What actually happens to your body when you fly

For most people, flying is not dangerous, but it can leave us feeling out of sorts (Picture: Getty Images)

Bloating, fatigue, dehydration…

It gets us where we need to go, but flying puts our bodies under a fair bit of physiological stress.

None of it is dangerous for healthy travellers — thankfully, our systems adjust fast.

But between the altitude, dry air, and gas expansion, it explains a lot about why we land feeling the way we do.

Metro speaks to some of the UK’s most trusted health advisors about what actually happens to us at 35,000 feet, and what we can do to reduce the impact of frequent flying.

The stress before the storm

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