Nervous flyer says ‘applied tension’ helps calm them down on flights
Plenty of us feel afraid when boarding a flight whether because of turbulence, claustrophobia or a fear of heights.
It’s not unusual to suffer from a flying phobia, but it can limit you when you want to explore the world.
Luckily, one frequent flyer with a phobia shared a method that may help you relax into your seat without taking medication.
READ MORE: Flight attendant and passengers reveal best tips for nervous flyers with phobias
On Reddit, a terrified passenger asked for advice on dealing with a flying phobia, which they claim can leave them having panic attacks.
Plenty of people from flight attendants to frequent flyers jumped in with different suggestions, but one person's trick particularly stood out.
The holidaymaker said they used a specific technique to cope with their phobia – a process called 'applied tension'.
They commented: "I have this kind of anxiety about anxiety situation when it comes to blood tests.
"The phobia makes me pass out but the phobia at this point is more about the fear of the passing out than of the blood test now! I've managed to really improve by following the advice of a psychologist.
"He told me to clench each muscle in my body a bit at a time. So feet, then calves, then thighs, then bum, then stomach, chest, arms and finally fists. Then go backwards. It's worked really well.
"It apparently does something to the nervous system to bring you back down to Earth."
The Guys and St Thomas Hospital website states: "This is a simple technique to increase your blood pressure to a normal level again and avoid fainting."
It also offers a guide to the technique: "1. Sit down somewhere comfortable.
"2. Tense the muscles in your arms, upper body and legs. Hold this tension for 10 to 15 seconds or until you start to feel the warmth rising in your face.
"3. Release the tension and go back to your normal sitting position.
"4. After 20 to 30 seconds, go through the tension procedure again until you feel the warmth in your face.
"5. Repeat this sequence until you have practised the tension 5 times."
While NHS recommends applied tension for blood and needle phobias, it may serve to ground you if you have a fear of flying.
Alternately, easyJet offers a Fearless Flying course to help you move past your plane phobia.
They’ll teach you everything you need to know about the sounds you hear during a flight.
Plus, some special visualisation techniques to feel calm – and they’ve helped hundreds of people learn to love flights.
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