“At oxygen levels equivalent to altitudes above 12,000ft (3.6km), healthy adults can start to show measurable changes in their memory, their ability to perform calculations and make decisions,” BBC had reported earlier.
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The cramped conditions and long periods of being less active on a flight can cause pain, stiffness or swelling of your legs. Being less active can lead to slow blood flow in your veins which increases your risk of developing a blood clot, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVTs most commonly form in the legs.
The air pressure on board is therefore almost 19% lower. Accordingly, the cerebral oedema will expand, not in the same proportion, since the human body is itself a kind of pressure suit, but a few millimetres is enough to increase the pressure in the brain to the extent that it becomes life-threatening.
Plane travel makes jet lag worse because your body moves much faster than your brain and circadian rhythms can process the time change. Other aspects of travel can also contribute to jet lag and may make symptoms worse: Long periods of sitting on a plane. Lack of oxygen and decreased air pressure in the airplane cabin.
It is well known that imbalance between atmospheric pressure changes and pressure inside the sinuses can cause tissue damage [43–45]. This means, for example, that the pressure in the sinuses is lower than the cabin pressure during the landing [6, 26]. At take-off, the cabin pressure is lower than the sinuses [6, 26].
While many love the experience of travelling by flight, it can be a nightmare for others who often complain of experiencing jet lag, nausea, memory loss, or brain fog post their journey. Some studies show that even relatively mild levels of hypoxia (deficiency in oxygen) can alter our ability to think clearly.
The amount of radiation is minuscule, and jet lag can usually be overcome in a few days. But for anyone flying dozens of times per year — say, at least two cross-country flights per month — these stresses start to add up, putting frequent fliers in higher risk categories for cancers and other chronic health issues.
Feeling unwell directly after a flight is often the cause of low humidity. Planes have a different atmospheric pressure than we are used to, which can cause the nasal passages to dry, leading to symptoms resembling flu.
Sitting down in a tight seat for 13+ hours can sometimes lead to circulation issues, including swelling in the feet. According to The Healthy, the chance of your body forming blood clots increases when blood isn't moving correctly, such as when onboard a long-haul flight.
Prioritize rest. After a serious time-zone change, “I love to take a nap,” says Kristal Hicks of Top Tier Travel Group. Even if you're someone who can sleep on planes, a proper nap in a bed feels more restful, because you get to extend your body, Hicks says.
Many people who experience jet lag feel better a few days after arriving to their destination. For some people, it can take up to one week to feel fully back to themselves.
There may even be hormones triggered by hypoxia – it's all idiosyncratic.” Add these inputs together and it not surprising we cry at 36,000 feet. We feel physically weird, we have little control over our circumstances, and we may feel vulnerable.
“There's a plethora of evidence that you go into a relative state of hypoxia [oxygen deficiency] when you're in flight,” said Quigley. The affects, she says, may not be realized by passengers. “One person might feel weepy, another sleepy – hypoxia affects people in different ways.
If you're sleeping on a plane, you can't actively work to relax those muscles and release the tension, so you can become susceptible to dizziness, ear infections, eardrum damage, hearing loss and nose bleeds. Wondering about some other health issues flying could cause? Take a look at the dirtiest places in an airport.