Travel is back! Isn’t it exciting?? Well probably slightly more so for all those people who actually have holidays booked. It certainly seems like every second client I see is preparing for European summer.
It’s been a while between flights and many may have forgotten how uncomfortable those little plane seats can be (unless you fly first class in which case you may not need to read any further).
Lucky for you all I have some great tips to use on your upcoming flight to prevent the post travel sore back and stiff neck.
- Travel with a trigger ball. Honestly the best thing that makes its way into my carry on. I get really restless legs when sitting for long periods so I use my trust trigger ball throughout the flight to self release some of the ‘prone to getting tight’ spots like my upper back, glutes, hamstrings and feet.
Get up and move. Seems obvious to most but I’m rather surprised by some travellers who can settle in for a few wines and a movie marathon without budging from their seat for several hours. Between broken periods of sleep I try to get up as often as I can for a walk up the aisle, a few stretches, couple of sets of calf raises and always a check of the snack bar just to see if its been stocked with new goodies for tasting.
Stay hydrated. Haven’t you even noticed on a long flight how dry your skin gets, and how parched your mouth feels? The environment in an aircraft is a unique one and while its very controlled it’s certainly not an ideal place to be for 10+ hours. The altitude changes can raise your respiratory rate, while the low humidity levels mean the air is much drier than what we are accustomed to. There is then the added negative of needing to use the teeny tiny bathrooms which often come with a queue and feelings of “is it really worth the effort of squeezing out past my fellow travellers?”. I’m here to tell you yes it absolutely is. Staying hydrated is important for many physical and mental processes so the benefits far outweigh the negatives.The solution is to drink much more than you think you need too; and I’m talking water intake here not alcohol or caffeine! A rehydration supplement that’s packed with electrolytes is always good addition and there are lot of natural options if you aren’t a fan of sugar loaded sports drinks.
Use a travel pillow. This is a little of a personal preference and my 20 year old self would be shocked at what I am about to say. I do feel that these rather annoyingly shaped travel companions can help with maintaining a better neck position when sleeping especially for those without someone to lean on or the luxury of a window seat. There has been lots of occasions when I’ve woken myself up with a sharp jolt from a very awkward head forward slumped sleeping position only to then drift back there again. It’s not ideal however a travel pillow gives your neck some support, gives some of the cervical muscles a well deserved break which for me translates into a slightly more comfortable seat given the environment we are working with. I mean the easiest way to solve this issue is to upgrade to business class (hey a girl can dream)