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Japan Today
12 hours ago
- Health
- Japan Today
Want to stay healthy when you fly? Here's the plane truth
By Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News Whether your vacation plans involve a romantic getaway to a faraway locale or just a summer visit with the grandkids, odds are an airplane will be involved. For the most part, planes are a great way to go, health experts say. "Overall, it's a very safe mode of transportation," said Dr. Leigh Speicher, an aerospace medicine specialist who is president of the Civil Aviation Medical Association. But commercial air travel does come with some health baggage. Issues range from simple stress to "complex physiologic changes occurring in the setting of air travel that can affect the heart, the blood vessels and the brain-heart axis," said Dr. Laurence Sperling, the Katz Professor in Preventive Cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. Here's what the doctors say you can do to stay grounded in health before you're cleared for departure. Beware of the air? In the jet-travel anthem "Come Fly With Me," Frank Sinatra sang that once you're up there, where the air is rarefied, you can just glide, starry-eyed. But that rarefied air can pose a health challenge for some. On commercial flights, cabin air is usually pressurized to the equivalent of around 6,000 to 8,000 feet in altitude, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's roughly the elevation of Estes Park, Colorado, or Mount Olympus in Washington, and it means passengers are inhaling less oxygen than they might normally. That pressurized air can also be dry – around 5% to 25% relative humidity, according to a research review published in Clinical Cardiology in 2017 about air travel's cardiovascular effects. Sperling, a preventive cardiologist who founded the Emory Center for Heart Disease Prevention, was senior author of that review. Speicher, who started piloting planes as a teenager, said most healthy people will be fine breathing the cabin air. But the CDC says the lower pressure can exacerbate problems for people with anemia, underlying lung issues, cerebrovascular disease such as stroke, or other conditions that require supplemental oxygen. The Clinical Cardiology review adds heart disease and heart failure, where the heart can't pump efficiently. If you have any concerns about whether it's safe for you to fly, ask a doctor, Speicher said. "Your best resource to talk to is your own primary care provider. Or, if you've had a recent heart attack or a stroke, it might be the specialist who's cared for you." The lower air pressure in the cabin also causes gas trapped inside the body to expand. That can affect someone who has had bypass surgery within the past 10 days, the Clinical Cardiology review said. Expanding air inside the body also can lead to abdominal pain, sinus pain or "airplane ear," Speicher said. The CDC says decongestants can help with ear and sinus symptoms. But because decongestants can raise blood pressure, they should be used for the shortest duration possible or avoided altogether in people with severe or uncontrolled high blood pressure, according to guidelines from the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology. Flying dry The low humidity inside a plane can lead to problems such as dry eye or a cough, Speicher said. To combat dehydration, she recommends traveling with your own water bottle, which you can fill once you clear airport security. Be careful with caffeine and alcohol, she said, both of which can be dehydrating. The air aboard modern planes is filtered and "cleaner than most of our homes and buildings that we're in," Speicher said. So when it comes to airborne viruses and bacteria, "it's not like you're being exposed to everyone in the whole plane." But you can still be exposed to germs from the people around you, she said, and if you're sick, you can expose them as well. "I'm not at the point where I would say, 'Everyone needs to wear a mask for every flight,'" she said. But in case you end up next to somebody who is coughing and not wearing a mask themselves, "I think it's lovely to have one on hand." Blood clot risks The long periods of immobility that come with air travel can elevate the risk for deep vein thrombosis – clots that begin in large veins, often in a leg. If a clot travels to the lungs, it can be fatal. Such clots are rare, but Speicher and Sperling both recommend using compression socks on longer flights. Stay well-hydrated, Sperling said, and keep blood flowing by not crossing your legs and by flexing your leg muscles while seated, or "get up and walk in the aisle." But don't loiter. Turbulence can strike without warning, Speicher said. So when you're seated, buckle up, she said. "It'll save you from injury." Stressful? Yes Air travel can be frustrating, to put it mildly. "It's a very stressful time for some people," Speicher said. And that can affect mental health. So "pack your patience," she said. Try to be understanding of your fellow passengers, and listen to the instructions you're given. "The cabin crew and the pilots are trying to do their job. They're trying to get everyone there safely." Nervous fliers should "do the things that help you stay calm in regular life," such as deep breathing, meditation or listening to music, Speicher said. "Travel with someone who centers