If you’re like me, traveling can provoke apprehension. No matter how many times I circle the world, there will always be situations when anxiety tries to get the better of me. Over the last ten years, I have finally found how to keep my anxiety at bay while traveling, and it doesn’t involve pharmaceuticals. Before we get into the steps of mastering how to travel with anxiety, first things first:
Don’t Throw Your Meds Away
I am not a medical professional. If you are currently taking medication for anxiety, or any other condition, I am not suggesting you toss them out the window. Especially, when you are traveling. Standing in the middle of Beijing, with thousands of people breathing down your neck, and motorbike exhaust flirting with your ankles is not the place to try a burn-the-bra revolution (but in this case, burn-the-meds). The process I’m going to share with you works for me, and I wholeheartedly believe it can help anyone battling anxiety, but consult your doctor before stopping any medications.
1. You Are What You Eat
When your body is operating at its full potential, it’s going to serve you better. A healthy body makes it easier to control anxiety because you, overall, are functioning more efficiently. By eating a clean, whole foods diet your body will have more energy to focus on healing itself rather than breaking down and fighting off unwanted foods. I personally eat a gluten free and vegan diet and keeps me feeling balanced. After many years of trial and error, I finally found the diet that works best for me. With that being said, I truly believe that everyone requires something different from their diet. There isn’t one diet that suits everyone’s needs. As a rule of thumb, I suggest to stay away from sugars, simple carbohydrates, alcohol, red meat and any processed foods.
Food Sensitivities
Be aware of any food sensitivities you may have. I was once naive about food allergens and truly thought they were something I’d never be burdened with. Last year, I was diagnosed with an Autoimmune Disease, resulting in many food sensitivities. My old diet involved me eating [literally] everything I wasn’t supposed to be eating, and it was feeding my anxiety. Once I educated myself on my allergies and altered my diet, my daily anxiety almost disappeared completely.
2. Hydration Station
Water is life. It’s precious and we need to worship it. As well as eating a proper diet, you need to stay hydrated. Most of us are terrible at staying adequately juiced with water. If you can’t stand drinking plain water, try adding some fruits to add some pizzazz. Oranges, lemons, limes, cucumbers and mint are all great additives for some flavor.
Another trick is to buy a water bottle that you love. Pick one that makes you happy to look at; you love the color, the design or the words printed on it. Make sure you like using it, too. Pick one that makes it easy to drink out of. You don’t want one that is going to drive you crazy to open up. If you have to push two buttons simultaneously while whispering a secret password to open it, probably skip it. Once you have a water bottle that you’re slightly obsessed with, and you start carrying it everywhere with you, I promise you will drink more water.
3. For Goodness Sake, Meditate!
Learning to meditate and control your breathing can absolutely change your life. Now, don’t panic. You don’t have to go to India for a 30 day meditation retreat in order to learn how to do it. And the beauty of meditation is you don’t even have to be good at it for it to help! Meditation and deep breathing slow your body down, calm your nerves and allow you to be present in the moment. It can turn a bad, anxious day into a lighthearted, fun day.
If you’re new to meditation, listen to guided meditation audio on YouTube, Spotify or a meditation app. I recommend transcendental meditation to help with anxiety. 10 minutes a day is all you need to change your mindset.
Don’t give up!
When I first started meditating, my brain was all over the place. I couldn’t stop thinking to myself, “STOP! You shouldn’t be thinking right now!” I sucked at it. If you suck at it too, that’s okay! Stick out the 10 minutes every day and you’ll get better. Even if you only get a minute or two of true meditation, you’ll feel so much better.
You can also “meditate on the go”. If you’re out sightseeing or in a public place and your anxiety is in full force, you can meditate in public. Just close your eyes, or stare at the sky or a spot on the ground, and picture a bright white light. Then breathe deeply. After a minute or two of true deep breathing, you should feel calmer and more collected.
