I have always been a nervous flier. The second I take my assigned seat in a plane, I pull my headphones over my ears and glue my eyes shut in an attempt to drown out the sound of a plane taking off.
Research shows that up to 40 per cent of Americans report some degree of flight anxiety. Given the recent string of incidents, experts say it is understandable that those with flight anxiety would feel more on edge than usual.
“The odds of something happening don’t matter as much to the anxious brain,” says Andrea Bonior, a teaching professor in Georgetown University’s department of psychology in Washington. “The anxious brain is drawn in by the horrific stakes of something.”
So how should you approach your next flight? Here are five tips to ease your mind before take-off.
