Flying is one of those things we either enjoy or we dislike it. Starting about one year ago when I started having bad flight anxiety, I tend to lean more towards the latter, although I still think it’s amazing that we have a giant aluminum tubes that can transport us all over the world. Since I have started traveling more frequently, I found many ways to make flying more enjoyable. In fact, since I have started preparing for flights (long and short), my experience tends to be a lot more pleasant. These are my hacks for having an enjoyable flight:
Stay Hydrated
This is #1 my tip for avoiding that after flight feeling of disgusting and groggy. I always try to drink a bottle of water before going through security, then I take the empty bottle with me through the checkpoint, and I refill it afterwards at a cafe, water fountain, or even a bathroom sink if I need to. I try to drink one water bottle every 1-2 hours, or if it’s a short flight then one bottle. And I swear guys, this keeps me feeling good after flying–I feel more awake and just not as tired and gross.
We don’t realize it, but flying isn’t exactly the best climate for our bodies. An airplane’s cabin has a very low humidity percentage-which causes mucous membranes to dry out as well as our skin and lips. It also affects our bodies internally and can cause bloating, headaches, circulation issues (deep vein thrombosis), etc. There’s also a lot of germs running around in there. So keeping our body hydrated is one of the best ways to help offset these side effects and help to flush all of those in-flight germs out!
Download Podcasts and TED talks.
Usually when on flights, it’s easy to resort to just watching movies or listening to the same music playlists over and over. But I have come to love downloading podcasts and TEDtalks before my flight because they keep me thinking and help the time to pass in a more educational manner.
Healthy Snacks
Goes without saying, but airplane food isn’t always the best. I love bringing apples, veggies, hummus, or any kind of healthy snack on flights to help avoid bloating.
Get a Goodnight’s Rest or Stay Wide Awake
I PROMISE, the best way to avoid jet lag is to sleep or stay awake depending on what time of day it will be when you land at your destination. For example, if I take an overnight flight to China and I will land there at 8am, then I sleep on the flight so I am not tempted to sleep when I arrive. But if I am flying back to the U.S. but leave Spain in the middle of the day and arrive in the U.S. in the afternoon, then I stay awake. It’s confusing, but I promise it works. If you can adapt your sleep schedule before even arriving to your destination, it will make your life so much easier.
Move Your Body
Movement during really long flights is another great way to feel better when you land. First, it doesn’t make you feel so restless the whole time you’re in the air. Second, it gets your blood moving and avoids clotting, a very scary side effect of flying. I am not health expert, so you can google more on that if you’re interested.
Carry Essential Products to Freshen Up
I don’t know what it is, but usually flying makes me feel disgusting. After sitting for so long, I feel sweaty and stinky. So I like to carry my deodorant, face wash, toothpaste, etc with me so that I can freshen up during a long flight or as soon as I get to the airport.
Dress Comfortably
I’m not saying dress like a slob, but wearing comfortable clothes, especially for long flights, is much more pleasant.
Start a New Book
Flights make great atmospheres for reading because you have nothing else to do and there aren’t many distractions to keep you from enjoying a new novel.
Flight Anxiety & How I Handle It
As I mentioned before, starting last July I have started to have pretty wild flight anxiety due to my eventful flight home last summer to the U.S. Here are some small hacks that I do if I am feeling extra anxious before/during take-off.
Practice meditation & slow breathing
Listen to happy music
Talk to your aisle mates-ask about their story
Try to sleep
Get good rest before to help calm your body down
Have an alcoholic drink–I shouldn’t encourage this but even just having one glass of wine during an international flight can help relax my nerves by 85%.
Remember the stats–the probability of something happening during your flight is almost non-existent and is basically a statistical error when it does happen, not that this always helps, but it’s a good reminder.
Thank you for you for reading, as always ♥ Molly
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Do you have any specific hacks for flying? Share them below!
