Ready, set, wait! Does flying make you feel anxious? Do long hauls leave you feeling tired and jet lagged? If you answered yes, then you’re not alone. The good news is that there are natural remedies to reduce tension and fatigue.

Before we get into the top essential oils for travel anxiety, let's go over some of the reasons people feel tension when they fly and why they get jet lag.

Many people feel anxious about flying because they aren’t in control. They can’t steer the airplane out of a dangerous storm or avoid a flock of geese. People also get anxious while flying because they fear heights. Some travelers worry about having an anxiety attack in the air without easy access to help or plane crashes.

If you look at the facts, there’s about a 0.01 percent chance people would die in an airplane crash. The tension that comes from flying is controllable if you have the tools to calm yourself down.

Now to the topic of jet lag. Jet lag happens when we cross time zones. If you fly west to east the time is hours later than where you started, and the reverse happens when we go from east to west. This jump in time can make you feel tired in the middle of the day or bright eyed in the middle of the night.

Thankfully, aromatherapy is an excellent and ancient natural remedy for anxiety and tiredness.

Relieve stress and anxiety:

Different essential oils have different effects on the human body. For example, clinical trials show that smelling lavender oil via aroma therapy reduces anxiety.   It is also an effective way of alleviating discomfort from migraines and headaches. An interesting study showed that patients who applied a couple drops of lavender oil below their nose felt significantly less pain from migraines than a control group that did not smell the elixir.

Vorda’s Passion Pure Essential Oil Blend combines lavender, geranium and lemon into a smooth floral tincture. By putting a few drops on a handkerchief or simply smelling it out of the bottle can calm your nerves when you’re on the road.

Practice mental clarity:

An excellent way to wipe away fears and tension is to practice clearing your mind. Many buddhist teachings encourage students to think of nothing but the present moment. This can be a form of meditation and it can alleviate unwanted stress associated with travel.

Vorda’s Comfort Pure Essential Oil Blend is made with a combination of marjoram, pine and lemon extracts. The concoction yields a peaceful aroma of earthy undertones and citrus highlights. It’s an excellent scent to help you relax and clear your mind. To calm your nerves before flying, try smelling this scent then meditating in the lounge before boarding.

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Refresh and rejuvenate:

Long trips and weird time zones can make anyone feel off balance. Taking short naps, drinking naturally caffeinated teas like Vorda’s Organic Matcha Mix and inhaling awaking aromas are great ways to feel fresh.

If you’re looking to reduce jet lag, try Vorda’s Zest Pure Essential Oil Blend. It’s crafted with spearmint, eucalyptus and lime to elevate your mood and stimulate your brain. If you’re dragging your feet at the office the day after a long trip, put some Zest into a diffuser on your desk to help you concentrate. Essential oils for jet lag that can have you feeling ready to hit the ground running.

Essential oils are a healthy way to feel calm and clear headed without unwanted side effects associated with other forms of stress relief like taking pills or drinking alcohol. Vorda bottles make flying with essential oils easy because they are small enough to take in your carryon luggage. Next time you take a long journey, treat yourself to the peace of mind that comes with Vorda scents.

Photo by Suhyeon Choi on Unsplash

References:

1. National Safety Council: https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/tools-resources/injury-facts/chart

2. Natural Medicine Journal https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2012-02/lavender-oil-anxiety-and-depression-0

3. Sasannejad P, Saeedi M, Shoeibi A, Gorji A, Abbasi M, Foroughipour M. Lavender essential oil in the treatment of migraine headache: a placebo-controlled clinical trial. Eur Neurol. 2012;67(5):288-91. doi:10.1159/000335249