WHY DO I FEEL SO TIRED AFTER FLYING? 8 REASONS YOU FEEL DRAINED AFTER A FLIGHT

Ever stepped off a flight feeling completely exhausted, even though you've spent most of the journey sitting down?

You're not imagining it.

Flying can be surprisingly demanding. Long periods of sitting, disrupted sleep, changes in time zones, airport stress, unfamiliar meal times and the dry environment inside an aircraft can all contribute to feeling less refreshed when you land.

At MACH Nutrition, we were founded by two active airline pilots who have experienced these challenges first-hand. After years of flying, we wanted to create a simple nutritional routine designed around the realities of air travel.

So, why do you feel so tired after flying?

Here are eight common reasons.

1. YOUR SLEEP SCHEDULE HAS BEEN DISRUPTED

One of the most obvious reasons for feeling tired after flying is a change to your normal sleep routine.

An overnight flight can mean trying to sleep at an unusual time. A daytime flight can mean staying awake when you would normally be resting.

When you're travelling across several time zones, your internal body clock can also be temporarily out of sync with the local time.

This is one reason people can arrive at their destination feeling tired even when they've spent several hours resting.

2. YOU'VE CROSSED TIME ZONES

Long-haul travel can involve crossing multiple time zones within a matter of hours.

Your body has its own regular rhythm influenced by factors including light, sleep and your daily routine. Suddenly moving several hours ahead or behind can make it difficult to feel naturally awake and sleepy at the appropriate local times.

This is commonly associated with jet lag.

That's why recovering from a long-haul flight isn't simply about how many hours you spent sitting on the aircraft. Your body may need time to adjust to the new schedule.

3. THE AIRCRAFT CABIN IS A DRY ENVIRONMENT

Aircraft cabins have relatively low humidity compared with many environments on the ground.

After several hours of breathing cabin air, it's common to notice that your lips, mouth, skin or eyes feel dry.

If you're also not drinking regularly during the journey, you may step off the aircraft feeling less refreshed.

This is one reason hydration is such an important part of a sensible flying routine.

Rather than waiting until you're thirsty, keep water accessible and drink regularly throughout the flight.

4. YOU HAVEN'T DRUNK ENOUGH

It's surprisingly easy to forget about drinking when you're flying.

You might be watching a film, working on your laptop, sleeping or simply avoiding getting up because you're sitting in a window seat.

Several hours can pass very quickly.

Water should always be the foundation of your hydration routine, but electrolytes can also be useful to consider when travelling.

Electrolytes include minerals such as sodium, potassium and magnesium. They occur naturally in foods and drinks and have a variety of roles in the body.

That's why MACH Elevate combines electrolytes with selected vitamins and other ingredients in a convenient sachet that can be mixed with water.

It's designed around the practical reality of flying: something simple that you can pack, mix and drink during your journey.

5. YOU'VE BEEN SITTING FOR HOURS

A long-haul flight can mean spending many hours in a relatively confined space.

Even without strenuous physical activity, remaining seated for an extended period can leave you feeling stiff, uncomfortable and ready to move once you land.

Where appropriate, get up and walk around the cabin during the flight.

Simple movement breaks can make a long journey feel considerably more comfortable.

Once you've landed, a short walk can also be a useful way to break up the journey and get moving again.

6. YOUR NORMAL ROUTINE HAS DISAPPEARED

Travel has a habit of turning your normal routine upside down.

Your usual breakfast might suddenly happen at lunchtime.

Your normal evening meal might happen in the middle of the night.

You might have coffee at a time you normally wouldn't, sleep at an unusual hour and spend most of the day moving between airports, aircraft and hotels.

It's therefore understandable that you may not feel quite like yourself immediately after landing.

Getting back into a regular routine around food, fluids, movement, daylight and sleep can help you settle into your destination.

7. YOUR NUTRITION HAS BEEN DIFFERENT

Travel can also change what and when you eat.

Long airport days, aircraft meals, snacks and irregular meal times can mean your normal eating pattern goes out of the window.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying food while travelling. But maintaining a balanced and varied diet remains important.

MACH isn't designed to replace food.

