Enjoy a happier,healthy flight

…OR HOW NECK ROLLS AND CHEWING GUM CAN HELP YOU ARRIVE FEELING REFRESHED AND RARING TO GO

Before you fly

>> DRESS COMFORTABLY
Loose-fitting clothes are more comfortable in the air. If you’re travelling on business and need to dress smartly, at least take your jacket off, loosen your tie and undo a top button once you’re on-board.

>> PACK YOUR MEDICINES
Carry any regular medication, including asthma inhalers or angina sprays, in your hand luggage. It’s also a good idea to carry a document outlining any allergies or special medical conditions in the unlikely event of an emergency.

In the air

>> DRINK UP
Keeping your fl uid levels up is probably the biggest favour you can do your body on a fl ight. So drink plenty of water – aim for one or two glasses an hour – and go easy on the coffee and alcohol.

>> BE A SUCKER
As the aircraft lands, your ears may pop: sucking sweets or chewing gum helps keep them comfortable. Alternatively, blow your nose, with your nostrils pinched shut. Start early in the descent, and continue as the aircraft descends.

Your infl ight exercises

>> Humans aren’t designed to sit in one position for long, but even small movements can promote blood circulation. Try some of our armchair exercises (below) and if you’re fl ying longhaul, get up and walk around the cabin every couple of hours.

1 Keep your heels on the fl oor and point your toes upwards. Hold for five seconds. Then, with your feet back on the fl oor, wiggle your toes.

2 Rotate your right foot, first to the right and then to the left, holding for five seconds each time. Repeat with your left foot.

3 Lift your ankles and rest on the ball of your foot. Rotate each ankle five times both ways. Now hold your knee, raise the leg and hold for 10 seconds.

4 Grip the end of your armrest, hold for five seconds, and relax. Repeat four times.

5 Relax your shoulders and then roll them in a circular motion. Repeat five times.

6 Lean your head to one side, count to five, and repeat to the other side. Repeat five times.

Beating jet lag

>> Jet lag occurs when your body’s natural (or circadian) rhythm gets out of sync. It can cause lethargy and poor decisionmaking, and depends on the number of time zones you cross, not the length of your flight.

>> On a short visit (a day or two), it may be best to keep your body clock on “home time”. For longer stays, change your watch to the new time zone as soon as you board the plane and try to adjust to eating and sleeping at the appropriate times.

>> If you arrive in daytime, try to stay awake until early evening and enjoy a good sleep. If you arrive at night, get some sleep straight away and start the next day on local time.

>> Light strongly affects your body clock. It can help your adjustment to a new time zone, or it can make things worse. In fact, the conventional wisdom that you should expose yourself to light as soon as you arrive may not be helpful at all.

>> If you’re arriving in the morning, eat breakfast, have a coffee if that’s what you usually do, and try to get some exercise. Enjoy your day!