Travelling At High Altitude: Vital Tips to Keep in Mind

If you are travelling to high altitude areas, then you should be aware of what is known as altitude sickness. This happens when you change altitudes faster than your body can adapt to the reduced oxygen and the barometric pressure.

You may experience symptoms such as vomiting, fatigue, nausea and headache. As such, the best way to enjoy your trips to higher altitudes may not be taking any travel vaccines, but knowing how to keep yourself safe from altitude sickness, and here are some useful tips worth considering:

Ascend slowly

While going up higher altitudes, your ascent must be very gradual. CDC recommends that for every 3300 feet you ascend, you should stay put for a day or two before continuing your journey further up, to allow your body enough time to adjust.

Get hydrated

A dehydrated body is not able to acclimatize properly. Each time prior to beginning your ascent, be sure to drink enough water and maintain an intake of at least two litres every day. It is also recommended that you avoid alcohol and caffeine because they too can interfere with your body’s ability to acclimatize to the high altitudes.

Don’t over eat

The body takes relatively longer to digest food at high altitude compared to low altitudes. You should, therefore, watch over your portion sizes. Heavy meals should be pushed early in the day to allow for enough time for digestion, and light ones reserved for the evening. Feel free to snack throughout the day.

Arm yourself with some medication

Aspirin should be enough to alleviate most of the symptoms associated with altitude sickness. However, there are certain prescription medications you can use to help your body adjust. For more information on such medication, consult with your travel clinic at the time you are going for your travel medication so that you can carry along the right drugs, just in case the symptoms get worse.