This post is brought to you by Viactiv. All opinions are my own.
In the last few years, I’ve done a lot of traveling. Sometimes it’s for fun, and it’s my whole family taking a road trip, but often it’s just me- flying all by myself. It wasn’t until my third or fourth trip for work that I realized my stomach aches before traveling weren’t a coincidence- they were caused by travel anxiety I didn’t even know I had!
Traveling is one of my absolute favorite things to do, so I was determined to find ways to deal with my anxiety while flying. It took some trial and error, but over the last couple of years especially I’ve really been able to keep myself in check- not just before traveling but throughout my trip and even traveling back home. Below are some of the things that have helped me the most on my {literal} journey:
1. Find a travel buddy. If you’re traveling with a loved one or even a colleague that you get along with, you have one built right in. If you’re traveling alone, find a friend or loved one that you can text or message if and when you start to get anxious. Their job can be simply to remind you that you’re okay- or even just to talk to you and help distract you from whatever part of your travel is causing you anxiety. Bonus: many airlines that offer wi-fi are starting to offer free messaging plans while in the air, so you can even stay in touch for most of your flight!
2. Stay distracted. If you’re taking a longer flight, opt for in-flight wi-fi to get some work done, watch TV, or just do too many online quizzes while you’re in the air. If wi-fi isn’t an option, many streaming services now offer the opportunity to download videos directly to your phone for offline viewing. If movies aren’t your thing, download a reading app for your phone, or even a podcast or audiobook!
3. Get there early. One of the biggest sources of anxiety- at least for me- is the fear of missing my flight. It hasn’t happened to me yet, but for some reason it’s something I always worry about. Make sure to allow yourself plenty of time to get to your plane- keeping in mind that security line wait times vary and in larger airports, you may have to take trams or shuttles to get to different areas of the airport.
4. Take time to rest. This can definitely be harder to do when you’re traveling for work and have a stricter schedule, but try to make time to settle down and check in with your emotions. I like to take a few moments to collect myself once I’ve arrived at my hotel- I find stress relief by unpacking and setting up my room, but you may prefer ordering room service and watching tv. Anything that gives you a moment to relax after putting your emotions through such a workout is perfect!
5. Prevent tummy troubles. I’ve found that the calmer I am in other ways, the better my nausea is, but travel can do stuff to people. Between the different altitudes, eating food you don’t normally eat- likely at times you don’t normally eat, and anxiety in general can throw your system off. Last time I traveled, I prepared myself and enjoyed Viactiv Digestive Health dark chocolate chews!
Viactiv Digestive Health is a Probiotic-Derived supplement that helps digestive upset* and has 1g Prebiotic fiber, which feeds good bacterial growth. It can help reduce occasional upset and even if you’re not traveling, it helps to promote healthy, diverse gut bacteria. And it tastes awesome, too! It’s a small dark chocolate chew {with only 1 gram of sugar and no fat} that contains 10 billion cells of Lactobacillus LB Fermentate and 1 gram of prebiotic fiber. The chews are great for enjoying even when you aren’t traveling, and you can bring them with you when you are– they’re individually wrapped and perfect for on-the-go! With something that tastes that good and does such good things for your body, it can seem too good to be true- but the chews are backed by over 15 clinical studies, so it’s the real deal.
For more information on Viactiv Digestive Health, please visit https://viactiv.com/digestive-health/dark-chocolate-chews/. You can also join Viactiv on Facebook for giveaways and exclusive offers. To try Viactiv Digestive Health, order on Amazon here or check your local Rite Aid!
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.