In anticipation of our own long haul flight to Europe this week, I decided to put together a little guide of my tips for surviving a long haul flight.
There’s nothing worse than landing in your destination and feeling just utterly gross and exhausted. Over the years, I’ve become religious about the following practices, ensuring I start off on the right foot. A lot of these tips are really helpful for combatting jet lag too.
At the end I’m sharing a little list of things I always keep with me in my carry on to help me feel as fresh as possible.
Go fresh-faced on flight
As much as a little mascara would improve my travel day selfies, I always go fresh-faced for long flights. And then I like to wash my face in the bathroom again before “bedtime” on the flight and apply a thick moisturizer like Weleda to lock in hydration. I don’t love the sheet mask thing on airplanes–believe it or not, I think it’s overkill, lol. I think a nice thick moisturizer is good enough.
Drink lots of water and avoid alcohol
I always buy the biggest Smart Water available at the airport after I make it through security, and for long flights, I buy two. I tend to get dehydrated easily on flights, so I’m an absolute freak about drinking enough water. Catch me taking FREQUENT walks to visit the flight attendants and ask for a glass of water–this forces me to get my body moving too.
It’s soooo tempting to accept that free glass of box wine that often accompanies dinner on international flights, but trust me, it’s not worth it. Alcohol, as we know, causes inflammation which only makes you feel more gross on long flights. Also, alcohol is horrendous for jet lag because it messes with your already jacked-up hormones. I try to avoid it at all costs on travel days.
Elevate feet
I try to put my feet up every night, but I’m extra vigilant about this before a long flight to help promote good circulation–it’s a no for me on swollen feet, thanks!
Exercise before the flight
Before long travel days, both Tyler and I always try to get a workout in if we have time. Even a 10 minute bodyweight workout or a 20 minute Peloton ride makes such a difference in helping us relax and wind down later on the plane. If anything, we’ll walk laps around the airport to get ourselves as “tired” as possible. The same will obviously be only more true when traveling with the girls this week.
Long Haul Flight Essentials
Kindle:
I go back and forth between hard copies and Kindle at home, but I will definitely be bringing just my Kindle on this trip. It’s lightweight, and you can hold it with one hand–perfect for when you’re reading with a sleeping toddler on your lap. I find watching too many movies on flights makes it hard for me to fall asleep, so I plan to read as much as possible before it’s time to go to sleep.
Magnesium + electrolytes powder packets:
Magnesium is great for muscle relaxation and staying “regular” on long travel days. And electrolytes are, of course, awesome for hydration. I’ve been mixing these magnesium + electrolyte powder packets from Recess into ice water every night lately and am packing a bunch for our trip too. The lemon flavor is amazing and not sweet at all which I love.
AG1 travel packets:
Tyler and I both swear by AG1, and we are bringing an arsenal of travel packs with us on this trip. I am definitely going to take some on the flight to keep my gut in check and fill in any inevitable nutritional gaps from our airline meals. (If you’re interested in trying AG1, use my link to get a bottle of vitamin d3/k12 drops and 5 travel packs with your first box!).
Collagen Eye Pads:
These little eye pads from Amazon are made with collagen and green tea and provide just a nice boost of hydration when you’re feeling haggard. I like to keep these in my carry on and then store them in our hotel/Airbnb fridge so they can provide a cooling effect.
