How to make your flight easier

A flight is stress for the body: pressure changes, dry air, long immobility. Here are the habits I actively use myself to arrive in good shape.

1. Clothing

What you fly in should be comfortable and should not constrict anything. Your circulatory system already has a hard time with pressure changes — let's not make it worse.

2. Compression socks

The best thing that can happen to your legs on a long flight: you prevent varicose veins. Those who already have this issue should wear them for long sitting and travel too. Bonus — light legs without that bursting feeling.

3. Water

Try to drink enough water specifically, not tea or coffee: caffeine constricts vessels and overstimulates the nervous system. Skip alcohol too — it is extra strain on the body and more dehydration, while we want the opposite.

4. Hygiene and skincare

Keep your hands clean and avoid touching your face: dry air dehydrates the skin and creates micro-cracks where bacteria can enter. On a long flight, bring a cleanser and a cream to minimise damage from dryness. I also like using hydrogel moisturising masks. Don't forget oral hygiene either.

5. Moving around

Every 30–60 minutes get up and do a light stretch. Change your posture while seated — it helps circulation.

6. Sleep

Don't sleep during the day, sleep at night — so your circadian rhythm stays intact and it is easier to adjust to a new time zone, if there is one.

7. Food

Eat well a couple of hours before the flight so the food has time to digest. At altitude the pressure is lower, and gases expand as external pressure drops — which is why bloating is common after eating on a plane.

These are personal comfort tips for flying, not a medical prescription. With any chronic condition, consult your doctor first.