As many times as I’ve been on an airplane, you would think that I’d be completely comfortable during an entire flight regardless of the length. I don’t necessarily have a fear of heights. The truth is, almost every time that I feel turbulence or I feel as though the plane is making too sharp of a turn as we are at an incline or descending, my heart flutters. Realistically, that’s what planes do. Turbulence is normal. Even if I don’t feel it on every flight, it happens. I know this, but in the moment it doesn’t stop me from feeling that the plane is about to fall out of the sky. I’ve had one experience where the flight attendant said over the intercom that everyone should return to their seats and fasten seat belts as soon as possible due to “extreme turbulence”. I was so worried, but later relieved when the turbulence wasn’t as bad as predicted.

 I’m sure that there are other people who may feel the same way when flying. It’s important to remember that you can’t let these thoughts and feelings hinder you from getting on a plane or from enjoying your flight. Especially for long halls because they can be somewhat entertaining. Here are a few things that I try to do to come myself down when the random turbulence starts and as were descending into our final destination…

• Listen to music

(Always remember to bring your headphones on flights)! I try to listen to songs that calm me down and distract me from worrying too much about turbulence. Any Michael Jackson song is always my go to!

• Think about your destination

Try to refocus your attention to the reason why you’re on the plane. Think about the things that you’ll eat or do once you land. Whether you’re on a business trip, visiting family, or on vacation, just know that the flight doesn’t last forever and you’ll be absolutely fine once you land. 

• Watch a movie or TV show

There are times where I’m not a fan of watching movies on planes. It’s honestly not the most comfortable environment. But, if your plane has free movies to watch and you find a good one, that could be a great distraction to avoid any nervousness you might feel if turbulence happens

• Ask the flight attendants for a drink (alcohol)

This may not be the healthiest advice, but it has worked for me SEVERAL times (don’t judge me). A rum and coke always calms my nerves and it often helps out if it’s hard for me to take a nap. If you’re on an international flight and plan on having a few, I would recommend sitting in the aisle seat unless you’re okay with hopping over the people (even those that are knocked out) next to you to get to the bathroom haha! Make sure that you also drink water and know your limits with the drinks.

• Trust that the flight crew knows what they’re doing

This is something that I always have to remind myself. Although the pilot can’t control whether or not turbulence will suddenly hit, they are very well trained in handling it and whatever else may occur in flight. In keeping things positive, try to refrain from thinking about past events that have occurred in the news where the pilot was drunk or kind of went a little crazy while flying a plane. 

I hope that these pointers help if you’re worried about turbulence during your next flight. Just remember, try your best to relax, listen to the flight crew, and wear your seatbelts!