In the window seat, you can recline your seat just enough so you can still look out the window if needed. The seat usually has an adjustable headrest, so using this as a pillow adds a bit of comfort. Also, use the footrest or prop your feet on top of a carry-on bag.
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So many travelers struggle with this fear, so the best way to cope is to find a seat with plenty of space. The least crowded section of the plane is first or business class. But if upgraded flying isn't in your budget there are still options. Try sitting in an aisle seat in an exit row towards the front of the plane.
Many nervous flyers find that the loud noises of the plane trigger anxious thoughts. You may find it helpful to bring along earplugs to reduce these sounds. You can also bring headphones and listen to your favorite music or a relaxation guide to help you feel calmer.
Try holding your breath and then breathing deeply, or better still, force yourself to breathe out for as long as you can and then take a long, deep breath. Seif and Farchione both recommended taking deep breaths, since this triggers the calming response and can help to prevent hyperventilation.
Medication is sometimes prescribed on a temporary basis to treat the symptoms of a flying phobia, such as anxiety and nausea. These drugs are usually taken shortly before a flight. They include: Anti-anxiety medication, such as diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam (Xanax).
Understanding TriggersAnd someone who fears heights might become terrified thinking about flying many miles above the ground. The list of triggers is long: turbulence, take-off, landings, terrorism, crashes, social anxieties, or being too far from home.
While Xanax may be useful for flying on an airplane, it will not help you with your anxiety. It may help in the moment but you will not tackle your fear of flying if you are asleep the whole flight. If you ran out of your medication or left it at home, the anxiety will still exist if you go on an airplane again.
Doctors rarely recommend sleeping tablets for flying for several reasons. Some tablets render you immobile, which would be problematic during an in-flight emergency. Even if you're OK with that small risk, avoid sitting near an emergency exit where you could be responsible for many lives in an emergency.
Lunesta (eszopiclone) and Sonata (zaleplon) are other well-known prescription sleeping pills for travel. They act quickly, but won't keep you asleep as long as Ambien CR. Sonata is especially recommended for those on flights of only five to six hours.
If you're nervous about the idea of prescription sleep aids, plenty of over-the-counter options await. A diphenhydramine tablet or two (i.e., Benadryl or Zzzquil) is enough to make most people drowsy, as is a single dose of cough medicine containing diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate (a.k.a. Nyquil).
A strategy that travelers have been trying for years to varying degrees of success is the middle seat trick — when checking in online, two people traveling together will each select the aisle and window seats in a three-seat row and hope that the middle seat remains open.
“As this hormone usually helps us fall and stay asleep, the excessively bright lights on airplanes naturally make it hard to sleep well.” Even if the lights aren't bright enough to suppress melatonin, they can distract and irritate those trying to sleep.
Don't Pull an All-NighterHowever, that sleep on the plane is never as good as the sleep you missed out on the night before. If you're somewhat rested and ready for a long journey, chances are you won't miss connections due to being rundown and listless from that all-nighter you pulled.