# Adjusting to altitude

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjusting-to-altitude/281168>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 22, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjusting-to-altitude/281168 "2004-12-22T15:59:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjusting-to-altitude/281168/21 "2004-12-23T10:52:57Z")

</div>

True, unpressurized aircraft are allowed to sail along at 10k feet without supplemental oxygen, _however_, it is certainly mentioned as a worthwhile option.

As low as 5,000 feet, decreased oxygen can affect the night vision of even young, fit, healthy non-smokers. The effects on the body of 8,000 feet are there, even if they’re subtle in most people.

On an airliner you’re generally sitting in one spot and not exerting yourself - walking around, up and down hills and stairs, at 8,000 feet is a different matter. Altitude tolerance varies widely among people, and it isn’t always a matter of the athletes doing better. I’ve noticed a descreased tolerance for exertion at 5,000-6,000 feet. I can run - just not as fast or far. I can go up and down stairs - but only about half as many as I can at sea level.

So… pace yourself for a couple days. DO drink lots of fluids but avoid the alcohol and other diuretics. I don’t know what the danger signals are for truly serious altitude problems, but I’m sure their available on-line or, better yet, as others have suggested, ask a travel doctor.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjusting-to-altitude/281168/22 "2004-12-24T09:28:26Z")

</div>

As a kid, I could actively swim hard for 4 minutes under water. ( big lungs )

Many years later, 1980’s, I photo mapped the entire state of Kansas at an aircraft altitude that went from Aprox. 14K to 16K. Spent two 4 hour shifts at altitude per day, smoking Kool Filter Kings and throwing maps around, yelling back and forth with the camera man, we did not have a working intercom at that time, talked to the centers and approach control, and … oh yeah, flew the plane…

I did this type of flying a lot. Over 16K we were always on oxygen and I’d sip it at night at lower altitudes for the gain in night vision.

In 1996, after an injury where I did not fly for a long time, I went to visit some sisters in Denver and ended up trying to help one move from Vail to Fairland (10,000 feet at the house ) I nearly died… Sick, weak, and I had an oxy tank to suck on… My days as a high altitude worker seem to be over.

It takes a bit of time and real effort to hurry up the process of getting used to the altitude.

YMMV

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/adjusting-to-altitude/281168.md?page=1)