Most people hate travelling and the majority of the time, it is not the destination they hate but the travelling itself. Some feel restless, uncomfortable, cramped, bored or even ill. If you are someone who suffers from travel sickness on a flight or a long car journey here are some suggestions which might make your next travelling experience a little more comfortable
Avoid big meals
Don’t eat a big meal before flying. The air pressure is much lower at 400,000 ft in the sky, so your stomach might feel bloated. Eat high-protein foods and avoid sugar. Bananas and oranges are good choices. Bananas have potassium to balance your blood pressure and oranges have vitamin C to boost your immunity. Avoid spicy, greasy, and salty foods because they can dehydrate you on flights.
A little airport snack won’t hurt… but don’t overdo it!
Keep yourself hydrated to avoid travel sickness
You will also want to keep yourself hydrated by drinking lots of water, no alcohol. The alcohol will be waiting for you at your villa! Drinking water keeps you hydrated and also keeps you moving. You want to keep moving on a flight and giving yourself a walk to the toilet gives your body a chance to move and stretch. It’s important to keep hydrated as your body isn’t getting the fresh air it usually does. If you don’t drink enough water whilst flying, it can exaggerate your jet lag. This will not be a fun start to your holiday.
Hydration is key!
Ever thought about bringing a mini-fan with you?
Another way to prevent getting travel sickness on a flight is to bring a mini fan. Seeing as you are up in the air, you will not be able to get fresh air as you can’t open any windows. Bringing a mini fan on the plane with you can help keep you cool. Mini fans are designed to keep you feeling cool and comfortable by providing a nice, gentle breeze without taking up a lot of space, so these are ideal to pack in your hand luggage. The mini fans are usually priced between £10 – £20 and can be bought online or in stores. Some symptoms of travel sickness is sweating, keeping a mini fan on you is very handy. Not only will this cool you down but it will also increase air circulation which helps with any symptoms of motion sickness that may arise.
A mini fan is possibly one of the greatest investments!
Audio books are always a good idea (or download your favourite podcast)
You may think reading a book or looking at a digital screen may help you however, in reality it can make your travel sickness worse. The best option to take if you are wanting to read is to download an audio book to listen to. Doing this can help you relax and you can focus on a spot to stare at instead of your eyes looking at different places at one time which could make you very dizzy when flying. We suggest staying away from thrillers, mystery novels or stories about flying, read something light and cheerful to keep your mind off of flying.
Switch off from reality and listen to an audio book on your flight
Find out more about travel sickness…
Hopefully these methods help your next flight a little less stressful and relaxes you. It’s not a nice feeling flying with travel sickness. We wish you all the best on your travels and if you have any concerns about travel sickness, look at the NHS guide to motion sickness for more details.
These are some of our tips to make your next flight feel a little better. For more information or help please seek advice from your GP.
Join the Discussion