So far this year I’ve taken 52 flights which is adding up to a lot of time in planes. I would like to think that I am getting my healthy plane routine down to a fine art to ensure I feel good when I arrive. There is nothing worst than arriving at your destination bloated, dehydrated and stiff. So here are my top 6 tips that will help you to travel well:

Get up and Stretch

It’s quite a general tip but most people wont even get up to go to the toilet on a flight. Moving your body, bending and stretching helps your circulation and can avoid having puffy ankles. You will find me up the back of the plane forward bending and stretching out what ever I can. Yes I get strange looks from some, actually most people give me some funny looks but I’ve learned not to care. The tip here is to wear baggy pants or comfy leggings that allow your body to move freely.

Don’t Eat Plane Food

My sister was an air hostess for over 8 years and she has told me some nasty rumours about plane food. She use to tell me that the catering companies would add ingredients that stop you from pooping and nobody wants to be digesting that. I’m not sure if thats true or not but I don’t eat it anyways! My tip is to eat before you get on the plane or bring your own food. Even a salad and some nuts from Pret is going to be better than the food they serve up in the air. Plan ahead and you will feel much better for it.

Drink Lots of Water

Did someone say H2o? Yes drink all the water you can on your plane journeys. The air conditioning on a plane is so harsh on our skin that you need to hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. I usually buy a big bottle of water (after security) and make sure it’s finished by the time you land. And yes this may mean you go to the loo a few more times, but hey – it means that you get to stretch yo legs. I also pack a few herbal teas in my bag and ask for some hot water instead of tea and coffee. 

Avoid Alcohol

Avoiding alcohol when your sky high is going to be the best thing for your body (see above re: hydrating). But if you want to have that sneaky prosecco or glass of vino, make sure you drink plenty of water to flush it out of your system. I try to stick to only one glass as moderation is key.

Moisturise

Moisturise everything! I usually bring minis of eye cream, lip balm, face and hand cream – all of the creams! It’s so important to keep your skin hydrated so you don’t get dry lips or lifeless dull skin.

Listen to Yoga Nidra

Last but not least, if you haven’t discovered Yoga Nidra – you need to. Yoga Nidra is a type of relaxation/meditation that you can listen to on your iphone and it recharges your energy levels or can help you fall to sleep. They say that 30 mins of Yoga Nidra equals 3 hours of sleep and who doesn’t want that?! Here’s a link to my favourite Yoga Nidra podcast.

So if you can stick to the 6 tips above I can assure you will so feel much better than filling up on the plane food and hitting the booze. I’d love to know what other wellness tips you have for flying!

Big love,

x

Phoebe