How to Make Air Travel Bearable
- 1). Visualize yourself having a positive experience on the plane. Sit quietly in a chair, close your eyes and imagine yourself flying with ease. See yourself boarding the plane with a smile on your face, eager to begin your trip.
Picture yourself chatting with the person next to you in a pleasant manner. Visualize a trouble-free flight and smooth landing. Visualization is often used in psychiatric treatment to ease fearful images and replace them with positive ones. - 2). Bring something along to entertain yourself. Purchase a suspense novel or a thriller that will keep your interest during the flight. Bring your latest knitting or crochet project to work on while in the air or stash a hand-held video game or crossword puzzle book in your purse. Get your project out before the plane takes off. If you have something other than your fear of flying to focus on you will enjoy your flight more.
- 3). Stay away from caffeine a few days before flying. Caffeine can make you jittery and intensify your nervous response to a situation you perceive as negative. Give up coffee, cola and chocolate--all of which contain caffeine--a day or two before your trip.
- 4). Take a sedative before flying. If your doctor is amenable, she can prescribe a light sedative you can take just before your flight. While you don't want to be comatose, a little something to take the edge off can make flying much less traumatic for those who dread it.
- 5). Practice deep breathing exercises. You don't have to become a meditation guru, but it is possible to fool your body into being calm simply by altering your breathing. Breathing slowly and deeply for a period of time will slow your pulse, relax your nerves and lull your body into the belief that all is well.
