Little hops across Europe on a plane are one thing, but taking a long haul flight is an entirely different story for your health. If you have ever done it before, it’s very likely you felt extreme fatigue on exiting the plane, potentially you may have even picked up some germs and got sick.
There are some things you can do to help your body beat flight fatigue. They might seem like small steps to take, but they can have a big impact on your health.
They won’t have an impact if you simply read this article and then move on to something else though.
Knowledge is only power when it is applied, so we urge you to take the advice that resonates with you and carve out 10 – 15 minutes of time whilst you are preparing for your trip to take care of your health and do some planning.
As Napoleon Hill famously said:
“Knowledge is only potential power. It becomes power only and when, and if it is organised into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end”
With that in mind lets go over some things you can do to beat travel fatigue.
Give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs
Most flight food is about filling you up so you aren’t hungry, rather than giving you the vitamins and minerals your body needs. The food that comes in those little trays is not going to do very much for your health and wellbeing and is not going to give your body what it needs to fight travel fatigue. Fly Me is a very useful supplement specifically designed to give your body what it needs to fight flight fatigue. For the price of a couple of Starbucks coffees you can make sure your body is fed properly.
We recommend you buy 2 packs, one for your outbound and one for your inbound flight. Start drinking the sachets on the day before your flight, making sure you have some for onboard and that you take more when you land. Check out what Arbie from West London has to say about Fly Me: “I travel frequently for work and Fly Me is my go too survival product! Thank you, GP Team!”
Protect your ears from noise pollution
Planes are very loud! You are sitting next to a giant jet engine for the entire length of your long haul flight and it is very hard on your hearing. This can drain your energy whether you realise it or not and there is a very simple solution.
Make sure you have an ipod or mp3 player with you with your favourite podcasts, audio books or music loaded onto it. Most airlines don’t mind if you listen to an ipod during takeoff and landing, whereas many of them will tell you to put away your tablet if you are watching a movie.
You will feel more relaxed listening to a rhythm of sound which is pleasing, over listening to the sound of roaring engines blasting over you.
Adjust your sleep pattern
One of the biggest causes of flight fatigue on long haul flights is the combination of a long flight which is difficult to get sleep on and the time difference at your destination. You can limit disruption to your sleep by doing a couple of simple things. One is to make sure you are as comfortable as possible on your flight.
If you can buy a travel pillow, as this will really help – sleeping upright with no headrest is challenging. Pay a little bit extra if you can and choose a good seat, those who get the window seat often have a far more comfortable journey than the other passengers. Another handy trick is to set your watch to the time of your destination as soon as you get on the plane.
This will prepare you for the time zone shift and you can start to alter your sleeping pattern accordingly whilst on the flight. It might be tempting to use coffee to keep yourself awake, but limit your caffeine intake as it will be dehydrating and will cause more fatigue.
*collaborative post
