The Truth About What Happens to Your Body When Flying
Where taking flight once seemed like a magical, wondrous thing when you were 7, now the pains of flying are more taxing than watching security rifle through your cosmetic case: Everything. Hurts. And when you think about the feat of airline travel, it’s no wonder our bodies experience such dramatic change. Cabins are pressurized to mimic the altitude of 6000 to 8000 feet—the equivalent of sitting on top of a mountain. Adding to that hours of inactivity and recirculated air (and germs), it’s enough to make you want to stay home… almost. Since taking an airplane for work or a destination wedding is practically unavoidable, we’ve dug into what’s really causing your body harm and, more importantly, how to fix it.
You’ve settled into your seat and planned hours of productivity with your laptop, Wi-Fi, and magazines at the ready. Yet slowly but surely, all willpower fades and you simply want to curl up (as comfortably as you can) and rest your eyes. While feeling drowsy might work in your favor (there’s nothing quite like a long midflight nap), here’s what is actually happening to your body: At that elevation, the air pressure is much lower than at ground level, causing your blood oxygen levels to take a dive. Cue weariness and fatigue.
Try This: Check if your airline has a Boeing 787. These airplanes are pressurized to resemble a lower altitude, boosting oxygen levels inside the cabin.
CATCH SOME ZZZ'S:
Strategies for avoiding jet lag vary, but Jeffrey Sventek, executive director of the Aerospace Medical Association, says the flight path you choose has a big impact. In an interview with Huffington Post, he says people who fly from east to west are less likely to feel fatigued, as the body naturally prefers a circadian cycle that’s 25 hours long, instead of 24. Hence “people who fly in (a westerly) direction with regularity have very little problem performing quite well on the West Coast,” he says, thanks to hours of extra daylight.
Try This: Download Entrain, a science-backed free app that suggests the best time to seek natural light and darkness during your flight to help sync your body’s circadian cycle to the destination.
Traveling for business? Dr. Paulo Alves, chairperson of the Aerospace Medical Association Air Transport Medicine Committee, recommends not trying to adjust to a new time zone. “For executives in short trips, trying to keep the home schedule allows for better alertness,” he tells MyDomaine.
If you’re guilty of watching movies back-to-back without standing to take a break, you might be causing your ankles to swell. Sitting for prolonged periods can cause blood to collect in your legs and feet. While that usually just results in swelling (ever struggled to take off your boots post-flight?), severe cases escalate to blood clots. If you have an underlying medical condition, Dr. Alves says compression socks could be worthwhile, but recommends talking to your doctor first.
Try This: A few simple exercises go a long way to aid in blood circulation. “Pumping your calf muscles is recommended for most people. This can be accomplished by simple extension, flexion, and rotation feet movement,” says Dr. Alves. Researchers from the University of Melbourne recommend doing this once every hour during a flight.
Considering the crowds, lines, and general stress associated with airports, a slight headache may not strike you as odd. But it turns out that niggling pain could be linked to something you have control over: dehydration. Once again, cabin pressure wreaks havoc on your body, this time by drying out your skin and zapping moisture from the air. Mayo Clinic points out that among symptoms like a dry mouth and light-headedness, headaches are a telltale sign of dehydration.
Try This: We know that regularly sipping on water is an easy way to stay hydrated, but the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has another suggestion to avoid a headache. According to a spokesperson, booking a flight with fewer passengers means a less humid cabin (and humidity is a known headache trigger). “In the instance of an eight-hour flight in a CD-10 with 265 passengers, the humidity level can rise to 20%; the same flight with only 108 passengers sees this level fall to 2%,” they say.
When there’s little else to do apart from watching movies and snacking, it can be easy to overindulge on a plane. If you’ve ever wondered why you binge on high-flavor food midflight, there’s a scientific reason. The Fraunhofer Institute served the same gourmet meal in a mock cabin and at a fine dining restaurant. They discovered that while the dish received glowing reviews on ground level, participants who tasted it in the pressurized environment had a different experience. Why? “At 35,000 feet, the first thing that goes is your sense of taste,” says Lufthansa’s executive chef, Grant Mickels. Our ability to perceive sweet and saltiness can dip by up to 30%.
Try This: Bring your own healthy snacks like nuts or dried fruit so you’re less tempted by processed plane food. And try seasoning meals rather than reaching for a second serving.
Catching a cold after a long-haul flight seems to be part of the airline experience. The Wall Street Journal puts the risk of getting sick on a plane at 20% higher than normal while the Journal of Environmental Health Research suggests passengers are 100 times more likely to transmit a cold midair than on the ground. According to a study published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, the hot zone is roughly two seats beside, in front, and behind you.
Try This: If someone in that hot zone is coughing or sneezing, ask the air hostess if you can move to a spare seat. Carry hand wipes to give tray tables, one of the filthiest parts of a plane, a quick once-over.
Changes in air pressure cause gas in the body to expand as much as 25%, according to an Aerospace Medical Association study. The result? Feeling bloated, full, and gassy (urgh!). Now we understand why T-shirts and worn-in jeans are the uniform of frequent fliers.
Try This: Skip the soda. Carbonated drinks like Coke or champagne can contribute to bloating.
During takeoff and landing, the air pressure in the cabin changes faster than the air inside your ears. The result? The dreaded ear pop, a feeling that can be a bit uncomfortable but of course is only temporary.
Try This: There are tons of ways to ease pressure in an instant. MedlinePlus recommends combatting the discomfort by chewing gum, yawning, or slowly inhaling and exhaling while holding your nose.