Flight socks on long haul

[Alixw]

I am flying out to Aruba on Monday which is a ten hour flight. I would love to get as much sleep as I can on the flight as I'm dreading being on there for that length of time! The doctors etc. tell you to move around as much as you can on a flight to help with your blood pressure and preventing DVT, but because of this i am nervous to try to sleep for as long as i can as i'll obviously not be moving my legs around etc. I am going to buy some flight socks to help, but just wondered what others thought of the length of time I shoudl sleep for or if there's anything else i can do to help. I take the pill, so that's why i am a little more nervous than I wuld be if not pn it as this can increase the chance of getting blood clots.

Thank you!!

[Octavius]

Even if you did fall asleep it is unlikely that you would remain completely immobile. The DVT socks can help, but it is quite natural that you will move your legs or tense/stretch them while drifting in and out of sleep. More advice here�

http://www.flighthealth.org/what-is-dvt.htm

[Alixw]

Thanks so much Octavius, that was a great site!

[dot.hawkes]

my daughter bought flight socks when we flew to Cuba last year, she smokes and was worried about the long flight, but they made her legs so uncomfortable she took them off somewhere over he Eastern seaboard.
so going to Antigua this last March she didn't bother wearing any, and so on the flight out, her legs swelled up and felt so tight she had to be taken to the cabin at the back and the staff made her walk back and forth and they put ice on her thighs, they were really swollen.
So we bought some socks in S Johns and she wore them home, it was uncomfortable but her legs were not painful or swollen.

[alijangra]

If you do not have any history of stomach problems or gastric bleeding, take an aspirin daily. Ideally you would have started this a couple of weeks ago but it will still help now.

[Gef]

I recently flew to New Zealand and back - my first long haul flights and about 2 x 12 hours each way. Being a smoker, a little overwieght and in my 50s I was a little concerned. I took an aspirin for about three days before the flight and also bought flight socks from M&S.

The socks were excellent and I felt no discomfort at all. Whilst awake I moved my legs around as recommended and also had one or two walks around the plane. I slept when I could and didn't have any problems at all.

Also I drank plenty of water and juice and avoided alcohol - even though it was free.

I used to not like flying but having been on a jumbo I have already booked again for next year.

Good luck and have a great holiday.