Going to Tibet (3) Traveling to Tibet in this way, altitude sickness can disappear without a trace.

After my last in-depth trip to Tibet, I wrote two travel notes, which recorded the paradise-like beauty of Tibet. Many friends who have never been to Tibet are even more "love and fear" after reading it!

I love Tibet as the "roof of the world" on the earth, and the unique charm of the pure holy land is definitely a must-see place for life travel; What I'm afraid of is the "altitude sickness" I have to face when I go to Tibet at such a high altitude. I'm afraid my body can't adapt and I'm hesitant …

Based on my personal travel experience, I think it is very necessary to sort out the strategies on how to prevent and avoid "altitude sickness" when traveling in Tibet for the reference of friends who want to travel to Tibet.

Let's first look at the medical definition of altitude sickness:

The common symptoms of altitude sickness are headache, insomnia, loss of appetite, fatigue, dyspnea, general weakness, nausea and vomiting, palpitation, shortness of breath, chest tightness, purple lips and muscle aches.

If it is a serious altitude sickness, it is altitude pulmonary edema or brain edema, which is a very serious altitude sickness, and their accompanying symptoms are often fatal (although the incidence is extremely low, it should not be underestimated).

Therefore, from the above medical definition of altitude sickness, we can at least understand the following two points:

1, the key word of this medical definition is "natural physiological response", that is to say, when humans reach an altitude of about 2700 meters, due to the physiological structure of the body, they will have a natural response to this altitude, similar to conditioned reflex. Therefore, when we understand this, we will not have inexplicable fear or anxiety about altitude sickness. When we come, we will be safe. The question will only be: how to prevent and reduce the impact of this natural physiological reaction, so that the trip to Tibet can be successfully completed?

People are uneasy about altitude sickness because although it is a natural physiological reaction, it may develop into a serious disease if it is not treated in time. Therefore, just like preventing other diseases, our correct attitude is that we don't need to worry and be afraid too much, but pay attention to it ideologically and face it strategically in action.

When I went to Tibet this time, I also had symptoms of altitude sickness at the beginning of my trip, but as mentioned above, this is a natural physiological reaction of the human body to go to high altitude areas. Therefore, unloading the psychological burden and taking appropriate preventive measures will make the next trip smooth. With the elevation of the tourist area, altitude sickness gradually disappears with the adjustment and adaptation of the body.

(1) Preparation before departure:

In fact, as long as you are normal and have no major health problems, you should do what you should before you leave, and there is no need to prepare intensively.

Many friends asked me, do I have to take anti-reflective drugs or health products like rhodiola before going to Tibet? My personal experience is that eating these health care products or drugs has a greater psychological effect, just like eating a "reassurance". Anyway, it will make you feel better if you eat them all, but in fact, the effect is still as mentioned above. Altitude sickness is a natural physiological reaction of the human body. The key is to unload the burden psychologically. There is no harm in eating, but there is no need to rely too much.

However, there is a health care measure to prevent high reaction, or exercise, which I strongly recommend, and that is yoga.

Breathing and asana yoga exercises are very helpful to relieve hyperreflexia. As a yoga practitioner for many years, the most obvious symptom of altitude sickness when I went to Tibet this time was swelling of my forehead, which actually reflected the lack of oxygen supply to my brain. At this time, if you practice inverted postures (if you can't do handstands independently, you can use auxiliary equipment to do handstands and semi-handstands under the guidance of professional teachers), the scientific principle is to let more blood nourish your brain by changing your posture to head, feet and feet, thus alleviating and reducing the symptoms of altitude sickness. In addition, the slow and deep breathing method of yoga can also effectively alleviate symptoms such as respiratory discomfort and chest tightness when high reaction comes.

Of course, practicing yoga scientifically and regularly requires the guidance of professional teachers. Now, as a professionally trained yoga instructor, I deeply agree with this. As the saying goes, "training for a thousand days takes one hour". I usually adhere to the correct method to practice yoga, and my physical and psychological level has been tempered, which is of unexpected help to travel, especially to Tibet.

In addition, warm-keeping measures are very important. As mentioned above, catching a cold before departure and going to Tibet is a thorny issue, so it is essential to pay special attention to windproof and warm clothes in the preparation of departure items. No matter what season you go to Tibet, even in summer, the temperature in high altitude areas always changes. For example, when I go to Namco, I can wear long sleeves when the sun is shining at noon, and coats and thin down will be of great use when it snows at the mountain pass. So going to Tibet is different from going to other places. Don't be afraid to take warm clothes to occupy the luggage space, and take them as a backup in case of emergency.

The following clothing list is for reference:

Also, remember to have a good rest before you leave, don't get too excited, take a shower before you leave (you can't take a shower on the first night of going to Tibet), and remember not to catch a cold, otherwise the plan to enter Tibet will easily be ruined. ...

(2) During the journey:

After arriving in Tibet safely, analyze how to prevent and alleviate altitude sickness from various elements of travel, and let altitude sickness come and go naturally.

