Is It Just Me? I’m Flying And Something Strange Is Happening To Me

USA Today recently published an article called “15 Things That Happen to Your Body When You Fly.” And – spoiler alert – not a single one of them is positive. Unless you count the speed with which you can traverse the globe.

There are some obvious effects like jet lag, temporary hearing loss, motion sickness and swollen feet and ankles.

And there are the more harrowing things that we’ll spare you the finer parts about. You don’t want to hear the intimate details concerning cosmic radiation and deep vein thrombosis. We don’t want to keep you from ever flying again.

So here are a few to look out for but won’t ground you from the friendly skies:

• Taste buds change: “The high decibel level in the plane plays with people’s taste buds. Sweets are not felt as strongly, while savory tastes are heightened.”
• Skin becomes more sensitive: “Some research shows that flying can dry out the skin by as much as 37%. Oil gets trapped under the skin while it tries to secrete more to fight dryness, possibly leading to pimples and breakouts…the so-called ‘airplane acne.'”
• Bad breath: “A side effect of dehydration. Chewing gum can help stimulate saliva production.”
• Mood changes: These are “based on the disruption of the circadian rhythm.”
• Less oxygen: “Those with medical conditions such as lung diseases and blood disorders may experience reduced oxygen levels, or hypoxia. Travelers with this condition are advised to tell the airline they are traveling on to arrange for an additional oxygen supply while flying.”

Whatever you feel while flying, be sure to learn more about mitigating the effects before you board.