Travel expert explains how ‘rawdogging’ your flight could actually benefit your health

There is method to the madness that is the growing phenomenon known as 'rawdogging', with one expert explaining how it can actually benefit you.

First off, get your mind out of the gutter. While it might sound a little NSFW, we can assure you you're safe to carry on reading.

Despite the somewhat risqué sounding name, rawdogging is a new and rather unique trend that is slowly dominating travel content on apps like TikTok and Instagram as we head in to the summer months.

And that is no surprise when you realise it is directly to do with heading on your holidays, which millions of us will do in the coming months as summer truly arrives.

Rawdogging is a new way of travelling. Say goodbye to the latest Netflix flick you've downloaded onto your phone or reigniting that Candy Crush addiction at 35,000 feet.

No, instead of embracing technology to pass the time you will instead embrace, well, nothing.

The method of flying sees passengers put away all technology as well as any book or magazine that you're trying to get through. Some will even say no to snacks and drinks.

Instead, you will spend the flight duration twiddling your thumbs, looking out the window, or even staring ahead of you at the nothingness of the back of a seat.

Over on TikTok, those who have successfully rawdogged are shouting about their success stories, which has included seven hour flights.

One user wrote: "Just rawdogged a seven hour flight (new personal best). No headphones, no movie, no water, nothing. Incredible. The power of my mind knows no bounds."

Another said: "Just raw-dogged a flight from Orlando to LA. No water, no snacks, no music or entertainment. Seat fully upright. The power of the mind has no limits. Stay hard."

Now, through LateRooms.com, meditation expert Briony Gunson has explained how holidaymakers can tap into this latest travel trend and benefit from it.

‌"I see this as a way to have some well-needed downtime at 35,000ft," Gunson said.

"This practice of flying without in-flight entertainment feels like a powerful practice for travellers to reclaim control over their mental and emotional states.

"Bear in mind that we are constantly bombarded by stimuli and distractions, and vision is one of the most energy-consuming processes in the brain.

"It’s estimated that the brain devotes approximately 20 percent of its energy resources to processing visual information. And the brain uses 20 per cent of the body's total energy, which is huge considering that the brain makes up only about two percent of the body's weight."

Gunson explains that when watching a show or film, or just scrolling on our phone, you're using up a lot of energy even if you think the task is somewhat mundane or passive.

‌She said: "This is why it can feel so tiring to binge watch movies or Netflix. Plus the physical body can be activated into a flight-fight response, as the body doesn't know the difference between something that's really happening or something on a TV.

"All that additional emotional charge in the nervous system can leave you feeling overstimulated.

"Combine that with the fatigue of travel and that's a recipe for being pretty grouchy.

"By taking a break from these inputs, it can help reset the nervous system and the body can rest and the mind can, eventually, calm down.”

To make the rawdogging experience worthwhile and a success, Gunson says you should avoid your goal being to 'show off on TikTok'.

She said: "Maybe try not to spend the whole flight thinking about documenting your rawdogging experience, since that's pulling you out of the present moment."