you and helps you feel safe." Also avoid alcohol, she said. In addition to being dehydrating, it "can compound all the issues going on, instead of calming things down." Pre-flight prep Sperling, who has been on the receiving end of several "Is there a doctor on board?" calls to help people when he's flown, emphasized the importance of checking with your health care team to make sure you're ready to fly. "The physical stress of air travel should not be underestimated," he said. "For many people, it can be the most significant stress test they've had in days, weeks, months or that year." It takes effort to haul luggage through the airport or even just wait in line. "So it's not uncommon for people to unmask some underlying health conditions as they're navigating the stress of air travel." If you're cleared to fly, Sperling said, make plans for keeping up with your regular medications. Keep them in your carry-on luggage. "It's really helpful for a person to have a list of their medications, just to be able to share with whoever is trying to help," he said. People with heart rhythm disorders should carry a copy of a baseline electrocardiogram reading – you can take a photo and store it on your phone, Sperling said. People with implanted devices such as pacemakers or defibrillators should carry the device's card with them. Overseas travelers should make sure they are up to date on vaccinations. Many hospitals have travel specialists who can help. Keep in mind basic needs as well, Speicher said. "I recommend having some snacks or food with you in case there are delays." Don't skimp on sleep Travel can interfere with sleep, which is considered essential for heart health. Adjusting to a new time zone is trickiest when traveling east, Speicher said. "You just stay up a bit later when you travel west." Her simplest advice is to get exposure to mid-morning light to reset your body's internal clock when you travel east. "It's great to get sleep where you can," she said. But be careful with alcohol, which might make you sleepy but can interfere with staying asleep. Sperling cautioned against taking any type of sleep aid or anti-anxiety medication that you don't take regularly. "Stick to your routine," he suggested. If your normal bedtime routine involves reading a book, try the same while you travel. Have fun "Air travel is important for people to see the people they love, their families, their friends, to experience new places and new beauty on this planet," Sperling said. So while putting in the work required by flying, don't lose sight of its rewards. "We should be aware of the risks," Sperling said. "We should be equally aware of the joy." © Copyright 2025 American Heart Association News
Japan Today
02-05-2025
- Health
- Japan Today
Ace your finals – healthwise, at least
By Michael Merschel, American Heart Association News Even without final exams looming, Andrea Rivera is all too familiar with stress. Rivera, a 23-year-old journalism major, is taking classes at not one but two schools: San Joaquin Delta College in her hometown of Stockton, California, and an hour away at Sacramento State. She's paying her way by working full time as a restaurant manager. Finals make everything more hectic. "My stress just goes completely up," she said, tallying her end-of-semester workload that includes a group project for Spanish, a social media package for journalism and a five-part project for geology. The pressure of finals is familiar to anyone who's been to high school or college, said Dr. Raychelle Cassada Lohmann, a licensed counselor in Cary, North Carolina. "It's a time when all of a sudden everything is coming down the pipeline at once," said Lohmann, who also is an associate professor at the University of Mount Olive and spent 20 years working as a school counselor. In high school, she noted, many courses include state-mandated exams that can affect teachers, "so students may feel that pressure coming from the educators." Finals stress has many layers, said Dr. Leslie Ralph, a licensed clinical psychologist who is coordinator of communications for Counseling and Psych Services at the University of Arizona in Tucson. The most obvious one for many students is that "the final exam can make or break their grade" when a lot of hopes might be pinned on the results. Being cut off from social support or relaxing hobbies during finals only adds to the stress. In general, stress can affect both physical and mental health. Although short-term stress can help you stay alert while you study, long-term stress has been linked to problems such as the risk for developing high blood pressure or having a heart attack or stroke. Stress, which Ralph defined loosely as feeling you have too many demands to keep up with, can also lead people to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as substance abuse. It also can lead to anxiety, where people are consumed by worry and overthinking even when a stressful period is over. That can lead to headaches, sleep difficulties, an upset stomach and more. Here's advice on how to cope with finals stress in a healthy way. Come to terms with procrastination Procrastination isn't always negative, Lohmann said. "Sometimes we're procrastinating because we don't have the pieces we need to solve the problem yet." But close to finals, "procrastination is not your friend." Looking at the big picture of everything that lies