From the dry cabin air to the pressure on your ears, it’s easy to feel out of sorts at 30,000 feet – especially if you’ve an aversion to flying. However, many travellers unknowingly make matters worse by choosing the wrong in-flight food and drinks, leading to bloating, dehydration, and heightened anxiety.
According to Dawn Morwood, Co-Director of Cheap Deals Away, one common drink spells “bad news” for nervous flyers: caffeine. “Caffeine may be your go-to for early mornings (like getting up for a flight at 3am), but it’s a risky choice in the air,” she warned. Not only is caffeine dehydrating, but it also stimulates the nervous system, increasing anxiety levels – something you want to avoid, particularly if you’re already feeling jittery before take-off.
Moreover, caffeine can disrupt your sleep pattern, worsening jet lag and making it harder to adjust to your destination’s time zone.
For a more relaxing in-flight experience, Dawn suggested swapping your coffee for a calming herbal tea or decaf options like rooibos or chamomile.
These alternatives hydrate and promote a more relaxed atmosphere, helping ease any nervousness or tension during the flight.
But caffeine isn’t the only in-flight culprit when it comes to dehydration and discomfort. Alcohol, though often seen as a way to unwind during a flight, has a stronger effect at high altitudes.
“With cabin air already drying you out, alcohol only makes dehydration worse, often leading to headaches, fatigue, and disrupted sleep,” said Dawn.
To keep yourself feeling fresh and hydrated, opt for water or electrolyte-rich drinks like coconut water instead of that mid-flight glass of Prosecco or beer.
Finally, fizzy drinks are another item to avoid if you want to make your flight a pleasant an experience as it can be.
“Fizzy drinks can leave you feeling uncomfortably full due to the extra gas they introduce into your digestive system,” cautioned Dawn.
This combined with the cabin pressure changes can result in bloating and trapped gas – definitely not something you want to go through during a long-haul flight.
If you want to make flights something to look forward to rather than dread, make sure to take any preventive steps to avoid dehydration and bloating.