Instead, our products are designed to complement a normal diet and make certain parts of a travel routine more convenient.

8. YOU'RE SIMPLY TIRED FROM TRAVELLING

Sometimes the answer is the simplest one.

Travelling is tiring.

Getting to the airport, checking in, going through security, boarding, sitting for hours, navigating a new airport and eventually reaching your destination all require effort.

Even if you haven't done anything physically demanding, you've still spent hours dealing with unfamiliar surroundings, schedules and logistics.

And if you've crossed several time zones, your body has another adjustment to make.

Sometimes the best thing you can do after a long flight is give yourself time to recover.

CAN SUPPLEMENTS HELP WITH TIREDNESS AFTER FLYING?

Supplements shouldn't be viewed as a replacement for sleep, food, hydration or a sensible travel routine.

However, certain nutrients have authorised health claims that can be relevant to a travel nutrition routine.

Magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal psychological function and normal functioning of the nervous system, provided the product meets the applicable conditions of use.

That's one reason magnesium is included in MACH Restore.

WHAT'S INSIDE MACH RESTORE?

MACH Restore was created for the other side of the journey — your post-flight routine.

MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE

Magnesium contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, normal psychological function and normal functioning of the nervous system.

GLYCINE

Glycine is an amino acid naturally found in the body and in foods. We include it as part of Restore's carefully selected ingredient profile.

LEMON BALM EXTRACT

Lemon balm is included as part of the Restore formulation.

MACH does not position lemon balm as a treatment for insomnia, anxiety or jet lag. Restore is a food supplement designed to complement a normal diet and lifestyle.

ELECTROLYTES

Restore also contains electrolytes, making it a convenient part of your post-flight hydration routine.

AND WHAT ABOUT MACH ELEVATE?

MACH Elevate is designed around the flight itself.

It combines electrolytes, essential vitamins, taurine and L-theanine in a convenient powdered sachet.

The idea is simple: make your travel nutrition routine easier to manage when you're flying.

Rather than carrying multiple bottles and tubs, individual sachets are easy to pack into a flight bag, backpack or carry-on.

A SIMPLE MACH APPROACH TO FLIGHT FATIGUE

You don't need a complicated routine to prepare for or recover from flying.

BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT

Eat normally.

Start your journey with a balanced meal and your usual nutrition routine.

Hydrate.

Don't wait until you're thirsty to start drinking.

Pack your essentials.

Keep your water bottle and travel supplements accessible.

DURING YOUR FLIGHT

Drink regularly.

Move when appropriate.

Keep caffeine sensible, particularly if you're planning to sleep.

Consider electrolytes as part of your normal hydration routine.

AFTER LANDING

Get some movement.

Eat normally.

Stay hydrated.

Think about your destination's local time.

Prioritise your sleep routine.

And if you're using MACH, Restore can form part of your post-flight routine.

WHY DID WE CREATE MACH?

MACH Nutrition wasn't created in a boardroom by people who had never experienced long-haul flying.

It was created by two active airline pilots who experienced the realities of flying first-hand.

Long hours.

Dry cabin air.

Disrupted routines.

Time-zone changes.

Early starts.

Overnight flights.

We wanted to create convenient nutritional products specifically around the realities of travel.

That's where MACH Elevate and MACH Restore came from.

Not a replacement for the basics.

Just a simpler way to build nutrition into your flying routine.

THE BOTTOM LINE: WHY ARE YOU TIRED AFTER FLYING?

Feeling tired after flying can have several causes.

You may have:

• Slept at an unusual time
• Crossed multiple time zones
• Spent hours sitting
• Had less fluid than usual
• Experienced the dry cabin environment
• Changed your normal eating routine
• Had more caffeine than usual
• Simply spent a long day travelling

The best approach isn't to look for one magic solution.

Hydrate. Eat well. Move. Get appropriate daylight. Plan your sleep. Give your body time to adjust.

And if you want to make your travel nutrition routine more convenient, MACH was created specifically with flying in mind.

MACH NUTRITION — CREATED BY PILOTS, FOR PEOPLE WHO FLY.

FLY BETTER. FEEL BETTER.