Flight · 6 min
How to prepare for a long-haul flight
Twelve hours in a dry cabin, sitting still. What helps and what is a myth.
A twelve-hour flight is not a two-hour flight stretched out. Three things change: you sit still, the air is very dry, and your body clock shifts.
Sitting still
Staying immobile for hours slows venous circulation in the legs. That is the mechanism behind heavy legs at the end of a flight, and the most discussed risk factor on long-haul routes.
The usual measures are simple: get up every two or three hours, flex your calves regularly while seated, and wear compression socks.
One practical point about socks: size matters. A sock that is too small acts as a tourniquet and becomes counterproductive. Measure your calf circumference rather than going by shoe size.
If you have a history of thrombosis, recent surgery, a pregnancy, or take hormonal treatment, speak to your doctor before flying. These situations need individual advice that we cannot give.
Dry air
Cabin humidity sits around 10 to 20 per cent, well below a normal indoor level. The result is a dry throat, irritated eyes and a blocked nose.
Drink regularly, more than thirst demands. Alcohol and coffee do not help, but their effect is often overstated: the real difficulty is simply drinking enough.
A saline nasal spray and a lip balm cost little and change how you feel on arrival. If you wear contact lenses, bring glasses for the flight.
Sleep
Sleeping on a plane is hard because you sleep upright, in noise and light. A well-shaped sleep mask and earplugs do more than a neck pillow, even though the pillow is the more visible purchase.
On overnight eastbound flights, try to sleep early in the flight rather than staying up in front of a screen. Westbound, the opposite.
On arrival
Jet lag clears at roughly one time zone per day. Morning light helps you adjust eastward, evening light westward.
Do not count on a sleeping pill to solve the problem without medical advice: on a long flight, prolonged immobility under sedation is not trivial.