20 Tips To Stay Healthy on Your Long-Haul Flight
Business class travel is truly amazing. But it can sometimes give us a frustrating experience when we are not prepared in advance. Sometimes air travel can be harmful to our health but fortunately there are some things we can do to stop the damaging effect and travel in a safe way.
Flying in business class is an air travel experience we strongly recommend. Business class flights are definitely a wise choice for those of you who value comfort, privacy and convenience.
Staying healthy while flying can be challenging but not impossible. In fact, it can be pretty easy to stay healthy during your air travel.
There are a few main things you can do to ensure that you are safe and healthy during your air trip.
Health is important and we should make an effort to be healthy even when we are traveling. If you are a frequent flyer, you are likely to realize the importance of being healthy and feeling good when it comes to long-haul flights.
You can stay healthy while traveling on long-haul flights by following a few simple tips.
Few simple tips
1. Hydrate
You have probably heard it many times but hydration is important as it ensures the proper function of your body and keeps you healthy. Airplane cabins have high humidity levels that can be even compared to those of a tropical desert. When you are dehydrated you are more vulnerable to viruses and bacteria.
Dehydration can also make you reach for unhealthy drinks such as energy drinks and soft drinks that are high in calories but without much nutritional value for your body.
Hydration is essential especially when you are traveling by air, so always keep drinking water by your side. A calming cup of tea is also a great option.
2.Choose aircraft of newer generation
Airplane cabins are places where high atmospheric pressure is a common thing. But this is not good for your health.
The newest airplane models can fly at a higher attitude where the atmospheric pressure is lower. The aircraft of the newest generation also has more modern filtering systems.
3.Wear face mask
Don’t forget your mask when you are planning an air travel. It offers you protection against Covid-19 and other air-borne viruses.
4.Use the air vent
One great way to protect yourself from germs is to use the airplane vents.
The air vents located overhead inside the airplane cabin are pointed at the air in front of your face and have the power to kill bacteria.
5.Prevent ear ache
The rapid increase in air pressure can lead to ear ache. This can happen to you often when the airplane is ascending or descending. If your ears hurt when you are flying, one smart way to prevent this is to chew gum or candy which will relieve the negative effect from the air pressure.
6.Avoid motion sickness
Motion sickness is something unpleasant and it will really spoil your overall air travel experience. One way to avoid it is to sit near the wing or try a natural ginger extract in some form before your flight.
7.Fuel up with healthy food
Airline food is not famous for its health value but there are some healthy options that can still be found on board. When it comes to air travel, you need something that is easy to find, affordable and it will keep your hunger at bay for a few hours.
8.Get some pre-packed snacks
When we think of snacks, the first things that come to or heads are usually café drinks and vending machine snacks. But sometimes when we are traveling on a long-haul flight, we need something more to keep us full for a long time.
You should know that snacking can be healthy too and it all boils down to the food choices you make throughout your entire trip.
You probably know that it’s not always easy to find healthy snacks when you are traveling. And airplanes are not the most common places where you will find an abundance of healthy snacks.
One of the healthiest snack options you can get on-the-go are fresh fruits, unsalted nuts, dried fruits or even canned light fish such as tuna. These snacks bring great advantages to your health.
They can be stored for several days as they don’t always require a fridge in comparison to other popular airport snacks. They are also very satisfying and cheap in general which makes them perfect travel snack options. Nuts will satisfy your hunger and keep you full for a while.
9. Listen to your body
One of the most effective pieces of health advice you will get is to listen to your body and notice how you are feeling in a given moment.
Always pack water and healthy snacks to bring with you on the flight. It’s not necessary to eat the meals that you are ordered on the airplane. Just try to avoid carbonated or alcoholic drinks as much as possible, salty chips, fried food, sandwiches, fried nuts, biscuits, cakes or other type of healthy food.
Following the wrong signals may leave you making unhealthy choices. Pay attention to your hunger cues and avoid staying hungry for too long and then going overboard with unhealthy foods and drinks.
If the portion sizes are large or the main food options are too high in calories, you can share your meal with your travel partner.
10. Choose the healthiest possible option
Even when you are traveling your body still needs its recommended daily dose of fiber and other essential nutrients. But sometimes the healthiest airplane meal options are not the most perfect.
When it comes to air travel, we sometimes need to work with the options we have. Every airplane menu has some meal options that are healthier than others.
One great way to increase the nutritional value of your airplane menu is simply to ask for more veggies. They are a rich source of fiber and they will fill you up.
Veggie omelettes are among the healthiest options you can have on board for breakfast as well as lunch options such as salads and soups. Meals like these will give you the healthy nutrients your body needs.
So you should always stick to the healthiest possible option available on the menu. The best options are foods that are baked, sautéed or roasted. Avoid ordering fried food or meals with creamy sauces. Ask the flight attendant to serve you side veggies.
11.Exercise
Air travel is sometimes connected to long hours of sitting at one spot. And if we add the fact that you are likely to eat some unhealthy food, weight gain is likely to occur.
Doing some sport activity is a great way to boost your metabolism during a long-haul flight and save yourself some extra kilos.
You don’t need to spend a lot of time exercising. If you are on the go, even half an hour of some intense sport activity will give you the metabolism boost you need for the entire day.
Don’t forget that you should try to move as much as you can while you are on the airplane too. Walk down the aisle when you have an opportunity. It’s a great idea if you get a seat with aisle access.
12.Get outside
We all know that air passengers don’t get much sunlight when flying. If there is enough time for you to go for a walk before your flight, do it. In this way you will get your recommended daily dose of Vitamin D before your flight.
13.Use your spare time at the airport lounge
Use your time sparingly and make sure you are healthy during your layover. Not every airport offers you a variety of activities and sometimes boredom makes us think about food.
One of the best things you can do for your health is to increase your daily steps by having a walk around the airport terminal.
14.Wear comfortable clothes
When traveling on an airplane, it’s recommended to pick up clothes that offer you maximum comfort and allow you a free movement. Tight clothing is bad for the proper blood circulation of your body. So you should choose clothing that fits you well and it’s made of quality breathable fabrics.
15.Wear compression stockings
Buy yourself some compression stockings as they offer prevention against the appearance of blood clots and deep-vein thrombosis.
16.Calm down
Air travel can be a stressful experience and as you know, stress is not good for your body. One way to avoid it is to arrive plenty of time before the flight and prepare for it.
17.Limit alcohol consumption
Alcoholic drinks are not good for your metabolism and you should limit them or completely avoid them during your air travel.
18.Don’t skip breakfast
Skipping breakfast leads to a higher chance for you to want to eat unhealthy food later during the day. But make sure that you get a healthy breakfast and stay away from the hotel or lounge buffets with delicious foods.
A healthy and satisfying breakfast will help you decrease your craving for the unhealthy food that will be served later on the airplane.
19.Bring exercise equipment
If you don’t have time to go to the gym, you can bring your own exercise equipment to your hotel room such as elastic bands for a quick workout before boarding your flight.
20. Don’t miss on your sleep
As you know sleep is important. If you are planning a long-haul flight, don’t forget to bring some essential things that will help you sleep better and create a quiet and cozy sleep environment. These can be soft pillows, blankets, slippers, face mask, ear plugs.
Being prepared will help you stay healthy during your flight. Energy bars, fresh fruit or nut mixes are excellent healthy snack options to have with you when the hunger strikes.
