Should You Eat Before Skydiving?
When you jump out of an airplane, you’ll be overtaken by a rush of adrenaline as your body responds to the thrill of the freefall. This rush will deplete your limited energy reserves and cause you to feel nauseous unless you’ve filled up on healthy fuel ahead of time—which is why it’s so important to enjoy a balanced meal before your jump! When you know what to eat before skydiving, you can enjoy a smoother ride up to altitude and a much smoother glide back to earth—and we here at DZONE® have laid out everything you need to know.
What to Eat Before Skydiving
Many people decide to skydive with the assumption that it’s better to avoid food in the hours leading up to the jump, but this isn’t actually true. In fact, jumping malnourished is likely to cause nausea. Food also helps you to stay alert, so each stage of the jump can go off without a hitch.
So, should you eat before skydiving? Yes, absolutely—but eating the right foods, in the right amounts, is just as important as putting something in your belly. After all, skydiving is an extreme sport. You wouldn’t eat a plate of fried foods before mountain biking or parasailing, so don’t do it before you skydive either.
Instead, focus on these foods as you prepare for your jump:
- Cold cereal or overnight oats
- Healthy oatmeal with fruit
- Salad, wrap, or sandwich
- Eggs or a veggie omelet
- Smoothie (best for nervous jumpers)
Bring a (healthy) snack to the jump site, too! In the event of delays due to weather, having something on hand can make a big difference.
Should You Drink Before Skydiving?
You should stop consuming alcohol by midnight on the night before your jump, at least—and skipping the alcohol entirely is an even better idea. Drinking plenty of water, however, is a must. Going up to high altitude will multiply the impact of dehydration, and when you’re excited to jump, it can be difficult to notice symptoms like fatigue, confusion, and dizziness.
What Can Happen if You Don’t Eat Before Skydiving?
If you don’t eat or drink enough before your jump, you could very well start to feel nauseous as soon as the adrenaline from your freefall starts to wear off. Even though it’s rare for someone to vomit during a routine tandem jump, you should prepare for some very uncomfortable canopy time.
Passing out while skydiving is uncommon, but possible. However, unless you have low blood sugar, this kind of response is more likely to be caused by a fear of heights or an underlying medical condition.
With that said, overeating causes a rise in blood sugar, followed by a sharp drop. That’s one more reason to eat a reasonably sized, balanced meal before your jump.
Experience the Rush with DZONE®
Skydiving can be dangerous, but it doesn’t have to be scary. When you book a tandem jump with DZONE®, you’ll be paired with an instructor who can help you get back to earth safely in the event of an emergency. If you still have questions about what to eat before you skydive at one of our locations in Boise or Bozeman, all you have to do is let us know. We’re here to put you on the right path!
Book Your Skydiving Experience at DZONE®
Reading about how to skydive is one thing—experiencing the jump is another! If you’re ready to get first-hand experience with skydiving equipment and best practices, don’t wait to book your appointment! While you’re here, you can get an even better sense of how skydiving works by watching videos of experienced jumpers who were once just like you!