Tips and Tricks I Use For Flying Anxiety
Travel || Tags: travel, travel advice ||
Do you have anxiety about flying?
Fear of flying is so common and sadly it stops a lot of people from flying at all, which makes them miss out on so many awesome destinations! Most of the time I have anxiety when I fly, but I’ve come up with a lot of ways to cope so I want to share them with you.
*I am not a doctor but I am sharing things that work for me. For advice for your specific situation please see your family physician and / or psychologist
General Tips
It will help to drink water, get lots of sleep the night before your flight and avoid consuming caffeine before/during your flight, as caffeine tends to increase anxiety in general.
Be Prepared
One source of anxiety is the unknown! Make sure you know how you are getting from the airport to your hotel/destination. Buy travel insurance so you aren’t worried about getting hurt/sick or missing luggage. Have print outs of your confirmations just in case. I need the peace of mind that I have done everything I can to make my trip go smoothly.
Sleeping / Relaxing
The way a lot people deal with fear of flying is medications, either prescription or over the counter. Some people get a prescription from their doctor for an anti-anxiety medication to calm them down. Some people take Gravol or something similar to “knock them out”. I don’t enjoy the groggy feeling after so I don’t use medications, if that works for you then that’s what you should use.
Relaxing music is another way to calm yourself down. I have some spa music on my phone (that I use sometimes at work as a massage therapist); it’s great for closing your eyes and relaxing!
I find that getting cozy on a flight really helps me feel calm. I like having warm socks, comfy clothes and a nice scarf.
Use Mind Tricks
My best trick is for a few weeks leading up to my trip I keep telling myself how excited I am to get on the plane. I really believe if you are dreading it and think it will be a negative experience then it likely will be awful. I just keep thinking about how awesome it will be and keep myself in a positive mindset.
If the plane trip is especially turbulent I usually close my eyes and try to imagine I’m in a car on a bumpy road. It usually works!
It also helps to think of your destination. Use this time to read and plan your trip, or go over your itinerary and get yourself pumped up!
Have Things To Do
Another thing I do is download a TV show, movie, or podcast that I’m really excited to watch or listen to, and not let myself start it until I’m on the plane! You could also bring a new book or listen to your favorite music. It definitely helps to have something with you that you are really looking forward to checking out.
Make sure your carry on bag is well stocked with things to do, snacks, and everything else you might need, you can read about what I keep in my carry on here.
What are some of your tips and tricks to help with flying anxiety?
Pin it for later!
10 responses to “Tips and Tricks I Use For Flying Anxiety”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
It’s definitely a downer getting flying anxiety. Have you always had it? My flight anxiety is getting worse each time I fly (even though I have never had a bad experience flying!), so I have tried many of these tips, although I imagine that I am on a boat rather than a bumpy road when we hit turbulence 😀
I also found a hypnosis app that deals with flying anxiety, so I try to listen to that too before I go. Failing everything else, I use xanax.
I have actually gotten better. A few days before my first solo trip I was a total wreck worrying about flying by myself. Now that I have done it a few times I’m better than before. I will look for a hypnosis app, that sounds cool!
There are some great tips here! I’ve found that the more I fly, the less scared or worried I get when there is turbulence. It used to really freak me out.
turbulence really bothers me! Luckily so far I haven’t been on flights with really bad turbulence for a long time!
This is a great article. I have never been too afraid of flying, maybe a little when it takes off and lands..those two scare me just a little!
Valerie
Take off bothers me more than landing! But I like it better when I can see out the window
These are so useful, I’ll be sure to share with friends who have the same struggle.
Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This post is very interesting helpful for me.Every year I traveling 2 places. I going to air. But I can not deal properly. But When I read your post I get many interesting Idea. That is very useful for me.Your general tips is very interesting. I read your full post that is helpful for any one. Thanks for this post. I think your Write more interesting for our.
Glad you liked the tips! Hope they help 🙂