Tips for Making Air Travel Easier on Your Body and Mind |
Posted: October 27, 2017 |
Air travel can be hard on your body. Small seats with little leg room, unhealthy (and less than appealing) food, and sitting for long periods can wear on anyone. However, sometimes long and even frequent flights can’t be avoided. If you must travel by air, here are a few tips to make it easier on your body. Choose an Aisle SeatWhile window seats are great for looking outside, and some people need them due to anxiety about flying or other reasons, an aisle seat is a healthier choice, as you can stretch your legs a little more most of the time. While it may at first seem like a disadvantage to have to get up if your seat mates need to use the restroom or get out for another reason, it is actually a good idea for you to stand from time to time, and being forced to do so is not an entirely bad thing. Stand and StretchSpeaking of standing and stretching, even if you don’t have to use the restroom on your flight, it is a good idea to stand and stretch if you at all can. If the flight is long enough, doing so between meal or snack service should not be a problem. Do small stretches. Don’t be obnoxious about it, but flex your muscles, touch your toes once or twice, and try to stretch your legs and arms the best that you can. Doing this at least once, twice if you can on longer flights will keep you from getting too sore. Bring Your Own HeadphonesThose headphones in the package they hand out on the flight? They are not new. They are collected, cleaned, and repackaged for reuse. While this process is thorough, and earbuds should be good to go, you might not want to count on it. Also, the headphones they give you are cheap and don’t always work really well. If you want noise cancelling or even good sound, like mentioned above, you will need to bring your own headphones, or BYOH. Bring Your Own SnacksSnacks in airports, especially those sold behind security, are ridiculously expensive and usually not that good for you. It’s hard to find healthy options in any of the restaurants, especially if you have special dietary needs. If you make the right choices, you can bring some of your own snacks in your carryon bag. Just make sure you don’t have any liquids that violate airport security rules. Protein bars, sandwiches, most fruits, raw veggies, hard cheeses, meat, candy, and gum are all permissible. Between these items, you can put together a pretty healthy snack selection, and if you are traveling as a group you can keep some of each in any piece of luggage so that one person does not have to carry all of the snacks. Bring an empty water bottle as well. While you can’t bring liquids through security, empty bottles are okay, and will save you a ton if you fill them up at water fountains instead of buying water, which can be expensive as well. Get Some ExerciseA layover is a perfect time to get some exercise, and some airports even offer gyms where you can pump some iron if you have enough time. If not, some light yoga or a walk will at least keep your blood pumping. In Minneapolis, they even have a large square walking track that goes around the inside of the terminal, giving you plenty of space. In other airports, walking the concourse close to your gate a few times will help you do the trick. Just be sure to be considerate, especially if the airport does not have showers. You don’t want to offend the person who will have to sit next to you for the next part of your journey. Be PreparedHave a pillow with you. Keep a change of clothes and extra shoes in your carryon bag. You never know when you flight will be delayed or even cancelled, leaving you stranded. While companies like Get Service can assist you in getting compensation if you do run into these circumstances, that compensation will not change the position you are in. Sleeping in an airport is tough at best, and not the best for your health. If possible, carry pain medications and sleep aids if you ever need them so that you can get some rest in case you are stranded for an extended period. Also, be sure you have charging cables so you can set alarms and timers without fear of your devices losing power. If you have to, pay for the use of an airport business lounge. Some terminals now have mini-hotels you can rent to take a nap or even an extended snooze. Traveling by air, especially frequently, can be hard on your health. Airports and airplanes are not the healthiest locations. Pick your seat carefully and stand and stretch. Bring your own headphones and snacks, and get some exercise. Be prepared for the worst. As a result your air travel will be healthier, and you will be happier.
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