We all know that sluggish tiredness we feel when we’re traveling. Our agitation seems inexplicable when all we’ve really done is walk a bit and sit a while. The problem is chemical, specifically low levels of dopamine and serotonin in our brains.
In order to help demystify the grumpiness of its travelers, says an August 2015 CNN story, London’s Gatwick Airport hired nutritionist Jo Travers to help restaurants there create meals designed to help travelers boost their levels of dopamine and serotonin so that they feel happier.
Travers explained to CNN that there are “certain foods that will keep the ‘happy’ chemicals in your brain flowing. Low levels [of dopamine and serotonin] can cause fatigue.”
According to Raymond Kollau, founder of the travel website Airline Trends, “Passengers traveling by air often have a long and tiring day that is filled with snacks, and making it easier for them to choose the right kind of food, promoting a light meal instead of one that is high in carbs, will make them feel better. Although one always has to be skeptical about the kind of wellness claims certain foods can bring, it is also an indication how the overall quality of food and beverages offered at airports has improved over the past years.”
Gatwick’s efforts echo others bringing foods to market to assist travelers. FlyFit offers 13 different products claim to use super fruits to revitalize the body and counter the effects of traveling. Airports in Brussels and Amsterdam allow travelers between flights to recharge their tech devices and their bodies simultaneously by riding indoor bikes. Still, it will be a long time before fresh alternatives replace known “no-no” greasy, heavy meals at most airports.
What do you do to combat flight fatigue? Do you have any go-to foods or drinks that help you make it through your trip feeling refreshed? Leave us a comment below or on our Facebook page.
Photo credit: Benreis (Wikimedia Commons, GNU Free Documentation License)