Like many, I find that I get anxious before I travel. This can be experienced at different degrees of intensity depending on how much travelling is required. It can also worsen as it get closer to the time of travel. But, it doesn’t stop there. I also suffer from travel sickness. Lucky me!!! As a result, it can become a bit of a nightmare each time I need to travel, whether it’s by car or plane or both. In the past, I’ve tried various approaches to tackling this issue, and in this post, How to Reduce Travel Anxiety, I’ll be looking at some of the options that I have found helpful over the years.
How to Reduce Travel Anxiety
Symptoms of Travel Anxiety
Symptoms can vary from person to person depending on how severe the individuals anxiety is. These can include:
Difficulty focussing, panic attacks, restlessness, and more.
Dizziness, nausea, abdominal stress, headaches, chest pain, difficulty breathing, insomnia and more.
In order to help yourself cope with this I have some suggestions of various things that you can try to help calm your nerves and make travelling less anxiety inducing.
Identify Triggers
You may find that certain things will trigger feelings of anxiety. If you can identify the reason for your anxiety then it can help you to ease this or at least exert a degree of control over it.
The Fear of Negative Things Occurring
Why is it that every time we are approaching a holiday abroad there seem to be movies about plane crashes almost everywhere. They’re not out to get us of course, they are something we tend to notice more when we travel. The positive thing that helps with this fear is that in reality we are actually a lot safer in a plane than in a car. (Just don’t watch any Final Destination moves before you travel anywhere!)
Forgetting to Book Everything Needed
Are you worried you might forget something when doing all of your planning? If travelling with another adult, you can share the responsibility of organising the trip, or do it all together. That way it will help reassure you that everything has been booked.
Forward Planning
Arranging everything well in advance is also helpful. It allows for extra time for you to think through what you need to arrange and identify anything that may have been missed. It also means that you can book activities well in advance to ensure that there is availability.
Forgetting Items
I find I worry about forgetting things that I’ll need. I check passports 752673 times before we leave the house. If you need a travel visa, GHIC cards, this adds more to remember. I find writing lists very beneficial. These will have everything from how many sets of underwear to the whole families toothbrushes, clothing, cables and blocks for devices, etc. I normally start my lists well in advance where possible. You’ll get great satisfaction and relief when ticking items off once they’re in the bag.
Travelling with Others
Travelling with others can be great for distracting from anxiety. I find focusing on the kids can help. If you don’t have children travelling with you, but are travelling with others, it’s easy to get lost in conversation and time can fly by quickly.
Distraction
Things that distract can have an impact on anxiety. Taking a book, game for one or for you and your travelling companion, music, a device on which you can watch a movie etc can all be great distractions. If you are focused on something then you are not thinking about the cause of your anxiety.
Breathing Techniques
When we are anxious, our breathing rate and pattern alters. We can however work on our breathing to control it and our anxiety better. This requires focus, but with a little practice you’ll find that it can be helpful.
Meditation
Not for everyone, and probably not for those with moderate to severe travel anxiety. If you are able to, meditation can help to shift your focus and help ease travel anxiety. Have something recorded on a phone or other device that you can listen to and concentrate on.
Medication
(Always consult your doctor before using any type of medication. The information here is from my personal experience and not to by tried without your doctors consent.)
I find that the travel sickness tablets (Stugeron) that I buy over the counter at the pharmacy can help with mild anxiety as well as travel sickness. But, after Covid, my anxiety became much worse with me having panic attacks just thinking about travelling for a holiday. These became more and more severe as the holiday departure date approached. After speaking with a doctor I was advised to try Kalms Night. I was told by combining both this and my travel sickness tablets (we discussed the dose I should try for my level of anxiety) it would help me considerably. This combination has worked well for me thankfully on a few trips.
Natural Medication
Alongside the medication I mentioned above, I also use the rescue remedy pastilles for anxiety. Their ingredients work synergistically to relieve anxiety naturally. They contain a mix of 5 Bach Original Flower Essences. These offer “comfort & reassurance, to calm and support your emotional balance”. I find these are a great option for days leading up to my holiday where I may start to feeling anxious. They don’t affect ability to drive and can be taken as needed.
