Does flying make you hold water?

Cause: Travel Sitting for long periods on cross-country flights or long road trips can cause water retention. Your muscles contract literally from sitting for too long, said Dr. Mack. Therefore, your feet and legs may swell in response as the fluid pools there.



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Once you've landed, you can use a lot of the same tools to reduce swelling after your travel: “Stay hydrated, move around, and wear compression socks,” says Wurster. “Also, be mindful of what you're eating and avoid foods too high in sodium because that can also add to further swelling.”

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Airplane travel and sleep disturbances caused by air travel are frequently reported. Passengers who travel regularly are likely to change time zones and can experience circadian rhythm misalignment, leading to jet lag disorder (JLD). The incidence of jet lag increases with the number of time zones crossed.

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Air pressure is lower at higher altitudes, which means your body takes in less oxygen. Airlines “pressurize” the air in the cabin, but not to sea-level pressures, so there's still less oxygen getting to your body when you fly, which can make you feel drained or even short of breath.

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Travel: For some people, sitting for a long time in a car or airplane can cause fluid retention. The lack of circulation allows fluid to build up; however, the swelling usually goes away in a day or two.

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Jet belly: (noun) the bloated state in which your stomach inflates post-flight. Also, a very unpleasant feeling. May also make you look like you're 3 months pregnant. So how does one prevent this jet belly? Well, it all depends on what you eat on the plane.

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Travel: For some people, sitting for a long time in a car or airplane can cause fluid retention. The lack of circulation allows fluid to build up; however, the swelling usually goes away in a day or two.

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Travel: For some people, sitting for a long time in a car or airplane can cause fluid retention. The lack of circulation allows fluid to build up; however, the swelling usually goes away in a day or two.

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Travel: For some people, sitting for a long time in a car or airplane can cause fluid retention. The lack of circulation allows fluid to build up; however, the swelling usually goes away in a day or two.

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Leg and foot swelling during air travel is common and typically harmless. The most likely culprit is inactivity during a flight. Sitting with your feet on the floor for a long period causes blood to pool in your leg veins. The position of your legs when you are seated also increases pressure in your leg veins.

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However, the pressure in the cabin caused by being at such a high altitude makes any air trapped in your gut expand, which causes you to feel bloated after a flight.

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Swelling is common during air travel The swelling is a combination of inactivity paired with the force of gravity pulling the fluids in your body toward earth. Sitting with your feet motionless for hours at a time can cause the blood to pool in the veins of your legs, but it isn't the only source of swelling.

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Your best bet is water, a light pre-flight meal, and—if you know you're highly-affected during flights—Gas-Ex, which can help if your belly starts acting up, says Dr. Sam. Also make sure to go for a walk every now and then—either to the bathroom or just down the aisle. Moving around can help keep things...well...

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On the morning of your flight, take a cup of hot water and some lemon and squeeze it in, she said. Celery, though not everyone's cup of tea, is the key ingredient. I know it looks so gross, celery, but believe me it is the best thing. I always mix it up with some cucumber and some lemon.

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If you don't shower and bacteria and fungi do catch a ride back to your hotel with you, Tetro says you may end up depositing germs that aren't your own into your new space—particularly your bed.

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Chou did the math, and it turns out that frequent fliers actually age the tiniest bit more quickly than those of us with both feet on the ground. Planes travel at high enough altitudes that the weak gravitational field speeds up the tick rate of a clock on board more than the high speeds slow it down.

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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.

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Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.

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