I have just returned from an amazing holiday back home to see family and friends in England, but as you know it is a long flight from Australia- 22 hours in fact! Long flights are tiring and can also have an effect on our health, so I’ll give you my top travel tips!
- Make sure you have slept well for the few days before flying, and as jet lag is worse flying from East to West, this is especially important. When I was flying back to the UK, I tried to stay up a bit later than usual, to help with my jet lag.
- When you get to your destination, try and stay awake and go to sleep at night, so your body adjusts quickly to the new hours. Go outside for a few hours in the day to get some sunlight. This helps the body adjust its natural sleep cycle quickly, and adjusts melatonin release accordingly.
- Avoid coffee or alcohol as they will dehydrate you and affect your sleeping as well. Instead, drink plenty of water, juice or cordial.
- I take Valerian at night if I cannot sleep. This is a natural sleep aid and is safe, as long as you are not taking many other medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist, which natural sleep tablets will help you.
- Make sure you walk about every hour or so, on the flight to prevent a blood clot (DVT). If you’re pregnant, taking the pill, elderly or have a family history of clots, you may be at greater risk of developing a clot, so again, talk to your doctor before travelling.
- I wear flight socks which help to prevent DVT, and which also stop my ankles swelling on a flight – once when I didn’t wear these my feet were so swollen, my shoes were too tight when I landed! You must make sure these fit well, and the elastic at the top does not crease up, as this can cause a clot. Thigh high anti-thrombotic flight socks are also available and better.
- Make sure you eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, as all the travel, running about and dehydration can make you very constipated. Prunes and apple juice will also help you open your bowels. You don’t want constipation or too much wind to spoil your holiday!
- If you are flying with small children or babies, give them something to suck on, like a dummy or a lolly, as you land or take off. This will help their ears to “pop” or equalise and stop the discomfort. Swallowing helps to release the pressure. This same tip will help you too!
- Wash your hands frequently or use an alcohol gel hand cleaner, as there are many germs as people are stuck together on a flight, and you don’t want to catch anyone else’s infections!
- Have travel sickness tablets or ginger tablets an hour or two before you fly, if you usually suffer with travel sickness. Vomiting will spoil your excitement about your holiday and dehydrate you even more!
Have a great trip and I hope you enjoy your holiday, as much as I loved mine!
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