ahead can make the challenges seem overwhelming. Her advice is to not see the forest but individual trees – that is, small, achievable tasks that can get you toward your goal. Start by looking at what you need to do for each class, Lohmann said. "You're going to realize that some of the courses that you're taking aren't as difficult as other courses." Figure out which ones need the most work, then divide your time accordingly. "Start with the course that you dislike," she advised, "because that's the one we want to procrastinate on, and that's the one that needs to be at the front of the line." Take care of the basics Include time for your own well-being by making sure you're getting enough sleep and eating healthy food, Ralph said. "Basic self-care is really important," she said, "because we know that when we're stressed, we don't learn or perform optimally, and we can get into a vicious cycle," where the more stressed you are, the worse you perform, and the worse you perform, the more stressed you are. Sleep, Ralph pointed out, is when our brains process memories and consolidate learning. (Sufficient sleep also happens to be essential to heart health.) Lohmann advises carrying healthy snacks to study sessions. Otherwise, you're going to be tempted by fast food, which is hardly the best fuel for your brain as you try to learn. Steer clear of excessive caffeine and energy drinks, she said. Stress can feel like a stimulant, and energy drinks can exacerbate the symptoms of anxiety. And don't skimp on exercise, she said. "Go for a walk, go for a run, do something just to get some fresh air and get that heart rate up." Physical activity can help you learn, problem-solve and improve memory, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stay connected Ralph said a sense of community is an important barrier against stress, but many students end up feeling lonely in intense academic situations. So studying with friends can help. Lohmann said it can be validating to be around other people who share in your struggles. "You'll hear that you're not alone, that many of them are feeling the same thing that you're feeling." But choose your study groups carefully, Lohmann said. If you're someone who needs help focusing, you don't want to be surrounded by people with the same problem. "You're going to want some of those that are really self-disciplined." Get help High school counselors and college wellness centers can help with problems such as test anxiety, a condition that can cause someone to forget what they've studied under the pressure of an exam. "There are definitely resources available to help you learn to cope with those levels of stress, especially if it's beginning to affect your daily functioning," Lohmann said. Pace yourself Ralph likens finals preparation to training for a marathon. Ideally, you've been "slowly and steadily working toward that end goal" instead of using "big bursts of stressed-out energy, followed by a collapse." But if you find yourself in that latter category, you can still pause to make a plan that makes the best of whatever time you have now. "The last thing we want to do is get very anxious and stressed and procrastinate, and then try to pull an all-nighter or cram right before," Ralph said. "That's like if you were to run a marathon the day before you ran your marathon. It doesn't work that well." Your plan should leave out using drugs or alcohol to cope with stress. You also should avoid beating yourself up if you're in a tough situation. But your plan should include breaks, Ralph said. "It can be scary to say, 'I need to take a break from studying,'" she said, but treating yourself "like a robot" and ignoring warning signs isn't healthy. Keep perspective Students can help themselves by stepping back and looking realistically at the expectations they've put on themselves, Ralph said. Otherwise, they can enter a spiral of "'if I don't pass this final, then I don't get into my major. And if I don't get into my major, then I won't get into graduate school. If I don't get into graduate school, I will never get a job.' And it can just spin on and on." That kind of tunnel vision isn't necessarily accurate, Lohmann said. "I mean, if you've gotten good grades throughout the duration of the semester, this one exam isn't going to break you. But if you are a perfectionist, or you put a lot of pressure on yourself to succeed, you begin to feel that way." She tells students to "keep your eyes on the end goal. Know that this is just a moment in time, and within two or three hours, it's going to be over." And once you pass this course, "you're done with it forever." Rivera, who recently wrote about student stress in the Delta College news publication, acknowledged that she's fallen into some of the traps, getting help from caffeine while sleeping about four hours a night. But she makes time to find a balance by reading, watching TV or talking to someone she knows is watching out for her, such as her dad, whom she describes as her "go-to guy." After her finals end, Rivera plans to take a day off, maybe head to the beach, acknowledge the work she's done – and get ready for the summer class she's taking. But she's indeed focusing on the end goal – in her case, graduating from college debt-free and the life that happens after that. "I'm looking forward to the payoff." © Copyright 2025 American Heart Association News
