Travelling can be a lot of fun but there are a lot of things you need to plan and do upfront, which includes overcoming any flight anxiety you might have. Millions of people suffer travel-related anxiety such as driving anxiety and flight anxiety.
Here’s our 10 foolproof ways to overcome travel anxiety:
Name your phobia
1 – Name your phobia
It really helps to pinpoint the cause of your fear before you travel. Is it flying that causes your body to tense up at the thought? Or maybe it’s the confined space in the airplane? If you’re driving, maybe the wide open road can make you nervous. Either way, by identifying the aspect of travel that you’re most wary of, you can begin to address your fear.
Familiarize yourself
2 – Familiarize yourself
There’s nothing wrong with being informed, so by learning about all the process that will take place during your travel, you will be more at ease when you’re doing it. Airplanes make lots of strange noises on take off and landing, but if you know what these noises are, you’ll be more at ease with them.
Check the turbulence forecast
3 – Check the turbulence forecast
Turbulence is a normal part of flying, but it terrifies most people. The best way to try to overcome this fear is to know whether to expect it or not. There’s no point sitting tensely on a plane expecting turbulence that isn’t coming. You can check the turbulence reports before your flight.
Bring a photo to inspire you
4 – Bring a photo to inspire you
It’s hard to overcome fear if you don’t have the end goal in mind. Bring a photo of your destination so that you can take a look at it during your trip when you’re feeling tense. This will help you be more comfortable.
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Don’t drink coffee
5 – Don’t drink coffee
One of the worst things you can do when you are anxious is drink too much coffee. Coffee is a stimulant and will enhance any feelings you’re experiencing, and that includes anxiety. Lay off the coffee and drink water instead so you can stay hydrated.
Distract yourself
6 – Distract yourself
Providing yourself with a distraction is a great way to get through a flight or a long drive. When flying, you usually have an entertainment system to get you through the hours. If you’re the passenger on a long drive, reading may be an option, but be careful of the travel sickness!
Alert the flight attendants
7 – Alert the flight attendants
If you’ve got a fear of flying, it might pay to let the flight attendants know. They deal with this every single day, and they can help alleviate your fears. This might be in the way of extra attention or even meeting the pilot.
Read the safety information
8 – Read the safety information
The airplane safety information is provided to you for each flight, so knowing how to be prepared in the very rare instance of an emergency will help you to get over the fear. Be sure to pay attention to instructions, as this will help to make you feel more empowered.
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Use a calming breathing technique
9 – Use a calming breathing technique
When you are anxious your breathing pattern changes. You get less oxygen to your brain, which increases your panic. By holding your breaths and then doing deep breathing exercises, you can calm yourself down.
Have some help handy
10 – Have some help handy
If travel anxiety is something you experience a lot then be sure to have a helpful remedy on hand. This might be a prescribed medication, but you can also get some over the counter remedies from the drug store.
If you suffer from anxiety when travelling, whether it be by plane or by car, then you need to know that there are things you can do to get you through it. Our ten helpful strategies will enable you to master your fear, allowing you to travel more frequently hassle free. On your next trip, try to enact one or more of these tips and see how much it improves your travel anxiety.