Travel Health Guide - How to go through the long-hours flights

There were many times that I had a long-hours filghts which cause me stress, tired and sleepless. Fortunately, there are a number of things you can do to make such trips more comfortable and less stressful – here are some tips:

Dress Comfortably. Wear loose, and preferably, cotton clothes. You will be seated for an extended period of time in a confined space with temperatures fluctuating from hot to cold, so it’s best to be comfortable. Same goes for shoes. It’s common for our feet, hands and face to swell at high altitudes, so ladies, leave the heels behind.

Drink lots of water. Before the flight, and during your time in the air. The air is dry up there and dehydration is common. Try to abstain from alcoholic and diuretic beverages as these further dehydrate you.

Pack the right toiletries. Pack moisturizing lotion for your skin, bring balm for your lips and include eye drops in your carry-on bag. Moisturizing sleep masks are a popular choice for frequent flyers.

Stretch. Immobility combined with dehydration can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – the forming of blood clots in the deep veins of your lower legs – which is associated with long distance flights. That’s why it’s important to adopt some simple exercises and keep your legs moving when airborne. Rotate the ankles, pointing the heel and toe alternatively and lift your knees whilst seated every half hour for a few minutes. Tense your leg muscles too and take a regular walk down the aisle to help circulation.

Take other preventative measures against DVT. Pack compression socks or hosiery that has been designed especially to prevent DVT. Take a low-dose aspirin (100-150 mg) before the flight, during the flight (check the dosage limits) and for 3 days after. Aspirin helps prevent the blood from clotting.

Delay your snooze. Rather than taking a kip immediately after the first meal and movie, try and keep your mind active for a few more hours. Prolonging the time until sleep will ensure that when you finally get some shut eye, the sleep will be heavier and longer.