Phil Roeder via Flickr

Whether you have fears, phobias, or general anxiety,traveling is a surefire way to bring your issues to a head. While flyingis the most common trigger (around 10 to 15 percent of air travelersexperience some level of anxiety when in-flight) anxiety and fear of travelis not simply associated with boarding a plane. Just being away from home, out of yourcomfort zone, and in unfamiliar situations is more than enough to have some ofus looking for excuses not to make a trip. But everyone wants to vacation, right?! While coping techniques are variedand there is no quick fix cure, here are nine simple ways to help you deal withtravel anxiety on your next trip so you can enjoy yourself and soak up the experience.

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Asclepios Wellness & Healing Retreat

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1. Buy Travel Insurance

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.

2. Plan Ahead

Curt Smith via Flickr

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.

3. Use Breathing and Relaxation Techniques

Takashi Hososhima via Flickr

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.”

4. Manage the Triggers

Phil Whitehouse via Flickr

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.

5. Eat Right

R.S.Seattle via Flickr

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.

6. Stick to Your Routines

Philadephia’s ‘Rocky Statue’ by In Sappho We Trust via Flickr

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.

7. Be Open with Your Travel Companion

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.

8. Pick the Right Destination

The spa at Asclepios Wellness & Healing Retreat, Costa Rica

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.

9. Do Yoga

The Garden Yoga platform at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat

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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