How to Overcome Travel Anxiety
You are off to see the world! An exciting 10-day trip you have been planning all summer. You pack up as many essential anxiety fighting tools in your bag as you can fit and head off.
Guess who hopped in the car wearing the most obnoxious outfit while seriously backseat driving? Yep, you guessed it! Anxiety.
Anxiety does not travel lightly either. She always brings the usual suspects with her- guilt, shame, sadness, anger and yes even happiness.
I had been planning my trip to Iceland (amazing place ps) the whole summer and was beyond excited. So excited I couldn’t sleep the night before we took off! Anxiety reducing essentials in tow- my magnesium, plenty of exercise on the schedule, off the grid from technology, and outdoor time in awe-inspiring nature.
So why was I so anxious that I had an anxiety attack on both plane flights when I am not even afraid of flying!
When first reflecting on the trip I jumped to shame and guilt — “Why don’t you have more control? Is anxiety ALWAYS going to be in control of your experiences?”
Halfway through the trip, my attitude flipped. I was still anxious, but I was approaching it differently. I became less sensitive and on edge and began to relax more and have fun! So the next step was WHY? Why does traveling cause anxiety? And WHAT? What can be adapted to reduce this anxious energy on future trips?
As I approach another 10-day outdoor filled adventure I thought it was appropriate to write this article to share techniques with you that have helped me along the way and remind myself of ways to manage the anxiety I am sure will flare up.
Why is traveling so anxiety-inducing?
Uncertainty is Anxiety’s BFF
Anxiety thrives on uncertainty. Some may even say anxiety is born from uncertainty and it is the primary aspect that diverges anxiety from fear. Many experts believe that the basis of anxiety comes from anticipating a possible future threat and assuming a negative outcome.
When traveling, uncertainty stares us in the face at every turn, especially when visiting a place you have never been before. Where is my terminal? What will I eat for food? How can I be sure my checked bag won’t get lost? The list is endless!
Decision after Decision
Decisions go hand in hand with uncertainty since traveling demands you to make spur the moment decisions regardless of how well you plan. Scientists have discovered that anxiety actually interferes with the pre-frontal cortex, which is the main decision-making boss of the brain. Anxiety shuts off neurons in the brain that tune out distractions (including thoughts) when attempting to make a decision.
Poor Diet
As we all know, not all good food is good for you. It can be hard to eat a nutritious diet when your options are low, and you have the “I am on vacation” mantra running through your head.
Grabbing a burger here and a slice of pizza there for a treat meal is totally okay. When traveling a “here and there” meal can become every meal. If your brain is not getting the nutrients it needs to keep anxiety in check, it may be giving anxiety the front seat.
Drinking too much
The same “I am on vacation” mantra that leads us to eat poorly also tends to lead us to over-consume alcohol. We are supposed to be enjoying ourselves after all, right? Alcohol may seem like anxiety’s friend
Alcohol can negatively impact anxiety by creating a spike in mood-boosting and anxiety stopping brain messengers with an anxiety-filled crash soon to follow.
Lack of Exercise
Traveling for vacation, a business trip or a wedding invite – all types of travel usually come with a long set of plans and little focus on a wellness plan. Exercise is a great anxiety kicker as it boosts feel-good brain messengers like serotonin and dopamine.
Often times if we are going to throw something out the window, it’s exercise. Sometimes merely due to the logistics of bringing extra clothes, planning out routines and well laziness.
How to overcome travel anxiety!
Meditate on the Plane
No, I am not joking. Actually, meditate on the plane (car or bus or horse..). The act of traveling is usually boring anyway and pretty uncomfortable. If you are in a loud environment, even better! If you haven’t meditated before, download a guided meditation app on your phone prior. If you have meditated before, embrace the chaotic environment and use it in your practice.
You know the pre-frontal cortex we mentioned above that goes radio silent when you try to make decisions while being anxious? Well, meditation helps strengthen the pre-frontal cortex while simultaneously slowing brain waves and providing rejuvenating rest.
Eat as healthy as you can (and bring supplements)
Eat the burger and the pizza BUT also eat the salad and the veggies. Gut health is closely related to brain health. Your stomach gets inflamed from too much junk food, signals the brain and queues anxiety.
Experts agree that it is best to get your nutrients. Although I agree, having backup supplements when you travel can help get your body the nutrients it needs (and isn’t getting) from your food. For me, I always travel with magnesium, fish oil and occasionally GABA.
Moderate your drinking
Drink on your trip if you want to, it’s all good. Just keep track of how many drinks you have and don’t get carried away. Alcohol may seem like a great way to relax, but it’s an instant gratification trick that can end up biting us.
Some easy ways to reduce the adverse effects of drinking is by having a glass of water every other drink and always eating food first. This helps you kick both the physical hangover symptoms and next day anxiety.
Fit in some Exercise
Now you don’t have to show up with a 5k run plan every day but add little bits of exercise when you can. Extra wait time at the airport? Good, take a lap…or ten. Walk the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Do squats while you wait for your Uber (I’ve actually done that before). Exercise is fantastic at reducing anxiety by releasing pent-up tension and naturally
Practice Mindfulness
Okay, so you have done everything you can to avoid anxiety. You have taken your supplements, walked all the stair, ate the stupid salad and you are still anxious. Guess what? That’s okay. My body (and possibly yours) produces anxiety when it’s confronted with a wide range of situations. One of those situations is traveling.
So embrace those feelings. An easy four-step method to practice mindfulness is recognizing how you feel, paying attention to where it manifests in the body, becoming aware of sensations and sounds in your environment and allowing the feeling to move through you.
Travel on my friends…
Travel anxiety may be unavoidable for some of us, but these tactics may help you understand, reduce and manage that anxiety if and when it arises. The saying “you can’t help what you feel” is partially true. We can try all we might to take care of our bodies and minds but if anxiety wants to settle in, then it will. Learning to allow it to take a seat but not drive the car can make all the difference.
