Commercial flights pressurize cabins to 6,000-8,000 feet altitude, cutting oxygen availability. Cabin humidity drops to 10-20%, drier than a desert. Gary Brecka explains how these stressors impair your immune system and cellular function.
When you step onto a plane, you're entering one of the most stressful environments you can put your body in. So let's start with what's actually happening to your body when you travel. Once you understand what's working against you, the tips I'm about to share will make complete sense. I'm talking about physiological stress, not emotional stress. The kind that actually impacts your cells even when you don't feel it right away. First, you've got altitude. Commercial planes are pressurized to about 6 to sometimes 8,000ft, which means less oxygen getting into your bloodstream. The body has to work harder to do everything it normal does with ease. Then there's dehydration. The air inside an airplane has about 10 to 20% humidity. For context, the Sahara Desert sits around 25%. You're literally in a drier environment than a desert, and your body is losing moisture with every breath you take. Dehydration slows down every system in your body, including your immune system.
