Each flight includes hundreds of people, hundreds of activities in a small space. Therefore, this convenient means of transportation is also the place where health can easily be weakened if you are not aware of protecting yourself. With the following 6 small measures, you can easily implement to help your body prevent disease and make your spirit more comfortable during flights.
1. Don't forget to wash your hands
It sounds simple and you must have heard this phrase a lot recently. In a small environment with contact with many people and public objects, washing hands is the first and simplest measure to protect the health of yourself and your family.
Wash your hands before eating and after touching unfamiliar surfaces, especially metal. Each wash should take at least 10 seconds to allow the detergent to do its job properly.
2. Get enough sleep
The number one piece of advice from medical professionals when you travel by plane is to get enough sleep. While it may sound obvious, this is something that many people often overlook when traveling by plane. Being too engrossed in a movie, a smartphone game, or being too tired or stressed to sleep are common reasons.
However, try to get enough sleep because it will help your brain function better, especially when your body is tired from traveling in the air.
Not getting enough sleep not only makes you lose sleep that day, but also disrupts your biological clock and creates circadian rhythm disorders the following days.
3. Choose the best seat possible
Not all airplane seats are created equal, but don't think that only business class is good enough!
A window seat is also ideal to help you avoid more risks than if you sit in the middle or next to the aisle. First, you do not have to actively or passively contact too many people: flight attendants walking around, asking to get in and out of seats, asking to change seats, too close communication distance... By limiting contact with many people in a short distance, you can limit contact with many harmful bacteria and viruses.
Therefore, do not hesitate to arrive 2 to 3 hours early before each flight because this will help you have the right to choose your favorite seat before others.
4. Wipe surfaces thoroughly
The first thing you should do when boarding a plane or even any public place is to wipe down the surfaces you will come into contact with. From the dining table, to the armrests of your seat, to the toilet door latches, and especially the in-flight entertainment screens and remote controls.
Medical experts recommend using alcohol-based wipes or antibacterial gels for effective disinfection. The higher the concentration, the better the ability to kill viruses or bacteria.
5. Do not use alcoholic beverages
While alcohol is great for wiping down surfaces and disinfecting, alcoholic beverages are not a good choice during air travel. Long-haul flights can easily lead to dehydration, and alcohol can make this worse.
It is a fact that alcohol can weaken your immune system because after drinking alcohol, the body needs a lot of water to exchange and metabolize alcohol, which will create a rapid lack of water in the body. Therefore, instead of using alcoholic substances such as spirits or wine, you should drink a lot of water during the flight.
6. Exercise on long flights
When on a long flight of 5 hours or more, exercise is really necessary. Sometimes this exercise is quite inconvenient but we cannot deny its benefits. Sitting too long in a narrow position like an airplane seat will cause the body to swell, blood circulation is easily blocked and form dangerous blood clots. Standing up, stretching and walking a little for 5 to 10 minutes will help blood circulation, increase the distance of vision, help relieve eye fatigue and make the spirit comfortable.
