You’ve been waiting for this day for weeks, months and finally, it’s here. It’s time to jet off on your far-flung travel adventure. To experience a new culture, try exciting fresh foods and get your relax on. Except not quite, first, you have to get through the mother of all aeroplane journeys. A start to your travels which can be pretty tedious and uncomfortable.

But never fear, we’re on hand to give you all our very best tips for surviving a long haul flight and starting your adventure in tip-top shape. Listen up.

1. Hydrate yo’self

Being confined in a small air-conditioned space 1000’s of meters in the air for hours on end seriously dehydrates your body. Scientifically, the humidity on a plane is three times drier than the Sahara desert. You will typically lose up to 4 litres of water during a long flight. Crazy right?! As well as making you tired, it will also make you cranky, so make sure you are drinking plenty of good old H20 before, during and after your flight.

2. Beat the bugs

A recent study found that you are 113 times more likely to catch a common cold in the air than on the ground. Not only does the close proximity to strangers make you more susceptible to germs but the inside of planes just typically aren’t very clean. Your tray table is the worst and generally has more bacteria on it than the toilet flush. Eurgh! So take some hand sanitizer and don’t be shy with it. Rinsing your mouth with antibacterial mouthwash won’t hurt either.

3. Crack out the comfies

A long-haul flight is not the time to dress to impress and whilst you are travelling you want to be as comfortable as possible. So imagine it’s a Sunday night and you’re preparing for a Netflix marathon. You’re going to need your big comfy pants, those fluffy socks and that slightly stained, but oh so cosy hoodie. Maybe pop it in the wash and freshen it up beforehand, but remember there’s no fashion first rule here.

4. Nab the window seat

Whether you can reserve it beforehand or need to give your biggest smile to the check-in person, try and grab a window seat over an aisle seat or middle seat. This is for one selfish reason only, it’s far better to be the disturber than the disturbed. There’s not much worse on a flight than finally getting some shut-eye only for weak bladder Wendy to be shaking you awake to pee at regular intervals. Stay away from Wendy.

5. Jiggle around

Because of the water you’re hopefully drinking, and maybe the odd cheeky beer or two... you yourself are going to need pee a few times through the flight, so take this opportunity to embrace your inner Taylor Swift and shake it off. Obviously, you’re unlikely to hit your daily step count. But it’s still important to move and get your blood flowing because the risks of being stationary for too long are pretty serious.

6. Hit mute

Even during the daytime, because you’ll be changing time zones on a long haul flight it’s important to try and get a few Zs. But between the snorers, flight announcements and wailing kids, plane sleep can often prove to be pretty elusive. So prepare in advance by packing earplugs and an eye mask as well as your neck pillow to enable yourself to create a little cocoon in which you can shut off. The window seat you’ve nabbed will help too.