My 6-Hour Flight Delay at Chicago O'Hare International Airport
All 9 biohacks I used, from lymphatic drainage and yoga to nootropics and flow states.
Issue #236 · May 5, 2026
“And take a deep breath inn… andd one long breath outtt” Anthony said, as he ran his knuckles with forward pressure down my spine.
It’s just before 2pm, and I am having one of the best massages of my life in Terminal 3 at O’Hare Airport at Terminal Gateway Spa next to Gate H1/H2.
Before this, I was sitting in a long corridor of black leather seats, positioned in perfect symmetry with one another, looking out the windows at the planes and the buses with long hoses attached, spraying antifreeze over the wings and cylinders.
I was in a flow state for two hours. I bought a book called Water. Drank some coffee, and ate a burger at Publican. Now here I am writing this newsletter.
There are many ways to stay healthy at an airport even with limited options. I’ve racked up some pretty neat tips and tricks to stay moving, stay energized, and honestly… be more relaxed than when you arrived.
Airports don’t have to drain you. If anything, they can become a place to reset.
Let’s dive into my favorites.
Do some yoga
Instead of sitting in the chairs at the gate getting ready to sit on a plane for more, try a couple of these stretches and movements:
Downward dog to upward dog — Push your hips up and back into an inverted V, then flow forward and arch your chest to the sky as your hips drop low. Flow through 5–8 rounds.
Cat-cow — On all fours, arch your back and lift your chest, then round your spine and tuck your chin. Match the rhythm to your breath for 8–10 rounds.
Hamstring stretch — Stand tall, hinge at the hips, and let your hands hang toward your toes with a soft bend in the knees. Hold for 30–60 seconds.
Get a massage
Muscles get very tight, especially from not moving for long, and airports are stressful.
A very easy done-for-you method is to get a massage. You can relax a ton.
30 minutes go by like it's nothing and you feel incredible. Anthony at Terminal Gateway Spa at O'Hare airport is the man.
No spa at your airport? Pack a portable foam roller in your carry-on. Roll out tight calves, glutes, and back while you wait at the gate.
Water
I picked Evian today because it's a good spring water.
Most airports sell nonsense filtered water with added electrolytes. Could be fake everything for all I know. Try to find a glass spring water — pretty much next to impossible — so the next best bet is spring water like Evian or sparkling water from one of the restaurants or also drink San Pellegrino or Gerolsteiner.
Drink Nootropic Coffee.
Because why not! Also, coffee is an amazing source of antioxidants, which are super beneficial during travel because we get a lot of oxidative stress from airplanes, EMFs, sleep deprivation, and much more.
Get some coffee and find some good stuff. Try to find organic, mold-free. It's hard, but you can do it.
I travel with Kaizen Coffee and electrolytes.
Flow states.
Great creative way to make time go by, enhance your creativity focus and drive and make something better for you and the world, especially if you share it.
Plus you will get all the vibes from the collective consciousness around you. I make some of my coolest songs while at the airport.
Write an article about your traveling experiences
Do a 15 minute brain dump-write anything and everything down. Now!
Draw some stick figures on some paper
read a new book that you buy from the bookstore in the airport.
Binaural beats.
Easiest way to stay calm while your plane is delayed for 6 hours.
I love using Brain FM. It's a website that uses binaural beats combined with amazing music and has numerous settings if you want to get motivated, get into a deep flow state, get creative, and so on.
I'm using it to write this article right now!! Boom!!!!
Blue Light blockers.
Place is crawling with LED lights — get some blue light blockers to prevent headaches and overtaxing your nervous system. I use RA Optics.
They are the most studied, effective, and fashionable blue light blockers I have found in this biohacker wellness space, and I will use these for the rest of my life.
Journal
Plan your life out, what do you enjoy? Little gratitude here and there for the vibes. Grateful that we can fly in 5 ton torpedoes in the sky!!! Hooray!!!!
NSDR
Totally rocked and have to end up sleeping in the corner? Totally could happen.
Try some NSDR. Science says you can basically emulate a nap and do something while waiting in despair. All jokes aside, it really will help with the pain of delays.
Try some NSDR with Yoga with Ally.
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DISCLAIMER
Biohack With Jack is a personal newsletter where I share my own health journey, experiences, and research. I’m not a doctor, licensed healthcare provider, or certified health professional. Nothing here is medical advice — always consult a healthcare provider before starting any new protocol.
Some links may be affiliate links. I only recommend products I personally use and believe in.