 |
| Arms Starting with your arms outstretched,
flex at he elbow and bring them slowly into
your chest. Extend them again. Repeat five
times. |
 |
| Shoulders Hunch up your
shoulders, hold and slowly relax. Repeat five
times. |
 |
| Hands Grip the edge of your
armrest with your hands, hold to a count of
five, then relax. Repeat 10 times. |
 |
| Abdomen Starting from a fully
upright position, slide your hands down your
legs as far as you can. Straighten up gradually.
Repeat three times. Cross your arms across your
chest |
 |
| Legs
Starting with your feet on the floor, bring your
legs slowly up towards your chest, as far as you
can. Relax them slowly, Repeat three times. |
 |
| Feet
Placing both feet on the floor, point your toes
upwards as high as they will go. Point them
downwards. Repeat this in a continuous movement
five times. |
Motion
Sickness
Fortunately, most modern jets fly at relatively high
altitudes and so avoid major turbulence. Which means
motion sickness is increasing rare. But if you are
especially prone to it, there are one or two things you
can do.
The evening before you fly, it is common sense to have a
quiet night in-stay off the spicy food and booze. Avoid
alcohol the day you fly. When inflight, eat lightly and
drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration. If you
start to feel nauseous, try to keep your head still.
Simply drop your seat back and close your eyes. If such
simple measures fail, there are a number of
anti-sickness tablets on the market. Many contain the
drugs Hyoscine (such as Kwells and Joyrides). They are
usually taken half an hour before a flight and four to
six hourly thereafter, but read the label for specific
instructions. Antihistamines such as Avomine are an
alternative.
Stress
of Flying
Some of us get a little nervous when we fly, but there
are relaxation techniques you can practice that are
designed to relieve stress. Put your seat in the recline
position. Close your eyes.
Controlled
Breathing Breathe in steadily, in a controlled
fashion, as you count slowly to three. Practice for 10 to 15
minutes.
Biofeedback
Alternatively, picture yourself in a relaxed situation,
perhaps on a tropical beach. You may even be flying there on
vacation! Concentrate on each part of your body in turn.
Feel it gradually relax. Feet, legs, thighs, tummy, chest
and so on. Over several minutes, you should reduce your
pulse and breathing rates and gradually tension will drain
away.
Cabin
Pressure Changes
Minor pressure adjustments occur within the aircraft during
take off and landing - pressure falls and rises
respectively. Customers notice changes in the form of
'blocked' ears. To avoid discomfort, you need to equalize
the pressure in your middle ear. Try that well known
measure, sucking on boiled sweets. Simple but often
effective. Alternatively, perform the so - called Valsalva
Manoeuvre - pinch your nose and blow, which 'pops' your
ears. Incidentally, if you a suspected ear infection you
should see a doctor before you fly as pressure changes can
make the condition worse.
Food
and Drinks
Another cabin pressure effect is, to put it delicately, 'gas
production'. As cabin pressure falls, the air in the
intestine expands and causes mild bloating and discomfort.
Always eat and drink in moderation. Heavy meals can lead to
indigestion during a long flight. Keep fully hydrated at all
times with lots of clear fluids - good old 'sky juice'
cannot be bettered!
Jet
Lag
When you travel across time zones, your biological clock
becomes desynchronized, which causes jet lag. Jet lag is
hard tom avoid, but one tip is to get some shut-eye during
the flight - dim the lights and drop your seat back. The old
culprit, alcohol, upsets sleep patterns, so try not to drink
too much.
Once you land, adopt local time immediately. If possible,
avoid any commitments in the first couple of days -
admittedly not always easy if you are on a business trip.
Pre-Existing
Medical Conditions
Asthma and Chest Diseases
Well controlled asthma should be no bar to flying. Make
sure you are well stocked with your usual inhalers and avoid
anything that may trigger an attack. If you are wheezy
before your flight, seek medical advice and treatment, then
a final medical OK to board.
Other chest conditions such as chronic bronchitis and
emphysema can cause inflight problems when the oxygen
pressure drops a little as the aircraft take off. If you are
breathless at home, even at rest, you may not be fit to fly.
Similarly, if you cannot manage a 50-meter walk without
breathing difficulty. If in doubt, get a formal medical
evaluation from a specialist chest physician.
Heart
Disease As a general guide, people with heart
disease who are able to walk up a dozen stairs without
problems, should be very cautions - they are twice as likely
to suffer an attack in the air as on the ground. If you
recently had a heart attack (myocardial infarction), you are
usually advised not to fly. Well-controlled blood pressure
(hypertension) should create no problems for the air traveler.
Diabetes
People with diabetes are often confused by long-haul
travel across time zones - when should they eat, when should
they take their diabetic medication or insulin? The standard
advice is to stay on home time throughout the journey. Eat
breakfast and take an insulin shot in the middle of the
night if necessary - meals should be arranged with the
airline before departure. Only when they have landed, should
they readjust to local times. They should make sure they
have their medication in their hand luggage (not locked in
the hold!) and have a letter on hand outlining their
condition and medication, in case they get into
difficulties.
Pregnancy
Pregnancy in itself is no bar to flying. Most airlines
do not allow flight after 35 weeks. And pregnant women
should always check with the immigration authorities at
their destination, to make sure they are allowed to enter
the country.
Miscellaneous
Conditions A minimum of three weeks is
recommended for anyone intending to fly after a recent
stroke. People with epilepsy are perfectly able to fly. But
if prone to regular fits, they should increase their
medication on the advice of their doctor and tail it down
upon landing at their destination. People with severe
anaemia (blood count or hemoglobin less than 7.5g/dl) are
usually advised not to fly.
Deep
Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
DVT is a blood clot that forms in the deep veins within the
calf and leg muscles. It is usually a spontaneous condition
that occurs in people especially at risk, such as those will
heart disease of the elderly. However, periods of prolonged
leg immobility can trigger it very occasionally. Warning
signs are pain and tenderness in the leg muscles, redness
and swelling of the skin. If the blood clot moves to the
lung (a pulmonary embolus), breathing difficulties can
occur. If you experience any of these symptoms, let one of
our cabin staff know immediately or, if you have already
left the aircraft, seek medical attention right away.
While flying us, we advice that you keep exercising those
leg muscles. If practical, take regular walks about the
cabin, except when the fasten seat belt sign is displayed.
While seated, perform a few simple exercises as shown in the
Healthy Air Travel chart.
Alcohol also increases the risk of developing such a
condition. We would advise you to drink more water, which
not only keeps you hydrated, but also maintains your
physical well-being.