What happens to your body when you travel by plane? Know about these 15 things!

Is there any mode of transport that saves more time, other than flying? It is so convenient for us to take a plane ride, esp. when the distance to cover is so huge. You save a lot of travel time, but it comes at a cost and your body pays it; akin to the saying, “To gain something, you have to lose something.”

Yes, being in high air affects your body; some of the effects are small while others are serious. Know about the changes in your body after traveling via plane; after all, it helps to take precautionary/preventative measures just in case.

1. Jet Lag: This is so common that no one can escape it. The more you travel in the east-west direction, the more will be the jet lag, i.e. if you travel exactly in the north-south direction, you won’t get affected. You can recover from it depending on how far you have traveled from your origin. Common symptoms are insomnia, fatigue, and mood changes.

2. Sensitive skin: It happens because of a lack of air on a plane. Less humidity dehydrates the skin by about 40%. You may feel itchy; you may see pimples on your skin because the oil gets trapped beneath as it tries to fight off the dryness. But, all this sensitivity is not long-term, it disappears in a few days.

3. Cosmic radiation: We don’t get any cosmic radiation at the ground level because hardly anything reaches there. But we get comparatively a lot more of it at high altitude where the plane flies.

4. Motion sickness: This also happens to people who travel by plane, not just by road or sea. Our eyes, inner ear, and body send irregular signals to the brain, which is why we experience symptoms like dizziness, cold sweats, and headaches.

5. Hearing loss: Airplane Ear a.k.a ear Barotrauma, happens to everyone inside whether economy or first class. It is severe when the plane takes-off and lands or there is a sudden change in altitude. You can get a temporary mild hearing loss or muffled hearing and the measures to reduce this effect are swallowing, yawning or chewing gum.

6. Dehydration: Half the air of the plane cabin is from outside which is dry because of the high altitude. Dehydration is common in such a situation. Drink lots of water regularly, carry nasal spray, eye drops, lotion and wear glasses instead of contact lenses.

7. Swollen ankles & feet: You may get swollen legs simply because you are in the sitting position for a long time in the plane. Blood flows down and collects in the leg veins. This is a temporary issue and a simple remedy for it is to get up and walk a little after every hour.

8. Bad breath: This is a side effect of dehydration. Just munch on a chewing gum; it will help increase the saliva production, which staves off bad breath.

9. Taste buds change: You won’t feel sweets as before but will feel savory tastes strongly. Your taste buds change and are less receptive because of the high decibel levels and low pressure in the cabin.

10. Lack of appetite: Our body starts its fight response by releasing catecholamines because travel disturbs our daily routine. Thus, the brain closes its appetite areas. It is recommended to avoid foods like alcohol, caffeine before flying and do relaxing activities.

11. Mood changes: Multiple pieces of research have confirmed that our mood changes during and after the flight as our circadian rhythm gets affected.

12. Deep Vein Thrombosis: This can happen when a blood clot forms in a large vein. You will be at risk if you sit for a long time. Travelers are advised to do calf muscles exercises and walk at regular intervals during the flight.

13. Change in Bowel movements: Known as vacation constipation, it can happen because of changes in diet and limited bathroom access. Address this by eating foods with probiotics. Exercise and avoid snacks like chips and chocolate during travel; drink lots of water and eat high-fiber foods instead, like fruits and nuts.

14. Less Oxygen: This is obvious because the air pressure in the plane is low. As it flies at high altitudes, you get less oxygen as compared to that at sea level. Those with blood disorders and lung diseases may experience hypoxia.

15. Bloating: It is a common effect of air travel. Avoid fatty foods and carbonated drinks before and during the flight. Also, don’t be seated for a long time, walk around regularly to reduce jet bloat and drink plenty of water.

You must have experienced some of them if you have traveled enough. These effects vary by gender, age, overall health and immunity, duration of travel, etc. They serve as a subtle reminder to us that while traveling by air, we should follow some health rules and prepare ourselves accordingly.