Adventure: Dealing with Flight Anxiety
It’s travel season and a lot of you reading this may be gearing up for a big flight. Are you dreading that long haul or just worried that things won’t work out when it comes to actually getting to your destination? Sounds like you, like me, may suffer from travel anxiety.
After 2 years of constantly being on the road and dealing with this feeling, I have some best practices to share and hope they will help you as they have me.
1. Start preparing your things a week in advance – I know, that’s kind of nuts – but really it works. Start packing sooner rather than later. Don’t wait until the night before to figure it all out – just save yourself the drama and start to get your things together a week in advance. This might sound counter-intuitive, especially if you’re like me and you’re a procrastinator, but getting your stuff together before your travel date gives you the space and time to prepare yourself in other ways that you may need emotionally and mentally.
2. Pack light – Whatever your initial packing piles look like, do your best to cut out at least a third of it; aim for halving what you started with. Giving yourself space, in this case in your luggage, is all about creating space in your mind to travel with ease. Trust me, it’s better to travel with less and not worry about weight limits, especially if you have transfer flights. Also, carrying less things inevitably leads to less worry about losing them.
3. Arrive at the airport with extra time – Leave early and just give yourself the peace of mind that you have plenty of time to make it through security and to your gate. I know it’s not always the case that this goes smoothly but do your best to give yourself that headspace around traffic and transportation so that you arrive to the check-in line without concern over how long the line is. You may end up waiting at the gate longer, but you’ll be relaxed because you’re already there as opposed to rushing through that endless departure hall.
4. Practice deep breathing at the airport. Navigating the hectic travel scene is stressful. If you have a tendency to get worked up, being around a lot of people who are also worked up and rushing around does not add to a calm, centered way of doing things. Your best bet to stay centered and mindful is through practicing slow, deep breathing. If you’ve given yourself enough time to arrive, you will most likely immediately feel the effects of this breathing on your whole being. For a quick video on deep breathing check this out.
5. Ignore the Frenzy. There’s a lot going on when people are traveling and it’s hard to ignore, especially if there’s culture clash happening. Tuning that frenzy out and tuning into your core rhythm of breath will help you get right with yourself pretty quickly. Of course, doing this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t also take it all in, just do so mindfully and don’t be affected by or attached to it (like that person who may be cutting the line).
6. Check your bag (if you can). While it’s true that airlines have now imposed crazy fees on checking a bag, if you don’t want to stress out about getting YOUR bag into the overhead compartment, do yourself the favor of checking it in. Your spirit will thank you, especially as you watch other people scramble to get on line early to make those wheelies fit into those impossibly small places.
7. Carry some relaxing travel essentials. I always carry on an oversize scarf (to stay cozy in the cold AC); an acupressure foot-ball to roll out my feet and keep circulation going especially on long flights, and a small vile of lavender essential oil, which is known to release anxiety and just smells great (especially when someone may be coughing next to you – ew). Also, before you go, download your personal favorite go-to movies on your device. (If it makes you feel good to watch it when you are sick in bed it will probably have the same effect in the sky).
8. Set an intention when you board. After getting situated in your seat, take a mental inventory of the plane and the people around you – all of whom are also in transit with you and most probably are feeling cramped and somewhat anxious themselves. Do your best to raise your own spirits and that of those around you by imagining all of these people as your friends or family (idiosyncracies and quirks in tact). Perhaps you can imagine that you know them all and you’re at a big party. Whatever the scenario, just set the intention for a joyful, peaceful transit in this shared space. Imagine yourself getting off the plane in your best mood and ready to fully arrive at your destination.
9. Remember to stretch. Before you board consider doing a bit of light stretching to prepare your body. At every gate I’ve been in, and for every flight, regardless of duration, I do a little bit of stretching. This could be as simple as reaching for your toes or just doing a slight twist – it all depends on your flexibility and personal constitution. Just giving the body an extra burst of circulation and some deep breaths will help you stay calm and give yourself the space your body needs to relax during your flight.
10. Hydrate. This can’t be overstated enough – dehydration on a plane is a big deal with your body losing on average 1-2 liters of water up to 8% on a long-haul flight. Give your body all it needs and make sure to drink up before you board and during the flight. Experts recommend 8oz for every hour you’re in the air. Yes, you may have to use the restroom but it’s worth it to keep your body happy and functioning in a high-pressure environment at 30,000 feet.
11. Stand up and walk around. Don’t be afraid to get up and move around the cabin, especially on long-haul flights. I’ve taken quite a few 10+ hour flights now and the trick really is to get up and walk or at least stand in place and move your ankles, knees and calves every hour or 2. The more you do this, the happier you will be during the flight and also when you arrive. Nobody likes cankles or swollen calves after flying – so do your best to just get up and circulate yourself. Your body will thank you.
12. Look out the window. It may feel claustrophobic and tight on planes these days, especially now that they’ve reduced the seat spans. It’s sometimes hard to focus on space when it feels like there’s none of it and everyone around you starts to feel annoying. Do yourself a favor, take a breath and look out the window. Try to remember the joy of flying – like a child would. How wonderful it is to be floating amongst the clouds and going somewhere different. Look at the sky and the Earth below – ponder what it means to be a part of something much bigger than yourself and your anxiety in this moment. In other words, gain some context.
13. Point the air vent directly at you. I’ve been on a few flights with people who are sick and it’s beyond cringe-worthy for me. I realize I may be going overboard with my fears, but if I focus too much on it I will bug out. Maybe it’s just me…? Either way, a nurse friend told me that if you direct the air on you and turn it up, it will create a circulation of air that moves whatever germs are circulating away from your face… it also just feels relaxing and reminds you to breathe – once again, coming back to the breath.
14. Ask for landing clearance. Right before you land, take a minute to tune into the vibration of where you’re going. Heading to Hawaii after being in NYC – maybe tune into “island time.” You get my point. Adjusting your vibration, attitude and expectations to match that of the location you are arriving in is an important step towards being in the flow from the moment you arrive.
15. Be grateful for your arrival. After you arrive and get your bags, take a minute to consciously arrive. You’re in a new place, your body is here and you’ve come through the sky into a new dimension – a new location. It’s amazing actually. Give yourself just a minute to appreciate that you made it and that you’re about to have an adventure in this new place. Envision yourself having a great time and allow yourself to become that vision and radiate joy and gratitude for arriving safely.
16. Sort out your transportation needs and directions before you get there. We live in the Internet age and it’s a great thing. You can easily figure out where to go and how to get there when you land in advance so you don’t have to worry when you arrive. Also, this means not relying on your hopes that there will be Airport wifi or that your phone’s GPS will work. Be ready to just walk out the door as soon as you grab your luggage.
17. Use flying as a lens to learn more about yourself. Ask yourself these questions: What are your patterns of behavior? Where do they come from? Do these behaviors serve your best interest? How can you make small changes to your behavior to make travel a little bit easier on yourself? Don’t be so hard on yourself – you may be unlearning very old patterns that were passed down.
18. Remember to have fun! Remind yourself how lucky you are to be able to fly. If you can remember that this is a privilege, a feeling of gratitude and joy around travel will prevail. Your mindset and expectations may become more flexible and therefore you won’t be as disappointed if things go awry (except of course in cases where it just can’t be helped).
Hope this quick list has inspired you to feel more relaxed while on the go. Remember to take it easy and hope you have a great next flight!