So, one of my girlfriends is going on a FREE trip to Hawaii and she is absolutely miserable about it! I am certain that once she gets there, she will fall in love with Hawaii and have a fabulous time…but honestly the thought of her dreading the trip so much because she HATES to fly and the fact that it will require a 14 hour flight both ways simply makes her want to skip this amazing opportunity altogether. So, being the wonder travel obsessed friend that I am, I decided to spend the day researching the hell out of some the best ways to help her with her anxiety, keep her entertained and make her comfortable during her flight! Naturally, I would then need to turn this time spent helping my dear friend out, into my next blog post…so for your reading pleasure, I give you, Tips to help any anxious flyers but especially when dealing with long haul flights!
1. Seat Selection is Crucial, if you have the ability! The first thing that I would have told my friend, if I was involved in this situation sooner, would have been to make sure that when booking her flight that she researched the airline, type of plane, seat options, etc. Seatguru.com is an excellent resource for this. You can decide if its worth the expense of booking a Premium Economy, Business Class or First Class seat verses sticking with standard Economy. Then you can look at the actual seats on the plane and see from past flyers what the recommended best seats are and worst seats are on a given plane (for example, some seats have more or less legroom, some seats might not recline, some airlines Premium Economy is really worth the extra money and is a huge upgrade and others is an really not any different so don’t waste your money). However, in this case, the flight is already booked and that figurative ship has sailed so I could not offer my friend any help in this area, so I am offering it to you. Make sure you do this research when booking any Long Haul Flight! Trust me! When you are spending 10+ hours on an airplane it’s totally worth a little research to be sure you are picking the best airline, airplane and seat selection.
2. Don’t Drink Coffee – think about it, if you are going to be anxious, should you really jack yourself up with caffeine? Probably not. Skip the cup of joe and try something more soothing like a chai latte if you really need a “coffee” fix in the morning, or some other tea or decaf substitute.
3. While we are on the subject of liquids, I am just going to keep it flowing. Stay Hydrated! Drink lots of water during the entire day of the flight. It helps with a number of issues including jet lag. And I know, I know – there are plenty of articles which say you should avoid alcohol on flights because it’s dehydrating(see above recommendation to drink lots of water, too). There’s no denying that a couple of Bloody Marys makes my anxiety a lot easier to deal with. So, it’s really your choice, but IMO, a few cocktails might not be a bad idea (depending on what medications you choose to take, so check any labels).
4. Get super comfy! You can ask anyone that knows me and I am all for looking good most, if not all of the time, especially when traveling! However, when it comes to a travel day, it’s time for comfort in every way. I am not even a super anxious flyer (remember, I am helping out a friend here…)but I still insist on comfort when it comes to travel clothes and especially when flying. Leggings are a great option and layers because you never know if it will be hot or cold on the flight, or in the airport. I also pack a pair of fuzzy socks in my bag because you never know if you might want to take off your shoes and get cozy during the flight (some people might also enjoy compression socks for the long flights, especially if circulation is an issue, or they have other health concerns, but honestly they never hurt to wear on long flights). Slip on shoes for domestics US flights are also a great idea because we still have to remove our shoes if you are not using any special TSA pre-check services. Just remember, you want to be comfortable, not restrictive and not too hot or cold.
5. Medications – I am going to be pretty broad here, because this is a pretty personal choice…you can choose to ask your Doctor to prescribe you something to help or you can go the natural route. In my research of this topic, I did come across a few natural options that people highly recommended and are available on sites like Amazon with great reviews. Many people even said that they took these in conjunction with prescription meds and found that they worked better or they felt better than they did prior to taking them. I will just drop some links to them and say please research for yourself and do what you feel is the best choice for you. One option was called True Calm and it was referred to as a “chill pill”. The other is called Hyland’s Nerve Tonic, a homeopathic blend for anxiety, nervousness and stress relief. So, just proceed with caution and do what you and your doctor feel is best for you.
6. Keep your mind occupied – There are a number of ways to do this…You can download the latest shows or movies on your devices. Of course the airplane will also have plenty of movies available on any long haul flight too. However, if you are like my friend, she doesn’t like to sit still for too long so the idea of sitting for long movies was making her even more stressed. I was able to recommend a great TV series on Netflix that I felt worked with her personality, lots of comedy, 2 seasons available and the show is set in 30-minute episodes, so she doesn’t have to sit too long if she chooses not to. She can watch as much or little at a time as she likes. I also recommended a book for her to read…and when I was asking for her preference it dawned on me that I should not give her anything too stressful, like a serial killer series, LOL! So I went with an Elin Hildebrand “Beach Read” for the perfect calming vibe to just chill out to while she is on the flight. You can also download episodes of your favorite podcast, just remember to keep the topics light, no true crime topics. Some great funny podcasts are Smartless and ArmChair Expert for funny and/or interesting topics.
7. Tools of the Savvy Traveler! – Now that your brain is occupied for a bit, let’s talk about a few items that you should have in your tool box (or backpack) so that you can rest or relax when the time comes. You will definitely need a travel pillow, there are many different types and styles so the preference is yours. There are memory foam, ones that conform around your neck, ones that are literally a mini-pillow (my preferred type), and also types that blow up and rest on your tray table so you can lean forward and sleep leaning into them (we tried them once for a trip to Dubai and didn’t care for them…but they might be your cup of tea) and probably more that I don’t even know about. Find what is right for you. Any eye mask is certainly helpful, even if you aren’t typically a fan in real life. I for one, don’t ordinarily enjoy using them, but on a flight they can be quite helpful in blocking out the fact that you are, well, in fact on a flight. Noise canceling head phones, when added to the aforementioned two items can virtually make it seem as if you are anywhere but an airplane. The last item to pair with these things would be a preferred playlist or app that would provide the distraction to put you into another place. Here are a couple of apps to try –
Calm: it’s great for nature sounds, white noise, meditation or even bedtime stories
Spotify: you can search specifically for playlists to help with anxiety and stress relief
8. Get up and walk around – Don’t sit for the entire flight. If you are restless, get up and take a walk, use the restroom, just stand for a while. As long as you are not standing near the front door where the pilot is, there should be no issue. If the seatbelt light is off you are free to get up and stretch your legs for a while and enjoy a stretch!
When you land, don’t rush to deplane, everyone wants off the “tube of doom”…but it’s not a cute look, to knock people over either! Let everyone off in an orderly fashion. Thank the flight crew as you deplane, they helped get you there safely! Now go and enjoy your dang vacation! You just spent 14 hours on a plane to get there, you deserve it!
xoxox
Fabulously Adrift
