A HEALTH expert has revealed how to avoid both jet lag and back pain on long flights.
although jet lag is one of the biggest concerns for passengers, back pain and deep vein thrombosis can also affect people if they are not careful.
2
Experts from AXA Global Healthcare explained their top tips for fighting jet lag and staying healthy on board an airplane.
The key to avoiding jet lag is adapting to you new time zone as soon as possible.
Difficulty adapting can not only affect our sleep, but also our gutswith indigestion, constipation, diarrhea and bloating, all common in patients.
There are several methods for quickly adapting to a new environment, but the time you have to to land is the most important thing to consider.
Recommend AXA sleeping on the plane and avoiding food if you’re scheduled to land at your destination in the morning.
They said, “If you fly while it’s night at your destination, try to sleep on the plane and wait until breakfast before eating
“If possible, wait until you land and… get a hearty breakfast or brunch and some natural light too.
“This will help your body recognize it’s the start of the day — no matter what time it was when you left.”
The experts also explain that both fresh underwear and breath can let your body know when it’s the start of the day.
They added: “Toothbrushing and wash your face before you go to sleep and then again when you wake up and freshen up with clean underwear and deodorant before landing.
“All of this helps you and your body adapt.”
On the other hand, if you have to land in the evening, the recommendation is to stay awake as long as possible before getting a good night’s sleep at your destination.
AXA said: “When you land at the end of the day, stay awake on the plane as much as possible, entertain yourself and move and stretch on a regular basis.
“Start tapering as you approach your destination so you can sleep as soon as possible, then force yourself to wake up at a reasonable time in the morning.”
Apart from jet lag, backache is another common complaint for passengers, with cramped airplane seats, especially in economy class, that don’t please your posture.
The advice to keep your back comfortable during a flight is to put your bag in the overhead compartments and use a pillow to support your lower back.
The experts said, “Craming your bag under the seat in front of you so you can grab things more easily won’t help; put your bag in the locker instead of under the seat.
“Your body will appreciate it extra legroom and if you need to get something else out of it, the extra movement will do you good too.
“If you have back pain, sit up straight with support, such as a small pillow, in the bottom of your back.”
Finally, AXA suggests moving around the plane regularly to keep your body from getting tense and to keep your blood flowing.
This can also occur deep vein thrombosis.
They said, “Remember to move is very important. Get up and walk around the cabin as much as you can, doing some shoulder and ankle rolls and stretches in your seat.
“This move will help get your blood flowing and keep you from getting stiff and tense.”
A travel expert has revealed how to get there a full row seats for yourself on an airplane.
Another gave their best tips in case you are delayed at an airport.
2