Sleep on a plane that looks ... deaf

American scientists advise passengers to set an alarm when sleeping on an airplane and make sure you are fully awake when it starts landing.

A new study has just been published by Harvard Medical School (at Harvard University, USA) showing that passengers on the plane are at risk of permanent damage when the pressure balance in the eardrum is broken.

That's when the plane takes you abruptly by landing or an urgent problem.

For most people, when the plane drops abruptly, an unpleasant, fluttering feeling, tinnitus will invade your ears. That is due to pressure imbalance.

Set an alarm if you intend to take flight time for a nap - (Photo: INDEPENDENT).

Normally, pressure on the eardrum can be removed by smoothing a thin tube in your ear - the Eustachian tube, which helps to balance the pressure.

You can open the Eustachian tube by yawning or swallowing. Many of us can perform these two movements almost unconsciously when we begin to feel uncomfortable. That's why on some flights, flight attendants give you some sweets right at the time of landing, the dishes force you to chew and swallow when enjoying.

However, the team found that if you were sleeping, it was hard for you to make timely natural actions to release pressure, causing the Eustachian tube to be blocked.

The pressure acting on the eardrum will quickly damage it before you can feel pain and startled. It may be a deep leak, causing blood to flow from your ear and enough to make you lose your hearing. So don't be lazy to hear the alarm bell or the attendant notification.

The condition of the eardrum affected by pressure changes is also common in high-speed divers and riders who drive down the mountain.