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Sep 27, 2023 · Sep 27. Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, CDCES, MBA. Conquer flight anxiety with mindful tips and breathing techniques. Whether you're nervous about flying or dealing with aerophobia, we can help you fly worry-free.
- Overview
- Popping Xanax or Ambien
- BYO minibar
- Sky-high treats
- Vitamin C overdose
- Hear no evil
Before you reach for those tiny bottles of whiskey or prescription drugs to calm yourself on an airplane ride, consider some alternatives. Non-medical alternatives to relieve air travel anxiety may actually work for you.
Xanax has box warnings. These are the most serious warnings from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Box warnings alert doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous.
Using benzodiazepines, even as prescribed, can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal if you stop taking the drug suddenly. Withdrawal can be life threatening.
Using benzodiazepines can also lead to misuse and addiction. Misuse of benzodiazepines increases your risk of overdose and death.
Only take these drugs as your doctor prescribes. Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about safely taking a benzodiazepine.
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Why worry about anxiety when we have guaranteed relaxation in pill form? Many travelers rely on their trusty Xanax or Ambien prescriptions to mellow anxiety or avoid it altogether.
“Whether or not these pills help depends on the underlying cause of the anxiety that’s occurring,” Tania Elliott, MD, tells Healthline.
“Ambien has been shown to increase people’s chances of sleepwalking, so I would avoid that on the airplane. Xanax would be the one to help quell anxiety, but again, it depends on whether or not the anxiety comes from flying itself or is related to another area. I recommend neither Xanax or Ambien for flying.”
That said, there are people out there with legitimate anxiety disorders that inhibit them from leading their best lives.
“It’s important to have a good primary care physician who is willing to prescribe an anti-anxiety medication just prior to travel, which might be helpful for those with true anxiety disorders. Find a provider who is willing to listen to where the anxiety is coming from and diagnose appropriately,” Elliot recommends.
Try instead:
Having a drink to calm your nerves is a behavior we extend to more than just flight jitters. (There’s a reason they call it happy hour.) But while it might be easy (and tasty) to have a cocktail to calm down before or during your flight, it’s actually one of the worst things we can do to our bodies.
“Even though it makes people relaxed, it’s never a solution,” Elliott says. “It doesn’t stimulate REM sleep, and it’s a depressant that will make you groggy and tired. The other downstream effect is the hangover. Drinking is dehydrating, and that’s the last thing you want to happen on the plane.”
Over time, alcohol can even make anxiety worse.
Try instead:
Magnesium may promote muscle relaxation. Since bananas contain a ton, Elliott recommends steeping a
banana peel in hot water for eight minutes to allow the magnesium to absorb into the water. Then add your favorite tea and enjoy.
While smoking medical marijuana on an airplane is definitely not allowed, many travelers have found a way around that. Edible medical marijuana (cookies, brownies, gummies, lollipops, etc.) are a fan favorite for soothing anxiety because of its super Zen, chilled-out effects.
But it turns out, this might not be what you need when it comes to relieving anxiety in the air.
“Some types of medical marijuana stimulate dreaming, while others cause you to be more creative, while others promote relaxation. But as much as they say they can do each of those things, these aren’t FDA-approved, so travelers might not know what they’re getting,” Elliot says.
“You don’t want to wind up with a strain that will cause you to feel stimulated if you’re looking to relax. Also, a lot of people can experience paranoia from marijuana, and I’d want to avoid any first-timers experiencing that,” she says.
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Elliott recommends snacking on walnuts or almonds since they contain tryptophan. Tryptophan in turn helps produce serotonin. This neurotransmitter helps promote happiness, relaxation, and sleep.
For many travelers, flight anxiety has a lot to do with being stuck in stagnant air with dozens of other strangers.
And it’s true: Air travel is an easy way for communicable diseases to spread. Common ones include respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses like the flu or norovirus. But there can be risks for other diseases as well, like tuberculosis and measles.
Before flying, many travelers will overdose on alleged cure-alls like Airborne and Emergen-C to help amp up their immune system before a flight.
“There is no convincing information that either Airborne or Emergen-C will prevent acquisition of infectious diseases,” says Mary Anne Jackson, MD, director of infectious diseases at Children’s Mercy Kansas City.
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Jackson recommends staying up-to-date on all immunizations before you take off. But to deal with anxiety the day of your flight, stocking up on hand sanitizer and staying hydrated are more effective than downing Emergen-C. Also, book a window seat. As passengers file on and off the plane (or back from the bathroom), they grab the back of aisle seats for support. This makes them hotbeds for spreading germs.
Travelers love their gadgets. None is more recognizable than the mega noise-canceling headphones that seem to take up a ton of airspace. But are these expensive contraptions worth it in terms of relaxation, other than enjoying your music in surround sound?
“Noise-canceling headphones can cancel out any jolting sounds that cause anxiety, but I recommend using them in combination with a blackout mask,” Elliott says.
Try instead:
Blackout masks in combination with noise-canceling headphones can reduce anxiety and promote sleep. Darkness also produces melatonin, a part of the sleep process.
“If you’re super anxious and you want something to do that is repetitive or something to make you laugh, you can divert your attention to the airplane’s entertainment options,” Elliot mentions. “But if you want to truly relax your muscles and body, then going pitch black with deep breaths is the way to go.”
Meagan Drillinger is a travel and wellness writer. Her focus is on making the most out of experiential travel while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Her writing has appeared in Thrillist, Men’s Health, Travel Weekly, and Time Out New York, among others. Visit her blog or Instagram.
Sep 19, 2022 · 10 anxiety hacks to lower your travel stress. Posted September 19, 2022 | Reviewed by Gary Drevitch. Key points. Now more than ever, air travel has become an anxious mindscape. Airlines profit...
cause them anxiety. We’ve climbed towers with people suffering from the fear of heights. We have let people who are scared of spiders touch the creatures. And here we’ve just had what for the participant is a free flight. What we are always interes- ted in is how much the so-called violation of an expectation affects the phobia.
Sep 22, 2022 · Maybe take a nap, read a book for an hour or try doing yoga or meditation to slow your thought process and come back to your original reasons for why you’re on vacation. “Maybe take some time ...
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Dec 17, 2020 · Crew members, grounded in April 2020, showed significantly higher scores in depression and stress, while still flying individuals had more clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety.
