Got altitude sickness? Here are some simple tips to help you out.
Got a question from Michael S:
I’m going snowboarding in Colorado this winter and I heard the high altitude will take awhile to get used to. Any tips?
Indeed I do have some tips 🙂
1) Stop in the closest city (eg Denver) for a couple days
It’s a good idea to have a short stay at a city such as Denver, which has a high altitude, but not as high as the ski resorts surrounding the region. Your body takes anywhere from a couple days to a week to get used to the higher altitude. Going straight to the ski slopes will increase the severity of your altitude sickness, which is why I suggest gradually introducing your body to higher altitudes.
A 2-3 day stay at a slightly lower altitude will help you get your body used to the effects of higher altitude before heading to the ski slopes. This way your body has more time to gradually adjust to the effects, instead of getting a sudden shock to the system.
2) Increase your fitness
You can’t avoid altitude sickness, but you can decrease it’s effects on you. The better your personal fitness, the quicker you’ll recover from the effects of higher altitudes.
Simply put, a very unfit person may experience of week of altitude sickness while a fit person might be ready to go after just 2 days.
3) Drink plenty of water and no alcohol (at first…)
No alcohol! Your body will tire easy and you’ll probably have headaches and possibly nausea as well. Alcohol will only make you more dehydrated and increase the severity of your symptoms. You can always drink after you’ve adjusted to the altitude 😉
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water as well.
4) Take it easy and rest properly for at least 2-3 days
Proper sleep, rest and eating properly will decrease the length of your symptoms. Your body needs time to adjust to the altitude and diving straight into the slopes will overexert your body.
Take things slowly. Start with a little walking around the resort and don’t push yourself too hard on your first couple days on the slopes.
Good luck and I hope you found these tips useful!
– Jed