An expert has weighed in on the "raw dogging" trend, claiming what appears to be something dull could actually be pretty dangerous.
Air travel can often be monotonous, especially on long flights with limited legroom, leaving passengers feeling trapped for hours.
While many people turn to podcasts, movies, or music to combat boredom, a growing number are embracing a more minimalist approach.
"Raw dogging" refers to the practice of forgoing all in-flight amenities, including entertainment and sleep, and instead sitting quietly for the entire duration of the flight.
Even Manchester City football star Erling Haaland jumped on the bandwagon, posting about his uneventful flight: "Just raw dogged a 7 hour flight. No phone, no sleep, no water, no food, only map. #easy."
TikTok creator Michelle captured the essence of this trend in a video, where she observed: "I have never seen so many people raw dogging a flight in my life.
"Literally just staring straight ahead the entire time? This was a 5 HOUR flight from NYC to SF?? Aren't San Franciscans always glued to a screen or something??”
Reflecting on her own habits, she questioned: "Have I become an iPad kid...”
Well, nutritionist Toby King warns that this trend could increase the risk of blood clots, which "can break off and cause a blockage of the arteries in the lung, which is very serious and can cause death," he told travel site Inspire Ambitions.
"This is one of the most dangerous trends I have seen on social media in a while," King said.
"While it looks innocent and a bit of fun on the surface, this could have deadly consequences, and I would urge people to use sense when traveling."
Dr. Gill Jenkins, a general practitioner who also serves as a medical escort in air ambulance transfers, echoed these concerns, calling participants "idiots."
"A digital detox might do you some good, but all the rest of it is against medical advice," Jenkins told the BBC.
"The whole thing about the risk of long-haul flying is that you’re at risk of dehydration. If you’re not moving, you’re at risk of deep vein thrombosis, which is compounded by dehydration. Not going to the toilet, that’s a bit stupid. If you need the loo, you need the loo."
Travel experts have also advised against this dangerous trend. “We advise enjoying the flight,” an employee of the flight-booking app Netflights stated, as previously reported by the Daily Mail.
“With low oxygen pressure on flights and a change in humidity levels, an increased amount of water evaporates from our skin and lungs when flying, so it becomes increasingly important to stay hydrated and consume liquids when flying,” the travel professionals emphasized.
I'm still not convinced by the trend, so I'll stick to my podcasts for now.
