Travelers are usually welcomed with the excitement of adrenaline shocks that sharpen their senses and temporarily hold their breath. It is physical evidence of an adoring adventure. But it's far less comfortable in the form of anxiety, and these same reactions are also an inevitable part of travel, opposite the novelty biochemical coin.
With the growing number of travellers, that anxiety is concentrated on flights. Air travel is one of the safest modes of transport, but as of 2025 an estimated 25 million adults in the US experienced some degree of aerophobia. “And then, 'flight anxiety' increased exponentially.
However, travel demand remains, with more than 5 billion airline passengers expected to fly this year. For those experiencing an increase in flight anxiety, for the first time, there is a technology that travelers can use to continue flying. Challenging and intrusive thoughts are helpful, but physical regulation is important.
“We feel we can control our minds and get them in, but we control far more chemistry than we realize,” says Yale School of Medicine and Certified Stress Expert. explained Dr. Brian Ramos, a neuroscientist trained at. . “We can turn the switch over, bring awareness to the parasympathetic nervous system, rooted in the present, and create peace and calm production.”
Here are some ways to reduce pain by gaining control of the nervous system and why building resilient thinking is best done and first practiced on the ground.
7 ways to calm your nerves if you're worried about flight
1. Chill your body with chilled foods and drinks. Cold canned drinks on their forehead often do the trick.
2. It slows down inhalation through the nose and controls breathing by exhaling the mouth. Many rhythms and strategies work. The key is to slow down your breathing rate and focus on the pattern.
3. Use the sensation to adjust using the “5-4-3-2-1” technique. There are 5 things that can be touched, 3 things that can be heard, 2 things that can be smelled, and savory.
4. Pack sensory aids such as sour candies, charming textures, small scented lotions, and download soothing audio tracks.
5.Hugging the touch, trustworthy travel companions apply scalp massage with gentle pressure, light love, or sedation rhythm to maximize the benefits of grounding. Weighted blankets also produce similar calming effects.
6. Create a mantra before flying to help you challenge intrusive thoughts.
7. Try counseling for persistent or severe symptoms and explore the root of fear.
Continue reading below to understand the science behind the above techniques to ease anxiety and reduce the fear of flying.
(Related: 7 Ways to Less Travel.)
How does body temperature change the nervous system that is uneasy
The body's primitive battle and flight response, the encouragement for “relaxation,” the sympathetic nervous system, is literally. The sympathetic nervous system pumps out adrenaline that causes a cascade of responses, such as increased heart rate, increased blood pressure, increased respiratory rate, and cortisol release. This leads to metabolic activity and heat due to increased energy. Ramos says that this physiological response requires us to respond quickly, but it helps to keep up with modern demands of productivity but not to alleviate anxiety.
“Most people do it too much with a sympathetic nervous system to get things done,” says Ramos. “But in all 'Go Go's' parasympathetic nervous system is abused. We are not good at turning on pause and rest states. In a way, we create our own prisons. ”
The parasympathetic nervous system (remaining and digestive functions) is created as a brake in hormone floods. One easy way to switch to this side of the nervous system is to hijack the temperature of your body. The body responds to cold by moving into less vibrant conditions.
Why breathing exercises slow down stress responses
Controlled breathing also kickstarts the body's relaxation mechanism, as slow pace helps re-regulate your heart rate and temperature. Adding breath-focused patterns allows for what is commonly referred to as grounding in psychotherapy, or the ability to connect to the present moment.
“Breath helps us maintain our mind in the present, where we are free from the consequences of worrying our mind,” explains Ramos. “The anxiety is directed towards future outcomes. They're not happening now.”
Clinical psychologist Becky Apcelov explains how this process can help the body convince the brain of safety. “The message to the brain is, “I'm actually safe now. That alarm is a false alarm.” ”
(Related: This is what fear does to your brain and your body.)
How to pay attention to your senses can help you stay calm
Distraction is a universal technique, and most travelers are more likely to pack and download engaging movies, books, games and music than joining the 2024 “raw dogging” trend without entertainment. I like it. However, when our bodies are overflowing with chemical distress signals, it is difficult to access advanced areas of the brain, where even fun detours can be focused.
One of the most accessible ways to achieve a state of calm is through the senses. Interpretation of sensory input is baseline ability and can become sharper even in anxiety conditions. Environmentally harmonious acts can help you occupy the brain and assess the lack of immediate threats.
“When you hold your breath, do a cognitive shuffle,” suggests Apseloff. “Play the “I Spy” game we do on car trips and start looking for all the planes that start with Letter C” idea engages in simple cognitive tasks that connect you to and root your current environment. It's about doing it.
Sensation also changes the chemistry of the body. The pleasant taste and sound cause pleasant chemicals like dopamine. Touch releases a calming release of oxytocin, while reducing cortisol. Using any of these will improve chemical backups to your already calm nervous system.
(Related: Your flight is delayed – or will be cancelled. Here's how to pass this:)
Safely explore the source of flight anxiety while on the ground
Air disasters can cause fear of flying, but the root of human anxiety is often not directly. Tackling loss of control is one of the most common themes for those who run away. “You really have to give yourself to the flight crew to do their job, and the plane can bear it,” explained Apseloff, saying we want to believe we can manipulate the outcome. “You can't stop it. You can't get off. It's very difficult to surrender control.”
Several forms of treatment, including evidence-based dialect behavioral therapy, are centered around a concept called radical acceptance, or reduce suffering by accepting that you are not controlling everything. I'll do it. Apcelov chuckles as he explains the supportive mantra that works for her. She reminds me that the worried brain is not an accurate statistician of negative outcomes.
These insights require access to the prefrontal cortex of the brain, but in times of distress, the safe-driven amygdala and hypothalamus dominate the brain as part of the survival response. Identifying the reason for fear and practicing collaborative thinking is almost always necessary before anxious episodes, as is creating automatic muscle memories.
Dr. Charlotte Russell, founder of Travel Psychologist, and Dr. Charlotte Russell, a clinical psychologist, works with clients on flight anxiety and benefits from personalized treatment on underlying issues. “If you try strategies like relaxation or challenging thoughts, consider therapy to understand and deal with the fear of flight.”
Ultimately, clinicians see benefits with universal tips and individualized treatments. You may still feel uncomfortable, but the goal is to be able to manage your fears and travel. “Man is going to travel,” says Ramos. “That life adventure fills our hearts with so much joy.”
