Flying can be a stressful experience, especially travelers with Aerophobia (fear of flying). This is a common fear that affects more than 25 million adults in the United States. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare for a long flight or a short flight that reduces anxiety onboard and make for a pleasant, smooth flying experience.

10 Stay Hydrated

Staying hydrated during the flight is one of the primary ways to manage wellness during a flight. Both physically and emotionally, staying hydrated for the duration of the flight reduces your stress level. The human body loses more water per hour when at the high altitude of an aircraft compared to everyday life, so it’s more important to drink enough water while onboard than ever before.

9 Download The Airline’s App Before Boarding

Before getting onboard the aircraft, it’s a good idea to download the airline’s app to your smartphone or tablet. Depending on the airline, they may not offer inflight entertainment on a TV but could still have entertainment options available through their app to watch on a personal device. However, once you’re onboard, you can’t download the app without first paying for Wi-Fi, which gets expensive. To save money and avoid inconveniences, always download the app while waiting to board.

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8 Bring A Seat Sanitizing Kit

Part of the anxiety travelers might feel when boarding a plane today can be due to fear of contracting an ailment while on board the flight. When people spend so many hours in the airplane seat, it’s no wonder the armrests and tray tables of an aircraft harbor so many germs. To ease stress and feel at home in an airplane seat, travelers can bring a travel-size packet of disinfectant wipes with them to clean these surfaces before take-off.

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7 Check-In Online And Choose Your Seat

Some travelers may feel anxious at the prospect of not getting their ideal seat choice during the flight. The age-old debate is whether the window seat or the aisle seat is better. And let’s face it - nobody wants the middle seat, but somebody has to take it. So, whatever their seat preference, travelers can secure the one they want by checking in online 24 hours before the flight. At this time, passengers can confirm their seat selection, providing more options than will be available when they get to the check-in counter three hours before the flight.

6 Stow Anything You Need Access To In Your Personal Item (Not Your Carry-On)

To ensure the in-flight experience is seamless, try to think of all the items you need easy access to during the trip. Whether that’s headphones, an iPad, moisturizer, or a snack, try and put it all in the personal item (usually a purse or small backpack) that the airline allows passengers to stow under the seat in front of them. This makes it easy to reach down and access these items rather than unbuckling the seatbelt, shuffling into the aisle, and removing a carry-on from the overhead bin.

5 Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, And Sugary Beverages

When the in-flight drink service starts, most people aren’t reaching for a glass of water. On the contrary, the drinks that are most exciting on an evening flight are typically a complimentary glass of wine or a soft drink, while in the early morning, many people reach for a coffee. But, these beverages are likely to be diuretics, meaning they can dehydrate the body. This is counterproductive when aiming to stay hydrated and can increase the level of physical and emotional stress you experience.

4 Download Podcasts, Music, Or Movies To A Smart Device

In case the flight doesn’t offer entertainment onboard, or if the TV malfunctions resulting in no movie availability, travelers should bring some entertainment of their own. Pack a book, but also be prepared with podcasts downloaded on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen to offline. If the Netflix app is available to you, download a few episodes of a favorite show or some movies to watch during the flight as well.

3 Bring A Neck Pillow

On long haul flights, most airlines provide even economy passengers with a small pillow and a blanket to help you fall asleep. But honestly, these pillows are not always the most comfortable or practical, especially for those assigned to a middle seat. For a more comfortable sleeping experience that makes economy feel a little more like first-class, bring a neck pillow that enables you to rest your head to either side with ease. One with a clip that attaches to the exterior of a carry-on or personal item bag means there’s no need to sacrifice precious space inside the baggage to bring it along.

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2 Bring Your Own Headphones

Even if the airline offers TVs on the seat backs, these don’t provide much entertainment without a pair of headphones to listen to the movie or show. The headphone jacks are old school, so be sure to bring a pair with a round jack rather than the new flat inserts for iPhones or wireless Air Pods. Don’t count on the airline handing out headphones for free. They often run out of headphones or charge a fee for them.

1 Eat Before You Board

To remain comfortable and happy during the flight, eat something at the airport before boarding the plane. Even if it’s an international flight where there is a meal service on board, there are no guarantees of how soon that food arrives at the seat. Most airlines feed passengers within the first hour or two of the flight, but in cases of turbulence where everyone must remain seated, meals can be delayed.

Follow these 10 tips for a smooth flying experience and travel like a pro!