Eat:

Foods that are digestible, high in energy and rich in vitamins are the most suitable, and foods with high fat are better to eat less than those that are difficult to digest. Here, I must recommend that you can go to Tibet to be a vegetarian! At least, a vegetarian diet with less meat is an important way to reduce altitude sickness.

As a vegetarian, I have been to more than a dozen countries and regions in recent years. I have always been a vegetarian, without any discomfort, with more energy and better mental state. Comparatively speaking, it is more necessary to choose high-energy and digestible vegetarian food in Tibet. As a special high-altitude tourist destination, a balanced vegetarian diet will play a very positive role in preventing, alleviating and avoiding altitude sickness and successfully completing the trip.

There are also many local vegetarian restaurants in Tibet, so it is a special experience to take them as part of the tour.

Live broadcast:

As a traveler, we must pay special attention to rest and sleep, which is one of the most effective ways to avoid altitude sickness. From low altitude to high altitude, the body needs to adapt. Generally speaking, you may not sleep well during your first or second night in Tibet, so if you can choose a hotel with central oxygen supply, it will be easy to solve. For example, the lobby and rooms of Intercontinental Hotel Lhasa have such central oxygen supply facilities, and Shangri-La Hotel has a free public oxygen bar, but the prices of these high-star hotels are absolutely expensive, especially during the tourist season in Tibet. Then, if the hotel room can be equipped with a small oxygen tank for standby, you can sleep better by inhaling some oxygen before going to bed at night.

The exterior is a modern art design building, and the interior is a hall full of Tibetan style. The combination of tradition and modernity is magnificent, and the Intercontinental Hotel Lhasa is equipped with a central oxygen supply system. It is said to be the property of Li Ka-shing.

On the outdoor platform of Shangri-La Hotel, you can see the beautiful scenery of Potala Palace from another angle, which is also convenient for practicing yoga. Coupled with the public oxygen bar, altitude sickness naturally disappears easily.

Ok:

When you enter Tibet for the first time, remember not to move too fast, especially when you enter an area above 3500 meters above sea level, you should "slow down" with the rising altitude. This is also an important point that many travelers tend to overlook when they go to Tibet. As soon as they saw the beautiful scenery in Tibet, they got excited and acted quickly. They not only run, but also jump. At that time, they didn't feel anything when they were excited, but then they were in trouble. This excitement is usually followed by altitude sickness. Headache, chest tightness and loss of appetite will continue to escalate if you don't stop to have a good rest.

My own personal experience has also proved this point. For example, when I went to Namco, I thought there would be no high reaction after crossing the mountain pass of more than 5,000 meters, and there would be no high reaction after going to the lake area of more than 4,000 meters. On the contrary, I was so excited to see the beautiful scenery of Namco that I always felt headache on my way back to Lhasa, which was the most obvious high reaction of my trip to Tibet.

Therefore, especially friends who are visiting Tibet for the first time should pay special attention. Don't think that you are excited when you don't respond at this moment. Often the next moment will come, which is directly proportional to your previous excitement. ...

Tour:

The tourist itinerary in Tibet needs more scientific arrangement strategies than other tourist destinations, and the tour order cannot be reversed at will. The general principle is to gradually enter the high altitude area from low altitude, and the journey will be relaxed first and then tightened, so that the body can have a gradual adaptation process and avoid the influence of altitude sickness on the journey and body.

Remember never to rush into the scenic spots above 4,000 meters above sea level as soon as you arrive in Tibet, such as Namco and Yangzhuoyong Co, the three holy lakes in Tibet near Lhasa, and you must adapt to Lhasa before you can go. Although the lakes of these two sacred lakes are similar in elevation, the altitude sickness to Namco is generally much greater than that to Yangzhuoyong, so we must pay attention to the scientific arrangement of the tour itinerary, otherwise it is very easy to trip over these seemingly subtle details, be disturbed by the sudden altitude sickness, and even affect the whole trip.

(3) Returning from a trip

Seeing this, you may say that you have returned to your low-altitude home from Tibet. What is there to worry about?

In fact, it is also very important to repair the journey, because after all, you have gone to an area with a great altitude difference, and your body and mind need a process to adapt to this "gap".

Generally speaking, from low altitude to high altitude, you will not sleep well because of the decrease of oxygen content. Conversely, from high altitude to low altitude, you will have a "drunken oxygen" reaction because of the increase of oxygen content and want to sleep very much. Therefore, when you come back from a trip to Tibet, you need rest and sleep more than going to other places, so that your body can be fully repaired and adapted.

My own personal experience is too profound: I came back from Tibet smoothly, thinking that I was in good spirits, and then I went to study, didn't have much rest, and ignored the repair process. Two weeks later, my body developed inflammatory symptoms, and it took me some time to gradually recover.

Last but not least, the English phrase "last but not least" can best sum up the reason why I wrote this. I hope that friends who go to Tibet will not ignore the restoration process after returning, and reserve full energy for their work and life after returning home and the next trip!

Deciding to leave Tibet is actually a comprehensive measure and "test" of one's health, including physical and psychological.

In order to successfully realize the "Roof of the World" travel plan, regardless of age or gender:

If you haven't started yoga yet, it's time to start;

If you have started yoga, congratulations, come on!