Holidays are better enjoyed with friends and families.
However, reunion with our loved ones requires travel, and sometimes the journey can stretch for hours. Boredom is not the only negative aspect of long journeys, for some people, blood clots can be developed due to sitting for too long.
Dr. Dan Allan from Cleveland Clinic gave advice on how to avoid blood clots.
“The one thing that you want to do is keep your blood flowing. So, getting up and walking or flexing your ankles when you’re sitting. I would not cross my legs—that obstructs the blood flow back to the heart. Compression stockings are very very helpful, hydrating is also very useful,” said Dr. Allan to Fox News.
It’s not just the long-term sitting that can present a problem, traveling by plane can also put people at risk of catching contagious respiratory diseases.
According to a recent study, airports a host of various types of respiratory viruses. The researchers tested surface and air samples at a major airport and found viruses that can cause people to catch a cold, get a headache, or suffer from a sore throat.
To be specific, 4 types of viruses—rhinovirus, coronavirus, adenovirus, influenza A were found from the samples.
Moreover, surfaces that are touched more frequently have more viruses, notably, the hand-carried luggage trays used at the security check, which almost everyone is required to use, appear to carry the most viruses.
Choosing a window seat can reduce the risk of getting ill, according to another recent study.
Washing your hands can also help to stay healthy during your travels.
“It’s probably more important to wash your hands, cover your mouth, don’t touch anything without wiping it down, and not touching your face with your hands would probably be more important than actually where you sit,” said Dr. Allan.
