Just 10 Simple Things That I, A Very Anxious Person, Do To Make Long Flights Bearable
Hi! I'm Michelle and I love traveling...but I'm also someone with a lot of anxiety, which means that each long flight turns into a lengthy exercise of keeping my sanity in check.
Disney Channel
But fortunately, I've taught myself a few easy (and mostly free!) tricks to chill out and relax in my seat in the sky. Here are some of my favorite ways to stay calm, even when travel anxiety kicks in.
1.Take your shoes off and put on some soft, comfy slippers.
Many of my childhood memories include me whining about how cold the house was and my mom yelling at me to just put on some socks, for cryin' out loud. When I actually listened to her advice, my mood seemed to magically lighten as if the warmth from my feet had spread to the rest of my body. Now, I apply the same logic during flights: I give my feet some breathing space and put on some slippers instead. It works like a charm (thanks, mom!).
2.Queue up an in-flight movie that will fully hold your attention — particularly one that you've watched before.
The only movies I can actually get through on long flights are ones that are fast-paced — something that’ll really captivate my attention. But the movie also can’t be too thrilling, or else it'll trigger my anxiety even more. The perfect in-between is usually an award-winning film that I’ve already watched.
If I try to watch a flick I've never seen before, I either become too on edge trying to anticipate the twists or I just can't sustain my focus enough to get through the first half hour. Usually, any Christopher Nolan movie will do, but I can always rely on a crime drama with a big twist at the end.
And although I personally prefer thrillers, I think the same logic applies no matter what your favorite movie genre is.
3.Download Max Richter's SLEEP album.
This album was literally soundtrack engineered with the help of scientific consultants to help you relax into a good night's sleep. It doesn't magically help me fall asleep, but it does provide a very soothing playlist to drown out all that rough airplane noise. The best part? The tracks all blend into one another seamlessly.
4.Wear a silky, slip-proof eyemask.
Eye masks are key, and I'm not talking about that free airline version you might be handed at the beginning of a flight. I mean the kind that cups your eyes gently so you don't feel suffocated; the lightweight kind you can hardly feel on your face. My favorite eye mask is from Alaska Bear. It feels like silk, doesn't press uncomfortably on your eyes or your head, covers a generous-sized radius around your eyes, and won't slip off.
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
5.Wear the stretchiest, softest leggings or pants you can find.
A tiny, 17-inch-wide seat has a way of magnifying every other worry I've got going on in my life. While sitting in that economy-sized space, an issue as small as a bloated stomach will spiral me into a flow-blown panic. I mitigate this feeling by wearing the stretchiest, softest, most breathable leggings or pants I own. I dress in whatever clothing allows me to contort into a comfortable sleeping position.
6.The night before your flight, try to sleep for an hour or two less than normal.
Pixar
While you definitely don't want to pull an all-nighter the evening before a flight, let me tell you: a seat of any size or shape will feel like a luxurious therapist's couch when your slightly sleep-deprived self has finally boarded a flight after getting through the bag check and airport security line.
7.Imagine that everyone on your flight is a loving and compassionate person.
Nickelodeon
There’s actually a name for this practice and it’s called “Loving Kindness.” When distilled to its most basic form, it consists of wishing goodwill on people. It also helps with loads of related anxieties. For example, I have a weird phobia of breathing recycled air (even though it's filtered and totally fine to inhale). But if I imagine that a bunch of really good, kind strangers are also breathing in the same air, it's not so bad.
8.After take-off, hold your carry-on bag on your lap.
If you've ever heard of a weighted blanket, then you can probably understand why this might help. There's something about a medium-sized object gently pressing on my lap that feels soothing. Plus: It gives me something to rest my arms on AND lay my head on when I want to take a nap.
9.Bring your own water bottle and fill it up before you fly.
Showtime
Even though I'm often the kind of person who normally drinks about half a glass of water a day, on a plane I suddenly feel like the thirstiest person in the world. This is due to natural dehydration that occurs on a flight, but it's also my mind tricking me into believing that the world is ending whenever I fly. To save myself from the torture of waiting for the drinks cart to come around once every one million hours, I bring my own bottle and fill it at the airport. Personally, I love Dopper bottles because they're extremely lightweight and they can hold just the right amount of water for me.
Get it on Amazon for $15.50.
10.Clean up the photo albums on your phone!
I've never been a fan of inane relaxation exercises meant to distract you: activities like counting sheep or mindful breathing always annoy me because these tips never seem stimulating enough to appease my overactive brain. What always does the trick for me, though, are tedious activities that actually have a purpose.
At home, I love to clean my apartment to a spotless tee. But on a long flight? It's the perfect time to go through those 15,000 photos I took on my last trip to Kyrgyzstan! It's like bingo: just stimulating and purpose-driven enough to get my mind off of my stress, but easy enough that a traveler feeling overwhelmed by anxiety can do it.
Do you have any tips for getting through long flights? Share in the comments below!
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