4. Huff For Happiness
Okay, don’t actually huff anything. Jokes aside, aromatherapy can improve physical and psychological well-being. Get some essential oils in your life. Essential oils are great because, although they can be expensive, they last a long time and they are easy to travel with. You can use them in almost every aspect of your life, but for traveling I recommend using them for:
- Sleeping: Essentials oils can help calm you, relieve stress and assist with insomnia caused by anxiety. If you have room in your luggage, you can bring a travel-friendly oil diffuser and set it up in your room. If you’re backpacking, you probably won’t have room in your luggage and they aren’t the best for dorm room hostels. You probably don’t want to force twenty people into having lavender scented luggage. An easier, less invasive for your neighbors, method is to drop 2-3 drops of your favorite oil onto your pillow.
- On Your Skin: When you’re sure you don’t have an allergy to the essential oil you want to use, you can use it on your skin throughout the day. According to Young Living, most essential oils can be applied anywhere on the body. For maximum benefits, apply to the crown of your head, behind your ears, your neck and/or your temples. Applying oils on your neck and head can help alleviate stress and anxiety.
- On Your Clothes: If you don’t want to apply the oils to your skin, put a few drops on your scarf. Breathing in the light scent of your favorite essential oil while you’re out for the day can help with anxiety.
- Bath Time: If you’re lucky enough to encounter a bathtub – that’s not super dingy – while you’re traveling, have a relaxing bath with a few drops of essential oils. The combination of steam and oils will open up your lungs and fully relax you. You can also add oils to your shampoo and shower gel for a similar effect.
The essential oils I bring traveling for anxiety are:
- Lavender (this is the number one essential oil to bring if you’re only picking one)
- Frankincense
- Ylang Ylang
- Chamomile
5. Don’t Panic, It’s Ogranic
I want to recommend CBD Oil because it has greatly helped my anxiety, but I don’t recommend traveling internationally with it. The CBD oil I recommend is a product derived from the hemp plant, which is high in CBD (the part that has healing properties) and has little to no THC (the part that gets people high). When derived from the hemp plant, the oil doesn’t get you high and it doesn’t show up on a drug test (because there’s no THC, or very little). CBD Oil, when derived from industrial hemp, is considered a dietary supplement and is said to be legal in all 50 states in the USA.
CBD Oil can also be derived from medical marijuana, which is currently not legal in all 50 states. Also, the THC levels vary widely when derived from medical marijuana (the THC level can be as high as the CBD level, meaning you wouldn’t pass a drug test).
Check what’s legal where you are!
Make sure, if you decide to try it, the CBD Oil is derived from the hemp plant to ensure it’s legality in the United States. If you are not in the USA, you will have to do some research on your country’s laws to see what is allowed.
CBD Oil has a wide array of health benefits, including the reduction of anxiety. It also lowers inflammation, which can contribute to anxiety, and boosts your immune system (some anxiety stems from a weakened immune system). You can use CBD oil daily, or just use it when you can’t get a hold of your anxiety.
When I am home in the United States, I use CBD Oil for my anxiety. I use it 3-4 times a week depending on how my anxiety is doing. It absolutely works for me and I highly recommend it if the first 4 steps don’t work for you. Check out the brand Herbstrong, which is a professional, reliable company that makes a fantastic product.
International travel with CBD Oil has a lot of grey areas, which is why I don’t do it. CBD Oil (derived from the hemp plant) is mostly allowed in the United States without a prescription. If you’re traveling within the states, you should be fine. Any other country seems to be a gamble. You can research the countries you are going to visit, to see if it is legal, but you’ll find that you won’t get a clear answer. The smartest and safest option is to not cross international borders with it until we start getting more information and clearer rules from officials.
If All Else Fails, Take a YOU Day
With these steps, I am able to manage my anxiety and travel full-time. I will admit, there are days that I still struggle. Those are the days that I take a step back. It’s okay to take a step back. There’s no shame in needing a “break” from vacation and spending the day around the pool and relaxing. Traveling long term is a lot. You’re doing something new, eating something different and talking to new people everyday. It’s a lot to take in! Don’t be afraid to check out from the world for a few hours, or even a day, and chill out.
Now, get out there and see the world!
