FOUR things that happen to your body when flying
Let’s be real guys, we humans were at no point engineered to sit hours at a time in a tightly condensed, pressure-controlled airplane with recycled air on board with dozens of other individuals high up in the air. Let’s also add in the fact that your flight could last up to 8 hours, in addition to the Jet Lag & lack of body movement, your asking for a psychological and physical torture of martini on the rocks (if your flight is experiencing some turbulence). But hey, how else are we going to get a taste of authentic tequila or better yet that amazing humid climate that tells every part of our body that were in paradise?
Now, other than what I’ve just mentioned, something else is happening to your body. Here’s a list on how you can combat it or at least minimize the effects of what your body goes through during these flights.
1) JET LAG
Our sleep patterns are already messed up as they are, but traveling through different time zones doesn’t help. In addition, the fact that your trip is just a day or week ahead, could lead to long restless nights waiting for this trip to begin.
Have you ever heard of this wives’ tale? For every hour you travel through the time zones, it takes one whole day to adjust your body to the new time. Frequent flyers may not feel this as much, but for the rest of the world, your in for some headaches, fatigue and loss of appetite. Factor in all these effects, and your vacation is seriously beginning to feel like a nightmare. What’s worse than being on vacation and not feeling like your on one? Maybe the thousands of dollars you had to dish out….
Many experts and airliners believe that LIGHT is your best friend to combat jet lag. Setting your exposure to sunlight at the beginning of your trip, can help balance your bodies biological clock. Boom! Jet lag deceased.
2) RADIATION EXPOSURE
Yikes! Who knew that flying upto 35,000 feet in the air could expose you to high levels of radiation compared to the ground. For example, flights from New York to Los Angeles can expose a passenger to around the same amount of 1/3 of a chest X-Ray. Now, this may not be an issue for non frequent flyers. BUT, flight crew and pilots are a serious candidate for long-term exposure which can eventually cause cellular changes in the body.
Sorry, there is no remedy to combat radiation, unless your willing to fly around with lead garments….I think I just found a new business idea.
3) DEEP VAIN THROMOSIS (DVT)
Sorry Nike, but your socks will not let me “just do it”. DVT is a dangerous side effect of flying, which also has the potential of becoming fatal. “Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein in the body, usually in the lower leg or thigh,” according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. This clot is caused usually by lack of movement, hence why it is important that you move around in a plane and wear stocking that support block circulation through the legs.
Unfortunately, there aren’t any fashionable socks like this, so I think I just came up with another business idea…. Nike don’t think about stealing this!
4) DEHYDRATION
This has got to be one of the most important things to consider when flying, just because it effects everyone. Dehydration is not the best way to begin your vacation, which is why you must properly hydrate yourself, before, during, and after your flight. Our bodies are designed to be at around 50% humidity, but Airplanes can carry an amount under 10%. This is actually dryer than a desert, so you can expect to get dehydrated very fast!
The best way to combat this is by drinking water! Leave the alcohol for when you arrive to your destination.
In conclusion, flying effects our bodies more than we think. Its very important that you take care of yourself while flying, so that you can maximize your experience when you arrive to your destination. Follow and keep up with our blog for more important tips on flying!
