If you’ve taken a long flight, crossing time zones and making it hard to figure out which end is up on the other end, you already know the process can be hard on a body.
What exactly is going on under the surface, though?
And are there ways to make it easier?
Experts believe they are able to explain the answer to the first question, and have some advice as far as the second.
The first issue many people experience is feeling dried out after you get off a long flight.
This is because humidity is kept low inside an airplane, and this can result in dry skin, lips, nose, and eyes. It’s not going to dehydrate the rest of your body, though, so don’t worry about drinking too much.
That said, make sure you do drink water and avoid too much alcohol or caffeine on the flight so you give yourself a head start on recovery.
You can prevent the superficial feeling of dryness by drinking water, bringing your chapstick and hand cream, and using nose and eye sprays if it typically irritates your passages.
You can also try wearing your glasses instead of contacts.
Another issue people worry about on long flights are blood clots.
Deep vein thrombosis can result from any long-term lack of movement. When we sit in one position for too long, our blood flow to our extremities can slow down, which increases the chance of a blood clot.
There’s only a small chance of it happening, but things like recent surgery or giving birth can increase your risks.
You can prevent them by getting up and walking around every so often, and also switching your sitting and/or leg position whenever you can.
If you are at a higher risk, your doctor might recommend compression stockings to help improve blood flow.
Look out for warning signs like swelling in your leg, ankle, or calf, red or discolored skin, and feeling hot to the touch.
The last and probably most common complaint of long-haul passengers is jet lag.
If you cross multiple time zones, your body’s internal clock will almost certainly not be synced with the one you land in, which throws off your circadian rhythm.
It leads to feeling wiped out at odd times, gastrointestinal upset, and trouble remembering things.
You can minimize these effects by trying to adjust to the new time zone ahead of time, or try to sleep on the plane if that’s the time you’ll be sleeping while you land.
If you’ll be landing during the day, try staying awake and drinking a coffee in the “morning.”
Once you’re there, do your best to stay on the local time schedule, and avoid sleeping during the day.
None of this is particularly fun at first, but listen.
The rest of the trip will be worth the headache.
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