Air travel is one more thing that can add to holiday stress. But come on, let’s try and start with a mindset not of dread and pessimism, but excitement. You get to soar through the air like Santa in his sleigh, minus the reindeer, arriving in hours, not days. Plus, there are beverages, pretzels, and movies. I still get excited by air travel in these amazing high-tech machines with excellent safety records! Come on! Don’t be a scrooge about air travel. Embrace all of it. How lucky are we? Our ancestors took boats, horses, and covered wagons for months. Everyone can deal with a few hours. Feel better?
Having said all that, here’s what you can do to make the most of your trip and prevent some of the issues that arise when packed into a plane with lots of crying babies and strangers this holiday season.
Plan Ahead
Start drinking plenty of water the day before. Air travel is very drying as the humidity inside the aircraft is low–10 to 20 percent—rather than the 30 to 65 percent that most people find comfortable. In this dry environment, moisture evaporates rapidly from your body, which can lead to dehydration. This includes your throat and nose, where the fine cilia fibers have a harder time sweeping out viruses and bacteria, making you more susceptible to contracting a respiratory illness.
Bring your empty water bottle for an airport fill-up and pack your carry-on bag with healthy snacks like veggies, trail mix, or protein bars. An alcoholic drink can be relaxing but does add to dehydration.
Other helpful items include:
disinfectant wipes
hand sanitizer
facial tissues
cough drops
gum (chewing helps equalize inner ear pressure – a pacifier works for babies and toddlers)
earplugs or earphones
blanket, travel pillow, eye mask
noise-canceling headphones
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth while traveling as this is how germs get from your hands into your system. Use alcohol wipes or hand sanitizers with 70 percent alcohol.
Preventing Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Flying can put you at a greater risk for developing DVT because you are sitting with knees bent for a long period of time. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in the deep leg veins and can become very dangerous if the clot breaks off and moves through the bloodstream causing an embolism. The risk is relatively low (higher if you have varicose veins) but everyone should be aware of a few simple precautions: no tight stockings or body shapers, bend and straighten your ankles and knees frequently, rotate your ankles and flex your feet, stand and walk up and down the aisle if possible to improve your circulation. If possible hang out near the tail end of the plane, walking in place for 5-10 minutes as long as there’s no turbulence, this helps your circulation.
Flying also does make your blood pressure go up. If you are on hypertension medication, make sure you have taken it as directed before flying. Go easy on the salty snacks, and do avoid alcohol. I have had several in-air emergency calls for nurses and doctors for people who drank a little too much and skipped their medication. Please don’t be the reason for a medically induced emergency landing!
Jet Lag Recovery
Though most of us don’t have the flexibility to do this, slowly changing the time that you go to sleep and when you wake up in the weeks before your travel can move your sleep pattern closer to that of your destination, making adjusting to a new time zone much easier. Another strategy is to get outside as soon as possible. Your internal clock reacts to sunlight. Going out for a brisk walk in the sunshine upon arrival will help your body adjust. Even if there’s no sunshine, planning to exercise at a gym, take a Yoga class, or go for a swim will help you adjust.
Caffeine
Coffee, espresso, and sodas may help keep you awake and able to join the party for a while longer, but beware of overdoing it. Too much caffeine can keep you awake just when your body desperately needs sleep to recover. Consider a two-hour nap instead. It’s just enough to keep you up a little later, helping you get closer to syncing up with the new time zone.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland in our brain, helping to control our daily sleep-wake cycles. Our circadian rhythm (our internal sleep/wake clock) influences how much melatonin the pineal gland makes, as does the amount of light exposure we get. Melatonin levels start to rise in the evening and stay elevated for most of the night while we’re in the dark. Then, they drop in the early morning with exposure to daylight, helping us to wake up.
As a treatment for jet lag and insomnia, melatonin is considered safe and fairly effective.
The right timing in taking melatonin is important. Small doses of 2-3 milligrams should be taken 30 minutes to an hour before your desired bedtime. Be sure to check with your health care provider about any new medications, herbs, or alternative therapies. They may interact with other medications or cause side effects.
I hope you have a healthy and happy holiday and safe travels if you’re taking to the skies!
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