Long-haul flights get on nerves if we do not prepare for them. Besides the layover, there is also a difference in the height as they fly.
Some items are necessary to carry for your comfort and health uncompromised. They increase the proximity to the ozone layer, thus, closer to ultraviolet exposure. Not only that they tend to dehydrate the body because of the dry conditioned air inside the flight.
These flight can be challenging as they interrupt our circadian rhythm or biological clock ( how one’s body responds to light and other factors that ultimately fixes our sleep-wake pattern). Also, the food served on these flights is relatively heavier in terms of dairy and salt content.
Everything about long-haul flights is not bad as on these flights you have an in-flight source of infotainment and the carrier companies also take care of the passengers by providing blankets and pillows. So, that concludes on a more fine note that if we make adequate preparations, long-haul flights can be nice. Let us know how to make our journey more comfortable and meaningful.
- Clothing: The most important factor that can affect your comfort directly is your clothing. You have to be practical with what you wear on a journey, especially on long-haul flights. It is not about choosing comfort over fashion. You can be equivalent just with both comfort and fashion. You can choose to wear high-end joggers, stretchable pants, leggings, lightweight short sleeves, or a sleeveless top and have a cardigan or a shawl handy made of Marino wool. Make sure you carry extra clothing and undergarments just to balance mishaps. Wear socks and have shoes that can come on and off easily in case your feet start sweating and equate to walking shoes as well so that you can travel light. The gist of the whole story is to choose the breathable fabric.
- Entertainment: Though long-haul flights have full-fledged arrangements for entertainment too much screen time can aggravate the discomfort or it might trigger headaches. To counter it a book comes as a savior. ‘A book is man’s best friend’ and here it proves again. Carry a book of your favorite genre or the one you have always wanted to read but could not find enough undisturbed time to do. You can also carry a journal if writing interests you and note down how you feel about the journey and place you are heading towards or what inspired you to make such a big decision to travel miles! Imagination is endless and so is introspection and on a long-haul flight, you can do full justice to both. Carry a pen, so that you can register yourself as soon as you land (this is a provision in many countries to get a form filled out by a tourist from a different nationality ). A magazine and a puzzle book also do not make a bad choice. Additionally, carry a portable charger and earphones, tablets, and the airline application in advance to keep the entertainment ongoing. You can also carry a universal adapter so that you do not have to run here and there to get your devices charged.
- Sleep helpers: The main and most common concern with long haul flights is SLEEP CYCLE (going to bed at a proper time at night, having enough sleep that equates to 4-6 cycles, and waking up in the morning, this gives your body the energy to head to the new day with full energy and activeness ). You can download playlists with some nice meditations, soothing sounds, or tunes that you can listen to on the noise-reducing earphones that can cancel the noise that comes from all over and you can peacefully sleep. The next option is to have a neck pillow and eye mask to induce sleep and gives comfort to your neck joints.
- Health: Pack enough medications for your trip for basic motion sickness, have sanitizers to disinfect the seat, and handle multivitamins. Bring your prescriptions to have a second plan in case your luggage gets delayed. Remember to keep a water bottle to keep yourself hydrated and a good SPF range sunscreen to avoid ultraviolet damage by UVA and UVB.
We have tried to be very thorough with our suggestions to kick-start a journey without any health complications or unnecessarily off mood. With these, you will definitely and very smoothly survive a long-haul flight unscathed.
