Sahar Mourad
Travel Trouble

Why you should never sleep on planes

It’s almost inevitable that we have all fallen asleep on planes no matter how long or short the trip is.

But the thing is, it’s quite normal to do so even if it’s a mid-afternoon flight.

However, British pharmacist Angela Chalmers has come forward to say that we should not be sleeping on flights due to the damage it could do to our ears from the altitude.

"This leads to a vacuum in the Eustachian tubes which makes the ears feel blocked and sound dull," Angela said.

If you must sleep though, Angela says to "try not to sleep during takeoff and descent as you will not be swallowing as frequently and this can lead to blocked ears."

Angela explained that if the ears stay blocked for too long it could cause a series of health issues including dizziness, infections, eardrum damage, nosebleeds and hearing loss. 

It’s highly recommended to immediately unblock your ears by taking a deep breath and try to blow out of your nose gently while pinching your nostrils closed and keeping your mouth shut.

Image: Shutterstock

Tags:
plane, travel, flight, ear damage