Why do I feel dizzy when I fly?

Dizziness is the body's temporary inability to find the right balance to sit still or stand up on its own, so why does one feel dizzy when one flies?

The experience of dizziness or a relatively low level of conscientiousness during flights is one of the most frequent comments of passengers. A total of one-third of the individuals indicated they had had at least some feelings of dizziness during their flight. But what is the root of this dizziness and discomfort through the process of air travel? While dizziness on a plane is more common than one might think, there are a few important causes that are worth talking about.

Low Humidity

One of the potential problems is dehydration caused by the very low humidity in the aircraft cabins. The humidity levels in flights are very low most of the time flying at less than 20% relative humidity. This avoids corrosion on the plane and ensures that the chances of the formation of condensation are greatly minimized. However, for passengers, breathing the air supplied and dried excessively can lead to irritation of the respiratory tracts, especially the nasal passage and the eyes, dizziness, and even headaches. The level of moisture reduces and the lining of the throat and nose becomes dry just as it does when you are down with a cold or flu.

Low Oxygen

Another factor is low oxygen pressure and availability due to the widespread loss of pressurized compartments. Passenger planes are maintained at an oxygen level equivalent to being at an altitude of 8000 feet. Interestingly, the amount of oxygen that is present in each breath of air at this simulated higher altitude is less than that found at sea level pressure. While some people may exhibit symptoms of hypoxia such as dizziness, shortness of breath or an accelerated pulse rate as the body suffers mild oxygen deprivation. This is because the amount of oxygen carried in the blood is lower than usual, making you feel more exhausted or dizzy than usual. The effects are even more serious if you have a chronic lung disease or anemia.

Temperature Fluctuation, Low Humidity, and Pressure

The dryer air reduces wound healing and the lower oxygen levels compound the symptoms of heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and other breathing problems. This results in more tiredness and ideas that the atmosphere in the cabin is stale or even claustrophobic. The longer the flight time, the more these effects are cumulated and are likely to be manifested.

Cabin Pressure Changes

One discovers more dizziness in cases of rapid changes in the cabin pressure during take-offs and landings. The plane has to adjust the pressure to that equivalent to an altitude of 8,000 feet. And then on the way down, the cabin has to build up pressure from high altitude back to sea level pressure again. All these radical pressure changes' of plus or minus 20 percent affect the inner ear and the body balance and orientation system. In some cases, it may cause dizziness, vomiting, ear pain, or may lead to confused thinking. The effects would persist even after exiting the ride in some cases until the fluid in the inner ear balances again.

Stress and Anxiety

Phobic disorders: fear of flying, and claustrophobia, can manifest similar phobic physical symptoms as the feeling of lightheadedness, palpitations, sweating, or hyperventilating. The hormone cortisol elevates and results in weakness, cloudy thoughts, tremors, or vision problems. Stress also makes one breathe frequently, a factor that is likely to complicate low cabin humidity and oxygen problems. Reducing anxiety is crucial and this will be done by applying relaxation techniques to avoid dizziness in-flight when experiencing high anxiety levels.

Dehydration

What is more, traveling can pose a threat to one's hydration levels on its own already. These are some of the areas in which you are concerned about packing, going through security lines, dashing to gates, and having little to no food or water intake. Cabin in airplanes also has very low Relative humidity which ranges from 10%-20%; this indicates that one loses body moisture every time he/she exhales. If you do not drink enough water before and during the flight, you may experience dizziness, headache, or fatigue when you get up. It is advised to take a lot of water rather than diuretic coffee/tea to avoid an imbalance of water and electrolytes in the body.

Gas Expansion

Another far less conspicuous cause is the accumulation of gas within the cavities of the human body. Going to higher altitudes puts pressure on your digestive tract, middle ear, sinus, etc, and the gas molecules occupying them expand naturally. The decrease or increase of pressure about altitude alters the volume of air and its circulation in your body like when swimmers are ascending from the depths while scuba diving. This, coupled with pressure changes on descent which can stuff the ears or cause sinus discomfort, are some of the leading causes of general dizziness or fogginess. Chewing, yawning, and swallowing can help to overcome the feeling of discomfort in the ear.

Motion Sickness

This is also true for individuals who are sensitive to nausea or motion sickness when inside automobiles, it also affects them when they are on airplanes. Lowly individuals can be affected by plane vibrations, tilting, and other movements, and visual and auditory signals that do not necessarily correspond to inner ear motion indicators. They experience dizziness, clamminess, headache, stomach awareness, and vomiting. Chewed ginger and ginger tea can prevent motion sickness on flights and ginger can be purchased from a store without a prescription.

Vestibular Migraines

The flight in itself or other events during the flight induce or aggravate vestibular migraines in some predisposed individuals; these migraines manifest as vertigo rather than typical head pain. These are migraine types that are caused by the vestibular apparatus and inner ear. It is characterized not by usual migraine pain but by other symptoms such as dizziness, motion intolerance, nausea, and balance problems. These complex migrainous features may happen in flight because of pressure change, altitude effects, shortage of water, neck muscle tension, and stress appertaining to flight.

Preventing Dizziness On Flying: Tips And Tricks

Here are some key tips on minimizing dizziness when you fly: Here are some key tips on minimizing dizziness when you fly:

Hydration: take 8 Oz water every one hour onboard

Use nasal spray: Saline the nasal passages to prevent them from drying.

Take oxygen: Make sure to ask airline staff and personnel for additional oxygen.

Open air vents: They allow air circulation in the airplane to reach the seating area where you are comfortably seated.

Do not consume alcohol and salty foods: This is because alcohol and salty foods cause an increase in blood pressure as well as fluid buildup.

Use Pressure-stabilizing earplugs: Those tiny things help to bring the pressure in the middle ear to a normal level.

Point 9: Take ginger capsules: Helps with Motion sickness

Perform stretching of the neck and perform yoga during the sitting position: Lowers tension

Slow and deep breathing: Reduces anxiety and increases the Oxygen/CO2 ratio

Stand or sit with legs crossed often: Prevents the issue of congestive blood flow that leads to dizziness

Though some level of discomfort may be expected for those susceptible, using these measures should considerately reduce the number of bothersome episodes of dizziness and enhance perceived comfort in the next flight.

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