5 Tips for Managing Flying Anxiety
This past year has been a journey with my anxiety, and getting my flying anxiety under control has been a huge priority for me. I’ve finally started feeling comfortable on planes again, and thought I would share what I have been doing with you here! I definitely recommend bookmarking this blog post so you can easily access it the next time you’re getting ready to fly if you experience flying/flight anxiety, as well!
1) Download meditation music, binaural beats, & guided meditations on Spotify to help manage racing/anxious thoughts while I’m in the air. Having these things downloaded and ready to before my flight is key so that I can access them quickly and easily, even if I’m not connected to wifi. A meditation app like Open (which you can try free for 30 days by clicking that link!) is also a great tool, but may require that you’re connected to wifi vs. in airplane mode.
2) Watch videos from Dial A Pilot & Almost Captain Morgan. Dial A Pilot is a relatively new company that connects nervous flyers with airline pilots so they can ask questions about flying. Their Instagram account has tons of videos that explain turbulence and how pilots respond to emergency situations, which makes the lack of control while flying feel way less scary for me. Almost Captain Morgan is an airline pilot who also shares educational videos on her Instagram account.
2a) Check Turbli before my flight. Turbli is a website that shares turbulence forecasts in realtime. Personally, if I know there is going to be turbulence before my flight takes off, I’m much less alarmed when we encounter bumps. You just input your departure and arrival cities, and a turbulence map appears, so you can know to expect turbulence… if that makes you feel less anxious! I know some people don’t want to know in advance if things might get bumpy, so take it or leave it!
3) Have a plan for long flights. If I’m taking a flight that is longer than 2 hours, I like to go in with a “schedule” of how I will fill my time so that I stay busy and my mind has something to focus on. I tend to enjoy reading on flights over watching movies, but for long haul flights, variety is necessary. Downloading podcasts or movies gives me more options for things to pass the time with, and keeps my mind off the parts of flying that feel scary. I have friends that will knit or do embroidery on flights, which I think are such great ways to pass the time, too!
4) Pack natural remedies for anxiety in my carry-on. For me, this is Tonic Vibes CBD, and lavender and peppermint essential oils.
5) If all else fails, talk to your doctor. I am not (and have never been) a person who immediately runs to medication (I don’t even like to take Advil or cold medicine) without trying other avenues first, but my anxiety was so out of control last year that I decided to speak to a doctor about it, and was prescribed anti-anxiety medication that I can take as needed. If I’m feeling particularly anxious before a flight, knowing that I have this option to fall back on gives me additional peace of mind (and I am leaning on this less and less these days). There is no shame whatsoever in taking medication if it benefits your mental health.
Have you tried any of these things to help with your flying anxiety? Is there anything that helps you that I didn’t mention here? Share in the comments!
Happy travels!
xo,
Kelsey