5 Relaxation Tips to Calm You While on Your Flight

Fear of flying can’t stop most of us from travelling, but it sure can cause lots of knots in the stomach and sleepless nights before your trip regardless of how excited you are about your destination. The good thing is, there are ways on how you can manage your fear of flying so that it won’t affect your desire to explore and see the world.

1.       Get a Comfortable Plane Seat. When booking your flight, explain to the airline representative that you’re a nervous flier and ask if you can be seated in the passage seat close to front of the plane. Sitting in this position means experiencing lesser turbulence during the flight, as well as lower chances of triggering your claustrophobia. Other than that, this seat also gives you an easier access to the plane’s crew if you need something.

2.       Keep Your Eyes From Wandering. If you’re claustrophobic, thinking about how little the space is around you will only make you feel more trapped. Instead focus on reading a good book, watching a movie or solving your Sudoku puzzle to distract you from where you are.

3.       Think of Happy Thoughts. Whether it’s your favourite chocolate cake or the last amazing date you had, teleporting your mind elsewhere will keep you from feeling anxious while flying. If you find it hard to think of happy thoughts, try listening to a meditation podcast, an audiobook or music. If your mind starts racing through some ‘what if’ scenarios when the seatbelt sign goes on, reroute your mind as fast as you can even if it means counting up to 500.

4.       Perform Breathing Exercises. One good way to ease your anxiety is to perform breathing exercises where you inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. Doing this will help you decompress and be in the zone.

5.       Take Some Legal Herbs. Taking some herbal meds can also be a good way to calm yourself, but do consult your doctor first. Try taking supplements like Valerian pre-flight to calm your nerves. If you want, you can also bring a bag or two of your favourite herbal tea to sip on when needed.

Flying can be really nerve-wracking, especially if you’re a first-timer. So do keep these tricks in mind to help you calm your nerves on your next flights, and make it a happier and relaxing one.