What happens to the body on the plane: you should know that

Man is not made to fly - otherwise he would have wings. Therefore, what happens to our bodies on the plane is not always good for our health. We'll show you how to prepare for your next vacation flight.

That happens to the body in the airplane

An airplane flies 10, 000 to 15, 000 meters above sea level. At this altitude, the air conditions are different than on Earth, such as lower air pressure and a different oxygen content. In the cabin of the aircraft you are shielded from the extreme conditions, the prevailing air pressure still corresponds to that of over 2, 000 meters high.

• So you are on a high mountain and can get there in a short time. The human body is designed for the conditions on the ground and has to adapt slowly to higher heights. He does not have this time during a flight.
• Accordingly, the oxygen content in the blood is lower and the blood flow is slowed down. This can be particularly dangerous for people with heart disease. The slow blood flow combined with lack of movement and a long sitting position on long-haul flights can cause blood clots to form more easily. The risk of thrombosis increases, and consequently that of pulmonary embolism.
• The relative lack of oxygen leads to dizziness and headaches in quite a few flight passengers. It can be life-threatening if you were diving before a flight. When diving, the body is exposed to a fairly high pressure, while in the airplane there is a low pressure of only about 0.75 bar. A body cannot cope with this rapid pressure change. That is why there is a “no-fly time” after dives.
• The noise level in the aircraft is relatively high at 95 to 105 decibels. For comparison: a truck causes 90 decibels, a ghetto blaster around 100. It is clear that this is not healthy for the ears and can cause hearing damage if you fly frequently. But not only the ears suffer: A permanent sound level of 60 decibels triggers stress reactions in the body.
• The air in the plane is very dry. As a result, not only does the skin dry out and the sense of smell suffers, the risk of infection is also increased by dry mucous membranes. Because bacteria and viruses are on the plane - there are many people in a confined space - the risk of catching a cold on a plane is 100 times greater than on Earth, according to a study published in the Journal of Environmental Health Research.
• The study also found that you, as a frequent flyer, are at increased risk of cancer due to the higher radiation exposure and electrosmog.
• Less harmful, at most uncomfortable, is the fact that, due to the expansion of gases, some passengers experience increased flatulence during the flight.

Vacation trips by plane - you can minimize the risks

In addition to complying with the prescribed no-fly time after diving, there are still a few things you can do to make your body's flight easier.

• A recovered body is more resilient. So make sure you get enough sleep before a flight and don't burden yourself with a difficult-to-digest meal. Light foods are more appropriate.
• You should also drink plenty of fluids before and during the flight to provide the blood with enough fluid to make it flow more easily and reduce the risk of thrombus formation. Alcoholic beverages are unsuitable.
• You can reduce the risk of thrombus formation by taking further measures. Do not wear tight clothing and preferably thrombosis stockings. In addition, you should move your feet and legs as often as possible, this promotes blood flow.
• Use moisturizing nasal spray or nasal ointment to keep the mucous membranes moist. As an additional protection against infections, ready-to-use disinfectant wipes do no harm.
• Not only your ears are grateful for hearing protection. As described in the first paragraph, the constant high levels of noise in the body cause various stress reactions. So you not only protect your hearing, but also start or end your vacation with less stress. By the way, you can make your own earplugs.

If you would like to sit on the control stick of an airplane yourself, you can use the Google Earth flight simulator. We will show you how in the next practical tip.