out far more than is good for you – not that we don’t love going out to eat, but it’s not the healthiest option.
Now, we cook the majority of our meals at home, which has been great! Not only to have control over the ingredients we’re using, but it’s fun to prepare a meal together.
9. Real-Life Community and Connection
Even though we love each other’s company best, the past few years we’ve been really craving community. We have lots of friends around the world, but having them in your town is different!
Becoming residents has changed all of that – and especially since moving to a smaller town. For the first time in a long time, we’re part of a real community that’s still here next week, next month, and next year.
Bansko has a mix of expats, digital nomads, and locals, and instead of isolating ourselves in our own little work-from-home bubble, we’ve been making a point of showing up – coffee with friends, group hikes, community events, and dinners.
Health isn’t just about your body, it’s about your relationships, your sense of belonging, and having people you can count on. Putting down roots has finally given us that.
10. Being More Mindful About Alcohol
Let’s be clear – we haven’t quit drinking, and we’re not about to. We love a good glass of wine, and living in this part of the world, there’s some excellent local wine to enjoy!
When you’re traveling full-time, going to bars and drinking is par for the course. Every new city has its craft beer scene and wine bars to check out, and when you meet up with people, it’s usually to grab a drink.
These days, we’re more intentional with our wine drinking. We’ll savor a couple of glasses over a good meal, or an evening with friends, but it’s not an every day occurrance.
If I’m totally honest, 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 overall wellness…especially now that we’re in our 40s!
For us, cutting back makes the times we do have wine feel more special, and not to mention, it saves money!
Final Thoughts
Becoming residents of Bulgaria after all our years of travel has been the best thing we did.
Don’t get me wrong, living in Bulgaria isn’t perfect, and we still love to travel…but it feels good to slow down, have some roots, and give our bodies and minds the consistency we were craving.
These 10 changes have upgraded our quality of life. We feel healthier, stronger, and more balanced than we have in a long time.
Most of these habits are things anyone can adopt, whether you’re a full-time traveler finally settling down or someone just looking to level up your health at home.
