How to Survive the Altitude Sickness and Stay Healthy in Tibet

Some dizzying heights usually come with the world's most incredible travel destinations, while Tibet Autonomous Region is definitely the very first on the bucket-list of high-altitude adventures. Known as the Roof of the World, Tibet lies on the world's highest plateau and embraces a wealth of ancient Buddhist monasteries, lofty snow-clad mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and vast open prairies with unique alpine wildlife.

However, the overwhelming elevations could make a Tibet tour dangerous due to the lack of oxygen, thin air and strong sun exposure. Altitude sickness is definitely a problem of utmost importance to cope with. If you are going to Tibet but have never been to a place over 3,000 meters above the sea level, it would be really essential for you to learn some basic facts about altitude sickness and ways to beat it.

• Lhasa: 3,650 meters (11,975 feet)
• Yamdrok Lake: 4,441 meters (14,570 feet)
• Shigatse: 3,860 meters (12,664 feet)
• Namtso Lake: 4,770 meters (15,650 feet)
• Rongbuk Monastery: 5,100 meters (16,732 feet)
• Everest Base Camp: 5,200 meters (17,060 feet)
• Nyingchi: 3,040 meters (9,973 feet)

Altitude sickness is mainly caused by the decreasing amount of oxygen when you enter a much higher altitude than you are accustomed to, especially if you make an ascent so quickly. The sickness can happen to any Tibet travelers of any gender or age, which completely depends personally. Most travelers experience nothing more than mild shortness of breath, while some may have severe symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, loss of appetite, nosebleeds, insomnia or even pulmonary edema and cerebral edema. The sickness will worsen if travelers continue heading to higher place.

This may sound alarming, however, only a small number of people in Lhasa would suffer from acute mountain sickness. Generally, the sickness will develop within the first few days of arrival and disappear as your body gradually adjusts to the altitude. Just observe the signs and take some precautions.

1. Avoid Exertion in the First 48 Hours
If you fly to Tibet from a much lower altitude city like Shanghai or Chengdu, it is definitely wise to avoid overexerting yourself by biking or hiking to higher place, especially for the first 48 hours. Heavy exercise needs more oxygen, while it will make you feel easily fatigued and even a severe headache. Generally, walking around in cities like Lhasa won't bring on altitude sickness, but visitors should wait for a couple of days to get used to the thin air before ascending higher up.

2. Get Plenty of Rest
Because of the lack of oxygen, a common side effect of altitude sickness is fatigue and weakness. You shall give your body plenty of rest time to acclimate to the higher altitude. If possible, sleep at a relatively lower altitude.

3. Drink Lots of Water
In high altitude place like Tibet, visitors are more likely to suffer dehydration because of the water loss from your lungs. It is a common symptom of altitude sickness since dehydration makes blood thicker and limits oxygen flow. Thus you need to drink more water than normally you do to remain well hydrated.

4. Prepare Yourself with Oxygen Bottles
There is no magic pill to kill altitude sickness, but the bottled oxygen could be the best thing to make you much more comfortable when you feel breathless in an ascent to the places like Potala Palace and Mt. Everest Base Camp. It supplies extra oxygen and help climbers stay energetic.

5. Apply Medical Treatment
Medical treatment is no doubt the most efficient way for travelers in Tibet to beat the severe altitude sickness. Ask your doctor for some Diamox, a common medicine to prevent acute mountain sickness like pulmonary edema and cerebral edema. Besides, a simple Chinese herb tea Rhodiola rosea (Hongjingtian in Chinese) is believed very useful to increase energy level, fight fatigue and reduce the symptoms, while its effect is best if you take it for weeks before you leave for Tibet.

6. Climb Up Slowly
The very best way to avoid to getting altitude sickness is to move to a higher altitude slowly, but this may not be practical if you're flying direct to Lhasa. However, for travelers already arriving in Tibet, this method still works to relieve the symptoms when you are hiking up the Potala Palace or Drepung Monastery. Slowly acclimating greatly helps to increases comfort and well-being. Try only increasing your altitude by 1,000 feet (305 meters) per day and plan to take rest days along the way.

7. Begin Your Battle Earlier at Home
You could do some aerobic exercise like running or swimming a few weeks before you leave your country. It helps you to increase your endurance and get used to the altitude sickness in a quicker progress.

8. Check Your Doctor Before Leaving
Any travelers with a history of heart or lung problems may confront with acuter mountain sickness especially in Tibet. Make sure you have checked with your doctor before leaving home and get fully equipped medication for a healthful adventure.

Travelers will get sunburnt more easily at high-altitude places like Tibet than at sea level cities because the sun ray is much harsher with thinner atmosphere. Being exposed too long in the sun in Tibet, you are likely to end up with sun damage like reddening and peeling of the skin. Here are two basic but most effective ways with which you can protect yourself from excessive UV exposure.

1. Cover Yourself Up
You are suggested to wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to cover most skin of your body, and clothes of dark colors are most protective. Besides, you should wear a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses that fully shields your face and neck from UVA and UVB rays.

2. Use Sunscreen
It is definitely a must to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects your skin against both UVA and UVB rays. Traveling in Tibet, your sunscreen should have an SPF of at least 50, and do apply them generously.

If you are going to embark on an adventure to Tibet, note that it would be cold at any time of the year. Even in the golden summertime, the temperature may drop to zero. At this elevation, the weather of Tibet could change dramatically and quickly, and there is a huge temperature difference between day and night. Getting a cold could be deadly in high altitude areas, so it is wise to layer your clothes properly no matter what the season goes. A t-shirt, wool sweater and windbreaker are basics for just about any summer activity, while winter or mountaineering travelers should wear thicker down jackets to stay warm.

1. Don’t take showers in the first day after your arrival in Tibet, as you are at great risk of catching cold and it will only worsen your acclimatization to high altitude place.
2. Don't arrange any sightseeing in the first day of arrival. Instead, get yourself plenty of rest.
3. Don't smoke, otherwise it may make your gasp harder or gives rises to dry cough.
4. Don't drink alcohol or caffeine, even the local highland barley wine, for alcohol dehydrates your body even more in dry areas and makes you more prone to altitude sickness.
5. Don't eat too full at every meal otherwise you will more easily suffer fatigue.
6. Don't take coca leaves to Tibet because it is illegal to carry into China, though it is a popular cure for altitude sickness used by many western mountaineer travelers.