TAKE OFF TIPS FOR NERVOUS FLYERS
I’m a little bit embarrassed to say it, but yes I am a bit of a nervous flyer. I consider myself to be a pretty tough girl in general but when it comes to planes I turn into a 10 year old again. I’ve always been so unsure about flying, it never stopped me going anywhere but over the years I’ve been perfecting my in-flight, nerve-busting routine. When it comes to short flights I’m usually ok because I know it’ll be over soon so my flight to Milan today will be fine, it’s the long haul flights that get me.
For me it’s mind over matter. Motion sickness is one part of it but mainly it’s just fear so keeping myself distracted is top priority. Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way that may help some of you who are also a little nervous…
I take a travel sickness pill 20 minutes before flying, whether it’s a psychological thing or not, it helps. Then my in-flight routine starts from the minute I take my seat on the plane. I tie my hair up and I change into a comfy pair of socks. I always make sure to have a big bottle of water with me, yes it helps with dehydration but mainly it’s in case I start to feel sick. I get comfy and put on my noise cancelling headphones. These are a life-saver for me because they block out any ‘plane noise’ that might freak me out and even if I can’t have them plugged in during take off, they still block out a lot of noise and make me feel calm in my own little headphone world. Having a magazine for take off is an essential too. I hardly ever actually read it but it’s a distraction from looking out the window or at other passengers (which always makes me feel worse).
Beauty products are also a huge saviour for me when I fly. Again, it’s a massive distraction and something to do before/during take off. I also really enjoy having nice smelling things around me because I despise the smell of plane food. I usually start by using a hand sanitiser and following with a really nourishing hand cream. I then use a hydrating lip balm and give my face a spritz of beauty elixir or any face mist. I can do this a few times throughout the flight if I get a bored or anxious. I also keep a ‘smelly thing’ with me like the This Works Stress Less rollerball which I would roll behind my ears and on my wrists or the Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax balm. I love the smell of spa products, they completely relax me so you’ll often find me sniffing my little heart out, especially on take off.
So that’s what I do to keep calm and it usually works. If I do freak out, I freak out internally… people acting nervous about someone who’s nervous is a disaster situation so I try not to attract any attention. Do you get nervous flying? Do you have any tricks or tips to share?
