4 Ways to Make Flying More Comfortable

By Patty Onderko, REDBOOK

We can't help with baggage fees, zero leg room or the fact that you don't get served so much as a free peanut on flights these days, but follow this expert advice and at least you'll feel healthy when you land!

1.Stay Limber: Sitting in one place-especially if it's wedged between two large men in coach-for hours can leave you stiff and sore. "When you get up to go to the bathroom, stand on your toes and go up and down, pumping your calves; then grab each foot behind your butt, bending your knee to stretch your thigh," Biali says. You'll head off muscle pain and help prevent blood clots by boosting circulation.


Related: 18 Symptoms You Should Never Ignore

2. Unbloat Your Belly: The rise in air pressure during a flight can slow digestion, leaving you feeling...inflated. Counteract "airplane gas" with magnesium, says Ashley Koff, R.D., a Los Angeles dietician. "It's nature's muscle relaxant-it loosens muscles in the gut that control digestion and can ease cramps and bloat," she says. Koff gets her in-flight dose from a powdered supplement called Natural Calm, mixed into tea or water, but you can also snack on magnesium-rich nuts or whole grains.

Related: Are You Guilty of These 8 Sex Mistakes?

3. Nix Headaches: The extra-dry air on planes can dehydrate you and cause throbbers, so sip less alcohol and more water, Koff advises. (You could also try coconut water, which contains potassium, a mineral that helps bring water into your body's cells.)

Related: 3 Ways to Avoid Overspending Online

4.Outsmart Germs: Anyplace people are cooped up eating, sneezing and touching stuff, things get dirty. Washing your hands or using alcohol-based hand sanitizer is the number-one way to avoid getting sick, says Susan Biali, M.D., who flies frequently for work. Your second line of defense: sleep! "People stay up the night before an early flight packing, but lack of rest causes a drop in immune function," she explains.

More from REDBOOK:



Connect with REDBOOK:


Permissions:
Reprinted with permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.