It’s well known that flying equals drying. And long haul flights – which is all we can do if we actually want visit anywhere outside Australia – can be particularly dehydrating.
But despite the fact that I seem to spend half my life in airports, I didn’t realise how much flying could dry you out until I had some issues with muscle pain while we were in Hong Kong a few months ago. When I say issues, I’m talking about ‘pain so bad I could barely stand up’ kind of issues. In fact, I went to get up out of bed on our first morning there and found myself collapsed on the floor!
It turns out that the soreness is my legs was caused to some degree by dehydration. And apparently the change from wearing heels at work all the time to the ‘flat-est of flat shoes’ didn’t help either.
Since that trip, I’ve ramped up my efforts when it comes to flight hydration and today I thought I’d share the top five moisture delivering tactics I’ll be employing on our flight to France next week.
My Top Five Tips For Avoiding In-flight Dehydration
- I’ll definitely be adding effervescent rehydration tablets to my water. You know, the sort that you might take if you have gastro or some other nasty tummy bug. This tip came from my yoga teacher Cherie and has been the biggest change to my inflight routine. According to Cherie, sometimes water alone doesn’t keep you hydrated. We’ve been taught for years to load up on the water when we are flying, but apparently it can run straight through you at times – your body doesn’t always direct the hydration to your vital organs. This is where the electrolytes in the tablets can help. They are easy to add to a cup or bottle of water and don’t taste too bad either. As well as using them in-flight, Cherie also recommended drinking them before and after the flight.
- I’m planning to pump up my hand cream with Vitamin E oil. I don’t know why but my hands always end up feeling incredibly dry when I fly. In the past, I’ve used hand cream like my life depends on it, but it never seemed to help for long. Recently I discovered Vitamin E oil in a bottle. It is too greasy to use on its own, but a drop or two to my hand cream makes all the difference! It also improves my cuticles, which is an added bonus.
- I’m going to be spraying thermal spring water on my face regularly throughout the flight. This is something that I’ve done for years on flights. I know some travellers use facial moisturisers, but I’ve always found it easier and more comfortable to lightly spray my face when I start to feel a little dry.
- For me, a saline nasal spray is essential on flights. I’ve used them for years, always thinking that I was keeping my sinuses clear. But I recently learned that I was actually keeping them moist and hydrated. Lucky me!
- Naturally, I’ll be using my favourite lip balm generously throughout the flight. There is nothing worse than starting your travels with dry, cracked lips. A decent lip salve is a must when flying – but make sure you choose one that is actually moisturising. So many balms can actually be drying – you do need to be careful.
Finally, a bonus tip. I’ll be following the advice that I’ve received from every article ever written about flying and avoiding excess alcohol. We all know how dehydrating alcohol can be – and there is no point following all of the above tips if you are going to counteract the effect with alcohol.
Do you have any advice for staying hydrated while you fly? If so, please don’t be shy. Take a moment to share your tips in the comments section below.
And until next time – au revoir.
