9 Ways to Deal with Travel Anxiety So You Can Have an Amazing Trip

Whether you have a deep-rooted fear of the consequences to you or your loved ones if something happens to you, or you simply want the financial reassurance that missed flights and medical bills will be reimbursed, travel insurance is a no-brainer.

Research the unknowns and plan meticulously. According to Calm Clinic, starting your vacation anxiety nearly guarantees you'll hold onto it through your trip. So reduce the potential for surprises by researching the finer points of your trip so you have all the answers when you inevitably begin to question yourself. You can start by arriving early at the airport.

Practice your deep breathing technique before you head off on vacation, and rely on it while you travel -- think of it as your new travel buddy. Set aside five to 10 minutes of controlled inhalation and exhalation and go to your "serene place." Best summed up by anxiety charity, No Panic, “Regular relaxation and the breathing technique start to stop the production of stress hormones in the body so it becomes harder to panic.”

When you’re on vacation and feeling fine, that is the time to bear in mind the acute triggers that preempt your travel anxiety. It may sound like common sense but drinking alcohol to excess, eating poorly, and a lack of sleep are all common factors that can trigger anxiety. Everyday Health suggests that high levels of alcohol, in particular, are likely to alter the severity of anxiety.

Keeping blood sugar levels balanced when you’re vacationing isn’t the easiest, so plan to snack healthy throughout your trip. Nobody eats clean on vacation (right?!) so it’s important to pay attention and make up for greasy, salty, and sugary (yet delicious) indiscretions by have healthy bites in between. And drinking herbal tea won’t go amiss.

Travel is all about stepping outside of your comfort zone, but sticking to parts of your regular schedule will lend you a comforting sense of security. Exercise is recommended by the British NHS as a method to combat stress and relieve tension. The serotonin released through exercise can improve your mood, so it’s important not to let your routine lapse when you travel. Make time on your vacation to stick to the exercise rituals that help you cope at home.

Dealing with travel anxiety is hard enough without the issues of awkwardness and embarrassment adding to the unwanted cocktail. Be open and up front with the person or people you’re traveling with. As well as making for one less thing to worry about, acknowledging that there is support there if you need it will help.

Travel anxiety is aligned with life anxiety so the things in your everyday life that cause discomfort are only likely to be amplified on vacation. If crowded bars and packed subways are an issue, make your vacation about serene relaxation. Try tackling your travel anxiety by at first gently easing out of your comfort zone.

A natural anti-depressant and a boost to mental well-being, yoga offers you a lot more than the benefit of a bendy body. You don’t have to be an expert yogi to use the practice to ease your travel anxiety; a simple Downward Dog or Child's Pose is enough to get the "GABA" flowing -- "GABA" being an “important amino acid vital for well-functioning brains.”  


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