Tips to be comfortable on a long flight: part 2

We continue with my basics for flying…

   Getting up from time to time and stretch. This is essential if you have circulation problems, but I also think it is if you don’t have them. You will avoid arriving with stiff muscles. Almost all airlines have some information on movements to do, but you can also see these ones, some are to be done while seated

http://www.ehow.com/how_3712_exercise-plane.html (English)

http://www.elmundo.es/yodonablogs/2006/07/04/egoterapia/1152026619.html (Spanish)

   Meals: try not to eat a lot, specially if you already have a tendency to have a bloated belly. Avoid any gas refreshments and try to choose what looks less artificial –better if you manage to eat some veggies or fruit- Some people prefer to drink alcohol as it helps them to fall asleep but I think the disadvantages are far more numerous: you increase the dehydration –therefore increasing your chances of having a headache- and the number of times you visit the restrooms. I do not recommend neither tea or coffee for similar reasons, unless you are close to landing and you need to feel awake.

   Ears: chewing-gum is usually recommended but it can also make tha gas problems worse, so here each one must balance his/her options.

   Sleeping: try to adapt yourself to your destination’s time asap. Best thing is to change the time in your watch as your board the plane and try to follow from then. I am not very good at that, but if it is easy for you to fall asleep even when it is not the time it is the thing you can do to get your by used to the new time. Actually, the ideal would be to try and change your schedule the days before you travel, but that is usually hardly compatible with daily life.

   Lastly, some things that work for me and I carry with me on board:

• Lip balm –waxy, it wont count as liquid- so your lips won’t suffer that much with dryness
• Moisturizer –remember you can not take any liquid over 100 ml/ 3 ounce
• Tissue paper
• Wipes
• Something to wash your teeth -you can use some of the kits for travelling, recently I discovered some toothbrush for just one use with the paste already in-
• Sugar candy –if you have low blood pressure or low sugar these come handy if you start feeling sick-
• Saline solution –for your nose among other things, since it will get pretty dry.

I hope this is useful. Do you have any other piece of advice that you would like to share?