Are you really British if your holiday doesn’t start the minute you arrive at the airport? Whether it’s 6pm or 5am, many of us Brits start backing down the drinks as soon as we can – for a lot of us, sipping on wine (in a plastic cup) on a flight signifies the start of our holidays.
Whilst there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a glass of rose onboard, the effects of drinking alcohol on a plane are a bit different from having a pint at your local pub.
Martin Preston, Addiction Specialist, at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere explains what happens to the body when drinking alcohol onboard a flight.
Alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream quicker
Anyone who has had a few beverages on a flight will probably notice that they get drunk way quicker. This isn’t a coincidence.
“The reason for this is not because the alcohol content is higher in drinks on the plane, but that alcohol is absorbed into your bloodstream more quickly, as a result of cabin pressure and lower levels of oxygen in your blood,” Preston says.
He continues: “This means that you may feel drunker than you normally would when consuming the same amount of alcohol.”
You can get dehydrated more quickly
You also get dehydrated faster because the air in the aircraft is usually extremely dry. Preston warns that “when we become dehydrated and it’s coupled with the diuretic effect of alcohol, it can in some cases lead to dizziness, fainting or lethargy.”
It can cause confusion
Drinking can help us feel relaxed, but having a beer or two on a flight could lead to a sense of confusion or brain fog. “Lower levels of air on planes can make us feel groggy and lethargic on its own, as the brain can be sensitive to lack of oxygen,” Preston says.
“However, when you couple this with alcohol, it can exasperate any problems related to this further, leading to feelings of tiredness, or impaired cognitive abilities,” he adds.
It may cause you to act out or engage in dangerous behaviour
Drinking as we all know can affect our ability to impair judgement and lower inhibitions and we can feel these effects more intensely on a plane.
Preston explains that “it may cause a person to become loud and disrespectful to crew members and other passengers on the plane.”
“Not only that but when inhibitions are lowered we have more trouble staying calm, meaning that drunken behaviour could lead to a confrontation or cause injury/harm to someone else,” he says.
It can disrupt your sleep
You probably think drinking a glass of wine might help you sleep on a plane but it might have the opposite effect.
“If you’re on a long-haul flight and are hoping to catch up on some rest while on a plane, then it’s best to steer clear of alcohol altogether,” says Preston.
“Some people may be tempted by the thought of a glass of wine, especially on the flight home from a stressful work trip, as it can relax you, but the type of sleep you get will not be restorative as alcohol often stops us from getting deep REM sleep.”
Maybe we’ll opt for a can of Diet Coke next time.