Flying can be a big pain in the butt; literally and
figuratively! Besides dealing with long lines and crammed spaces, flying can
take a major toll on your body. That’s because sitting for extended periods of
time, even if your flight is short, can make your body stiff and achy. Luckily,
there is a way to combat those aches and pains; keep reading below to find out
how!
Whether you are flying somewhere new or not, there is often
a sense of discomfort when navigating an airport or destination, especially
solo. This discomfort is common for solo
travelers to experience because a form of proper personal protection has not
been put into place. If you knew that you could travel anywhere in the U.S.
with 24/7 personal protection at your disposal, you may be more excited to get booking,
yes? Well, lucky for you, it may be time to grab that suitcase because Life
Alert Protection can offer you the travel safety you’ve been searching for.
Simply take Life Alert’s MOBILE with GPS with you while traveling and in the
event of a life threatening emergency, push the button on your pendant and LifeAlert’s dispatch team will locate you via GPS and send you an emergency medical
response fast. Discomfort can be found in many different forms while you are
traveling, but you can remedy any of your safety fears simply by getting Life
Alert Protection!
Want to stay limber on your next flight? Real Simple[1]
has got six tips to help you break up your inactivity and keep you feeling
loose! Check them out below.
Twist it out
Unless you’ve snagged a first-class seat, it may not seem
possible to move much while seated—until you consider that you can do some
stretching with just a little space. One of the best ones, according to Dashama
Gordon, founder of Pranashama Yoga Institute and the global 30 Day Yoga
Challenge: the spinal twist. To do it, cross your right leg over your left leg
and place your left hand on your right knee, right hand on the back of the
seat. Inhale and lengthen your spine as you rotate your torso to the right.
Hold five to ten seconds, and then repeat on the other side.
Say a prayer
behind your back
Shoulders and wrists a little achy from carrying luggage?
Gordon offers this solution: Sit at the front of your seat. Reaching your arms
behind you, hold opposite elbow with opposite hand or if you have the
flexibility, place your hands together behind your back fingers facing up and
shoulders down and back. Hold for five to ten seconds.
Roll with it
You can roll almost every joint in your body in your seat,
starting with your head. Drop your head to your neck and slowly roll to your
right shoulder, holding a few seconds before reversing that path and rolling to
your left shoulder, Clayton says. Next, roll both shoulders forward in a
circular motion; then repeat the roll backwards. Do the same thing with your
wrists and ankles.
Take a stroll
Getting up out of your seat regularly and walking up and
down the aisle is key to increasing blood flow to your muscles, says Tom
Holland, exercise physiologist. Holland has flown around the world to compete
in marathons, ultra-marathons, and Ironman triathlons and suggests aiming to
walk it out every 20 to 30 minutes.
Play footsy
Keep the blood flowing to your lower body by moving those
feet. Bonus: Your seatmates won’t even notice. Simply tap your toes under the
seat in front of you periodically for 30 to 60 seconds at a time, Holland says.
Then do calf raises. While seated with your feet on the floor, lift your heels
and squeeze your calf muscles, holding for a few seconds before lowering. Do 20
to 25 repetitions every 15 to 30 minutes. (This one is also good for stretching
at work.)
Strike a pose
You obviously can’t break out the yoga mat on the plane, but
you can move to the back of the plane or exit row (or the aisle if you don’t
mind other passengers watching you) and do a few simple standing stretches. For
starters, try a standing quad stretch, Gordon says. Shift your weight to your
right leg. Maintaining your balance, draw your left foot behind you to your
glute; reach your left hand around to grab your foot and pull it closer to your
body. Use your right hand to hold onto a sturdy support on the plane or, if
there’s no turbulence, extend it in front of you. Hold five to ten seconds and
repeat on the other side. Or do 20 to 25 simple squats at the back of the plane
(even in the bathroom), every hour, Holland says.
Keep any feelings of discomfort at bay on your next flight
with the simple exercises above. Plus, under the safety of Life Alert
Protection, you can banish any feelings of fear associated with traveling solo
without stretching your morals. If you are an aging senior looking to maintain
your independence and live life to its fullest, Life Alert’s HELP Phone is for
you. Simply take their HELP Phone with you while you travel anywhere in the US
and in the event of a life threatening emergency, push the button on your
pendant and summon an emergency medical response fast. No matter where you may
be in the US, Life Alert’s dispatch team is at your disposal 24/7. Find
personal protection comfort on your next trip with the best travel buddy
around; Life Alert! Call 1-800-513-2934 for a free Life Alert brochure.
Works Cited:
1.
Asp, Karen. “6 Simple Moves to Combat Stiffness
on an Airplane—Even If You’re Stuck in a Middle Seat.” Real Simple. 16 April 2019. <https://www.realsimple.com/work-life/travel/travel-planning/airplane-travel-tips-stretches
>.
