Why it’s healthier to fly in the middle of the day
A DOCTOR has revealed why flying in the middle of the day can reduce your chances of getting ill on holiday.
While plane colds and holiday sniffles might not be an official illness, tens of thousands of us come down with them every year – and one doctor reckons she knows how holidaymakers might be able to avoid them.
Dr Barbara Bawer is a family medicine physician at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in America.
In an article in Yahoo News, the doctor explained why flying in the middle of the day may actually be a healthier option.
She said: “If possible, try to travel during non-peak times, which often is the middle of the week and mid-morning or midday, instead of very early or in the evening.
“This may depend on your city, though, so do some research ahead of time.”
This is because holidaymakers who travel at off-peak times are more likely to encounter fewer germs.
But there are also other perks to travelling in the middle of the day, including getting a full night’s sleep the night before.
In the same article, Dr Bawer also revealed why she still wears a face mask on a plane.
She added: “Although Covid is no longer as large of an issue as it was, given that I am in close quarters with the same circulating air on an airplane, I still wear a mask on all flights and in the airport.”
Dr Bawer shared several other tips for staying healthy on holiday too, including not scheduling too many activities, making sure to have plenty of downtime, eating a balanced diet, and researching travel vaccines.
Previously, Sun Online Travel reported that passengers should always try to book a window seat on the plane, as they are “the cleanest”.
A study conducted in 2018 by Boeing also found you are less likely to get sick if you’re sitting in a window seat.
The lead author of the study Vicki Stover Hertzberg advised: “Get in that window seat and don’t move.”
And another travel expert also revealed their top tips on reducing your chance of getting ill on holiday.
Here are the five ways to avoid getting sick on holiday, according to travel experts.