Airplane Ready
I hate flying. I despise it. I don’t get physically sick much of the time, luckily, but I am completely uncomfortable the entirety of the flight. I’ve flown by myself a lot over the years, so I’ve had to figure out how to make trips in the air bearable. Here’s some things I do to get through 2, 3, even 8-hour flights with the least anxiety as possible:
SILENCE
I don’t like hearing people’s life stories on plane. That sounds terrible of me and I’m probably missing out on plenty of relationship opportunities, but I just can’t do it. Talking brings out my stress and nerves, which brings out my sick feelings. I try to avoid it altogether. As a matter of fact, when Montrell and I fly together, it’s still pretty silent. He’s got his headphones on, I’ve got mine (and a lot of the time I’m not even really listening to anything). Silence is my best flight friend.
OILS
Since I’ve become an oil-believer, I make sure to put some Lavender or Peppermint behind my ears and on the back of my hand. Just breathing in my oils is comforting and can bring some “calm” to even a rough flight. On my last flight to Miami, I saw an elderly lady sitting nearby applying oils behind her ears too. I was proud I wasn’t the only one!
DISTRACTIONS
I do really well on flights with tv screens and wifi. However, we like to save money, so we’re on no-frills flights most of the time. We make sure to have a movie or show saved and ready to play on our laptops or iPads. 3-hours of flight noises, crying babies and seatbelt “dings” isn’t all that fun, but watching a 3-hour movie can sure make the time pass quickly. Again, good headphones are key!
GUM + WATER
Right after going through security at airports, I buy a water bottle and packet of gum. I take small sips of the water the entire flight, making sure I don't feel dehydrated at any point. The gum ensures that I don't have awful popping in my ears as we rise and descend. Works like a charm. Another thing I do right before boarding is use the airport bathroom! Even sipping on my water, I can usually make it the whole flight without having to wait in line and squeeze into that tiny flight potty.
COMFORT
Yeah, right! The seating arrangements in planes are always just plain awful (unless you score an emergency row exit, which is basically the best place to be on a flight, besides first class). If I can calm myself enough to go to sleep, I lay straight back or wad up a hoodie, hug it like a pillow and sleep on the tray. I’m a back-sleeper anyway, so the first option usually works alright for me. We always try to get Montrell an aisle seat, as his bad knees can get pretty inflamed being so scrunched. It's better when he has an aisle to stretch out into.
EYES AHEAD
I’m not one of those people who likes to look outside. I will if I’m seeing a new city for the first time, but for the most part, NO! I don’t want to see that we’re zooming through clouds and I definitely don’t like seeing the wings flip and flop as we hover near an airport. Turning is my least-favorite! I keep my eyes on my screens and my feet.
It’s true that flying anywhere can be an overall anxiety-ridden experience for people like me, but the flights I've taken have always been worth the destinations!
Got any more tips for nervous flyers? Leave me a comment, below. I’d love to hear them!