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What if These Don’t Work?
If the above didn’t work for me I could have gotten stronger medication from the doctor but some of these are addictive and as a result ones I wanted to avoid them where possible. Of course, if your doctor has given you milder options and they haven’t worked then you may need to discus with them about taking something strong.
I hope you have enjoyed reading my post How to Reduce Travel Anxiety and found the information interesting and informative. As mentioned, you should always consult your doctor before trying any medications to help with anxiety. I’ve discussed items that have helped me in dealing with this but we are all different. You may find you can’t take what I’ve used for some reason, or it isn’t as effective for you. Your doctor will be able to advise after taking a medical history.
Do you get travel anxiety? If you do, what do you find helpful to relieve or minimise this?
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I find that planning out everything as much as possible helps reduce my travel anxiety dramatically. I know I can’t plan for everything, but it helps me feel more in control
That’s good to hear. It can help to know what eases anxiety for you.
Figuring out what triggers your travel anxiety is absolutely key to keeping it in check. If you can remove those triggers, you’ll be in a much better state of mind.
I agree, removing or reducing the impact can really help.
I always have anxiety before traveling. But I always make sure I have my self-care before traveling.
It helps to know what can help to ease your anxiety.
This is interesting to read. I’ve never had travel anxiety but I can relate to many of your points. Traveling with others and having distractions really help. Great read.
Distractions can make the time pass by so much faster and make a trip much more enjoyable.
Travel anxiety is the worst. Thankfully, I don’t tend to feel sick in cars any more and I am fine on planes. My anxiety is usually caused by the feeling that I have forgotten something or forgotten to do something important!
Fortunately, writing lists can help to a degree with that.
I also used to worry that I might forget to pack important things, but I now make lists, and reuse them every time we go on vacation
Reusable lists is a great idea. It can save time and stress.
Anxious moments may happen when traveling solo. Your tips will help reducing any kind of travel anxiety.
It’s not just when travelling solo travellers that experience this. But knowing what to do can help.
The tips are wonderful, wow!!! Forward planning is key for sure but that is something I almost always fail at lol…I should definitely try harder.
Forward planning has a bit impact!!
I’m very lucky that I don’t get travel anxiety so don’t have to do anything to make myself feel better. My husband gets minor travel anxiety and has to distract himself when flying a bit x
Distraction can help and sometimes it’s just for take offs and landings.
That’s a very helpful post for me as I also get travel anxiety many a times. I don’t get sleep I don’t feel like eating feel constipated a day before travelling. I don’t do anything as such i just try to rest when I reach my destination. Will like to try meditation to call my mind next time.
I found the medication found very well. Make sure you speak with your doctor before taking anything.
Travel anxiety is real and thank you so much for these practical tips to reduce it. They are super helpful!
I hope they help you next time you travel.
When I am a little anxious about traveling, I start writing lists so I know I have remembered everything. Breathing exercises also really helps.
Lists are really good to avoid things being left behind and give an element of control which helps psychologically.
Travel anxiety can begin days before the travel begins. Planning and writing things out really has a huge positive impact on reducing unnecessary worries.
I agree. I write my lists for ages before so I have plenty of time to get back and add items missed. It can really help.
I know how overwhelming travel planning can be, especially when juggling kids and all the little details. I’ll be trying out those breathing techniques too.
They can help as long as you stay focused whilst doing them.
I do get a lot of travel anxiety, and it helps to be this prepared! We try to do as much pre-planning as possible.
Planning ahead can help ease anxiety considerably.
I agree, I find being organised help me stay calm
It can make such a big difference!
I write so many lists before travelling, that I feel that I need to list the lists! Thank you for the tips to reduce my travel anxiety.
I hope they help x
It can often spoil holidays so great tips
I agree, thanks so much.
Thank you for a useful article, I always have some worries when travelling.
I think many do, more than we realise.
I always get a little anxious about my wallet or passport, and have a rhythm to check them before I leave the house
I find checklists help. It’s good you have a process that helps.
I experienced exactly this just now travelling with my family. First time travelling with my son as a full-on toddler. Nerves all around!
I hope you have found a way that you can help ease this x