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

>> 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 fluid
levels up is probably the biggest
favour you can do your body on
a flight. 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.

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!

Your inflight 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 flying
longhaul, get up and walk around the
cabin every couple of hours.

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