Make your flights easier. Mindfulness exercises for stressful flights.

Traveling is great. If you are reading this blog it is probably because you agree and share the passion with me. Most parts of traveling are great. From planning, booking flights and hotels to  packing and eventually boarding on a train, plane or any other transportation, there’s plenty joy in it.

I know some people who love flying, but for many spending a few hours up in the air is stressful. I totally understand, it also makes me nervous. It is weird actually, that the stress never goes completely away with experience. I am used to it and I don’t let it to ruin my travels, but it is still there… Some flights are easy and smooth, but occasionally they test us really bad, so some mindfulness exercises for stressful flights can be really useful.

I used to take short, but frequent flights from Scotland to England. For those flight by cheap airlines you cannot expect big comfortable machines, but rather small planes that look more like a bus and feel like a paper plane that shakes with every little blow of wind. If you heard of the famous weather in the British island that is wet and windy, I can tell you that, in fact, it is true. It can get crazy windy at times. After a few horrifying flights I worked out a few favourite mindfulness exercises to help me deal with the stress during flights. For those who are visiting this site for the first time and don’t know me well, I’d like to say that I studied mindfulness and use it at work, which turns out to be an incredible tool on my travels.

See also: 

10 tips to make your flights more pleasant if flying makes you nervous.

12 tips for solo female travelers

Make long haul flights comfortable- what to pack in your carry on case

Mindfulness exercises to make your flights more relaxed:

1. Breath mindfully

Sit comfortably in your seat (you can also do this exercise standing or walking), put our hands on your laps or anywhere they are comfortable.  Close your eyes if you feel comfortable to do so, if not it is fine to have our eyes open. I might be easier however, to do this exercise with your eyes closed as it reduces distractions.

If you feel particularly stressed, start by taking a long deep breath through your nostrils (3 seconds) and exhale through your mouth (4 seconds).

Focus your attention on breathing, inhale and exhale. Notice the shape and weight of your body. Notice the sensation of your body touching the seat or the floor. Feel the flow of your breathing and the air coming in through your nostrils and coming out through your mouth. Make sure you breath naturally as you would normally do.

You might notice your mind wandering and thoughts appearing. This is absolutely normal. Try not to control it, but instead just notice that your mind wandered. You might say to yourself “thinking” and go back to focusing on your breath.

Time: 3-5 minutes

2. Calm your mind coloring

Did you know that mindfulness exercises can be really fun? Such a great entertainment for children is not so bad for adults. Coloring calms don and helps to relax. I often find myself doodling, which helps me enormously, so maybe also you would find drawing or coloring beneficial. Consider taking a coloring book for your next flight and use it in the moments of anxiety.  I really like this one.

Coloring is a great way to be present in the moment and shift the focus from the stressful situation.

3. Body scan

Starting with your feet, pay attention to your body, focusing especially on the physical sensations that you can feel, such as warmth, cold, pain, tension, sweaty hands etc. Do not judge them, just be aware they are happening. Do this exercise for different parts of your body slowly moving upwards. When you finish, shift your attention back to the feet and let is settle there.

Time: 5 minutes, but you can take less or more time to do it.

4. Listen to guided meditation

Another helpful method is listening to relaxing music or guided meditation. One of the most popular nowadays (and also very effective according to so many people) is a mobile app Headspace. It is pleasant to use for anyone, even children. I know that some people prefer to know theory and understand before they can practice. For that you can check out this and this book. guided meditation is perfect for people who are beginning out on their practice and are not sure what to do. I find guided meditations very useful as it helps me stay focused on the words (often accompanied by calm music) and eventually be more relaxed and not stress so much about the flight.

5. Create your mantra

Probably the most stressful parts of flying are take-off and landing. If it causes you anxiety, try a method of visualizing and creating mantras that work for you. Imagine what is waiting for you upon landing. Is it a dream trip you are taking? Are you going to be soon at a white-sand beach in Colombian coast? Or maybe you are headed to historic Europe with an endless list of attractions?

Whatever it is, remember and repeat the positives silently or in your head. It will be different for every traveler, but it might go something like that: ” Today I will go for a walk on the cobbled streets of Paris and watch the golden sky brightening up the Eiffel Tower”. You can also repeat easy and simple phrases like “I am safe”, “I am calm” while inhaling and exhaling.

You can create your mantras before the flight and use them in the moments of stress. Be creative.

I hope you will find these exercise helpful next time you feel anxious during a flight. Traveling is wonderful, but it might be stressful. With these simple exercises we can make the flight a little bit better and more relaxed so we can arrive to the next amazing destination happy and ready for adventures.

I wish you all amazing and safe travels. If you have any helpful tips how not to stress during flights, please share them with us.

Use my favourite travel resources to plan your dream trips

• Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
• Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
• Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
• World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
• Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
• Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
• Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money.
• Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
• Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.

SIGN UP FOR FLIGHT DISCOUNTS

Did you like the post? Pin it for later:

Please note that this post included affiliate links, when you decide to purchase anything through these links I get a small commission at NO extra cost to you, it helps me to keep running this blog! I only promote products and services I use or would use myself. All images are the property of Postcards from the World and cannot be used without permission.