If the thought of flying — the turbulence, the confined spaces, the high altitude — sends your mind spiraling, you’re not alone. More than 25 million adults in the U.S. live with flight anxiety, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
There may be no cure for flight anxiety, but experts say there are ways to lessen the fear. You can take small steps and use tools that may offer relief.
Jules Jean-Pierre, a licensed marriage and family therapist at Grow Therapy, told Travel + Leisure that one of the most important things a nervous flier can do is, “acknowledge that you have flight anxiety, and then decide to do something constructive about it.”
How to ease turbulence anxiety
Turbulence, though unsettling, is rarely dangerous. One important thing for flyers to keep in mind is that turbulence has never been the main cause in a plane crash, according to Travel + Leisure.
Modern aircraft are engineered to withstand it. The key for passengers is to remain seated and buckled in.
Most in-flight injuries occur not because of the turbulence itself, but because someone wasn’t strapped in.
“The most prevalent and severe inflight injuries while flying are suffered by flight attendants because they spend the least amount of time seated and buckled,” David Rimmer, CEO at AB Aviation Group, told Travel + Leisure.
He advises anxious flyers to avoid sitting in the back of the plane if possible — this is where turbulence feels more intense.
“Turbulence will be much more extreme in the back — including bumps and side-to-side, or yaw,” he said.
Brain tricks to ease travel anxiety
Alex Raglon, LPC-A, a behavioral health therapist, told Texas Health that one of the best tools to ease anxiety is to educate yourself.
Before you take off, learn the basics of aviation, teach yourself about the engineering of an airplane and read about all of the safety precautions airlines prioritize before soaring into the sky.
Raglon suggests reviewing the stats that show flying is one of the safest forms of transportation to ease fears.
Another technique to incorporate before boarding the plane is to expose yourself to new environments, people and activities. By frequently exposing yourself to new stimulating factors, you will be able to handle “travel-induced stressors” easier, according to Pacific Neuroscience.
The article also suggests practicing the five senses exercise. If you begin feeling the anxiety creeping up, focus your attention on five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell and one thing you can taste.
You can even come prepared by bringing your own headphones to listen to music, candy or mints to taste, sensory objects or fidget toys to touch and essential oils to smell.
Best products to assist travel anxiety
- A travel weighted blanket
- Download the Calm app
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Calming essential oils
- A comfortable travel pillow that will put you right to sleep