Travel Tips For The Air

I recently took a three week academic trip out of the country to the United Kingdom with a class from UW-Whitewater. I am so very grateful for the opportunity and experiences I have received from this adventure! An aspect of this trip I had not previously thought about was the plane ride. Even though many international flights are decently comfortable, a plane ride is a plane ride. And typically, they can wear you down mentally and physically. Here are some ideas you can utilize next time you have a long flight and don’t want jet-lag.

Stretch: You may see some people doing this at the airports, and that is because it helps immensely with jet lag. It’ll help loosen your muscles and relax your joints for a more comfortable flight. I stretched for 15 to 20 minutes before my 7 hour flight, and I didn’t feel tight or achy afterwards.

Stay Hydrated: While you should always stay hydrated, it is even more important on a plane. Water will help your body adjust to the altitude change and help your stomach settle if you’re a queasy flyer.

Walk the plane: Even though there isn’t much room in the aisles, getting up and walking not just down your row, but multiple rows, will cover more steps than you think!

Get an aisle seat: It is fun to look out the window, but having an aisle seat is more comfortable and it’ll be easier to get up and move, go to the bathroom (since you’ll be drinking so much water!) and even stretch on the flight and not having to worry about getting around and bugging people in seat next to you.

These little actions can really take a lot of the burden away from flying, as well as make it more enjoyable overall. You won’t even realize that what you are doing is helping out your physical and mental well-being. And before you know it, the flight will be over!

*Always Proud, But Never Satisfied*

~Luke Pallo