Flying can be scary – between the bumpiness of turbulence, the roaring engines during takeoff, and the overall idea that you’re 30,000 feet above ground, we understand why there are plenty of people who have a fear of flying. That’s why we’re here to help. If you have trouble flying, our EWR Airport parking company has eight tips to calm your nerves and get you through the trip:
Choose a Front Seat
When booking your flight, try choosing a seat as close to the front of the plane as possible. When turbulence hits, it’s usually the back of the plane that feels it the most, so you’ll be a little more relaxed up front. Also try choosing the biggest plane, if possible. Larger planes experience less turbulence.
Keep Yourself Distracted
Try to take your mind off of the fact that you’re in a capsule above the clouds and concentrate on something you can let your mind dive into. Try reading a book or magazine, watching a movie, listening to music, or doing puzzles. If you have work to do (whether it’s business-related or school-related), lose yourself in your work.
Counter Stress with Love
On a psychological note, try to stop thinking about what makes you afraid and instead, think about a moment of love. Whether it’s the first day with your newborn baby, gazing into your lover’s eyes, or a childhood memory with your parents, concentrate on that moment. This can help produce oxytocin (or the “love hormone”), which prevents stress hormones.
Remember: Planes are Safe
Even if you’ve just heard about two different plane crashes, remember that planes are actually a much safer form of transportation than a car. The number of fatal plane accidents has been dropping steadily since 1989 and the chances of you being in a plane crash are about 1 in 4 million. To put that into a better perspective, that means if you took a flight every single day for the next 11,140 years, it’s unlikely you’d experience a crash.
Sleep
When all else fails, the easiest way to deal with a flight is to sleep through it. Our EWR Airport parking members suggest taking a sleeping pill before takeoff and before you know it, you’ll be waking up at your destination.
Take Baby Steps
If you know what makes you so anxious, you can help conquer it by taking baby steps. For example: If you know that the airport terminal is where your worry starts, spend some time in one. Or if you panic in small spaces, practice calming down by spending some time in a small room.
Learn
When it comes to being afraid, many of us are afraid of something because we don’t understand it. If you’re afraid of things like takeoffs or turbulence, it could be because you don’t understand what they are or how they work. Take some time to learn about what happens during takeoffs and why you hear certain sounds or feel certain things. Or learn about turbulence and why it happens. Once you’re more familiar with what goes on during a flight, you won’t be so afraid of it.
Continue to Fly
Once you’ve conquered that initial flight, keep booking flights and keep flying. The more you experience it, the less of a fear it’ll be. (Plus, you’ll get to go more places!)
