Travel days can be long, tiring, and sometimes stressful, especially when flying internationally or across multiple time zones. Between early mornings, airport security lines, dry cabin air, and long periods of sitting, it’s easy to arrive at your destination feeling exhausted before your trip even begins.

The good news is that a few simple travel health habits can help you feel much better during and after your flight. Preparing for travel day is an important part of staying healthy while travelling, especially for long flights or international travel.

Here are some travel day tips to help you feel your best while flying.

Stay Hydrated Before and During Your Flight

One of the most common reasons travellers feel tired, dizzy, or develop headaches while flying is dehydration. Airplane cabins have very low humidity, which can cause dehydration faster than you might expect.

To stay hydrated while flying:

• Drink water before arriving at the airport
• Bring a reusable water bottle and fill it after security
• Drink water regularly during the flight
• Limit caffeine
• Consider electrolyte packets on long flights

Staying hydrated is one of the easiest and most important travel health tips for flying.

Wear Comfortable Clothing and Compression Socks

Comfort is very important on travel days, especially during long flights where you may be sitting for many hours. Tight clothing can make sitting uncomfortable and may contribute to swelling in your legs and feet.

For travel days, consider wearing:

• Comfortable, loose clothing

• Layers (airplanes can be very cold or very warm)

• Compression socks for long flights

• Comfortable shoes

• A light sweater or scarf

Compression socks are often recommended for long flights because they help improve circulation and reduce leg swelling.

Move Around During Long Flights

Sitting for long periods can cause stiffness, swelling, and poor circulation. On flights longer than a few hours, it’s important to move around regularly.

Try to:

• Stand up every 1–2 hours
• Walk up and down the aisle
• Stretch your legs and back
• Rotate your ankles while sitting
• Flex and point your feet
• Avoid crossing your legs for long periods

Movement helps circulation and can help you feel better when you arrive at your destination.

Bring Healthy Snacks and Eat Regularly

Travel days often involve long periods without proper meals, and airport food options are not always convenient or healthy. Bringing your own snacks helps you stay energized and avoid feeling tired or lightheaded.

Good travel snacks include:

• Protein bars
• Nuts
• Trail mix
• Crackers
• Fruit
• Granola bars
• Sandwiches

Eating small snacks throughout the day helps maintain energy levels while travelling.

Try to Sleep on Overnight Flights

If you are taking an overnight flight, sleeping on the plane can help reduce jet lag and fatigue upon arrival.

To make sleeping easier on a plane:

• Bring a neck pillow
• Use an eye mask
• Use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones
• Bring a small blanket or scarf
• Avoid caffeine before trying to sleep
• Try to sleep according to your destination time zone

Even a few hours of sleep can make a big difference when you arrive.

Adjust to Your Destination Time Zone

Jet lag is common when travelling across multiple time zones. One of the best ways to reduce jet lag is to start adjusting to your destination time zone as soon as you board the plane.

Helpful tips include:

• Change your phone clock to the destination time
• Sleep if it is nighttime at your destination
• Stay awake if it is daytime at your destination
• Eat meals according to the new time zone
• Avoid long naps on the first day

These steps can help your body adjust faster and reduce jet lag symptoms.

Pack Important Items in Your Carry-On

Always keep important travel health and personal items in your carry-on bag in case your luggage is delayed.

Carry-on essentials include:

• Medications
• Travel documents
• Phone charger
• Snacks
• Water bottle
• Hand sanitizer
• Lotion
• Change of clothes
• Travel pillow
• Toothbrush and toothpaste

Having these items easily accessible makes travel days much more comfortable.

Don’t Forget Your Travel Health Items

Travel health items are important to keep in your carry-on, especially when travelling internationally. Being prepared can help if you experience motion sickness, stomach illness, headaches, or dehydration while travelling.

Travel health items to consider bringing include:

• Motion sickness medication
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Pain relievers
• Electrolyte packets
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Hand sanitizer
• Cold and flu medication

Preparing a small travel health kit before your trip is always recommended for international travel.

Plan Ahead for Travel Health Before You Travel

Travel day is also a reminder that preparing for travel health before your trip is important. Depending on your destination, travellers may need travel vaccines, medications, or advice on food and water safety, mosquito protection, and common travel illnesses.

Preparing ahead of time helps travellers stay healthy, avoid travel disruptions, and feel more confident during their trip.

How to Book

Travellers across Canada can connect with a travel health professional online before their trip. During a travel health consultation, your destination, itinerary, vaccination history, and medical information are reviewed to provide personalized travel health recommendations.

If you do need vaccines or medication, prescriptions will be picked up at your local pharmacy.

Travel consultations are ideally booked 2-4 weeks before travelling, but appointments are also available for last-minute trips.

To learn more or book a consultation, visit: www.virtualtravelclinic.ca

FAQ’s