Travelling comfortably by airplane

This summer, millions of people will travel by airplane to their holiday destinations. Travelling by airplane is generally a comfortable way of travelling, because you don't have to do a lot yourself. But still, travelling by airplane is a special way of travelling and there are a number of things you should take into account. 

Boredom

The first time you are in an airplane is new and exciting. Taking off and landing are incredible to experience and can still be fun when you have flown a couple of times, but once you're in the air and not much is happening, flying can be quite dull. It is therefore advisable to bring enough things to do. Take into account that you cannot use your phone on the airplane. Radiation could cause the plane to crash. What you could do, is do a puzzle or read a magazine. Playing a game can be fun too. A lot of games have a travel edition: a small, compact edition that is easy to bring with you.

Movement

Thrombosis is much more likely to occur in an airplane than on the ground. You can easily prevent it by moving your legs. This is advisable anyway because otherwise, after sitting still for a couple of hours, the muscles in your legs will hurt.  You can prevent this by placing your heels in the ground and moving your toes upwards and downwards. You can release the tension in your shoulders by moving them from left to right and up and down. Of course it is also a good idea to take a short walk through the airplane, but choose the right moment. When the steward or stewardess comes by with the cart, he or she won't be happy that you are blocking the aisle. 

Alcohol and caffeine

It is tempting to drink alcohol or caffeine on the plane. Alcohol gives you that holiday feeling and a lot of people like having a cup of coffee after they have got up at three a.m. to catch a flight. Alcohol and caffeine could have a different effect on you when you're in the air. The air in the airplane gets you dehydrated quicker than on the ground and alcohol and caffeine accelerate that process.

Earache

Because of the difference in air pressure, a lot of people experience earaches when taking off or landing. When you have a cold this could worsen the pain. To reduce the pain you could use a nose spray just before take-off or landing; this reduces the pressure on your ears. Chewing gum could help too. The constant chewing reduces the pressure on the ears. As a last resort you can always take some pain killers.

Sources: www.todio.nl