Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, the actual travel part can be incredibly stressful and anxiety ridden – especially when it comes to flying. Long lines at the airport, followed by cramped overhead spaces and compact seats, can make a relatively simple flight feel super tiresome. The feeling of relief is extraordinary when you finally reach your destination and rush out of the airport.

To limit the amount of stress and anxiety while flying, here are 4 stress-free travel tips to help the experience go more smoothly.

1. Reconsider drinking alcohol while traveling

Kava concentrate including travel size.

It can be tempting to throw back a couple of beers or cocktails while traveling because it’s easily accessible and good short-term stress relief. But flying in itself causes dehydration. Airplane cabin humidity is much lower than in a typical home and travelers tend to drink much less water when flying to avoid the dreaded airplane bathroom break. This leads quickly to dehydration which can worsen the effects of jet lag. Add on dehydration caused by alcohol and you’re guaranteed to have a less than pleasant effects when you disembark and start your trip.

Instead, consider natural alternatives for travel stress relief. We at Kalm with Kava have you covered, products that taste good, ease stress, and help you feel in control of your traveling experience. We offer TSA approved 2 oz. travel size Kava Concentrate Bottles – Just add water! Another option is Micronized Kava powders – simply mix into any beverage for instant kava stress relief.

Natural travel stress relief without the hangover to compound any jet lag.

2. TSA PreCheck

Unfortunately, it doesn’t cut any flight time, but TSA Precheck has saved travelers precious time at the airport. With a simple process consisting of an application, background check, and interview, TSA Precheck can result in many hours saved every time you have to go through security for your flight. With Precheck, you pass through an expedited lane unlike regular flyers. Since flying can be a hassle even for the most seasoned veterans, knowing you have the opportunity of cutting wait time and avoiding that shuffling security line can be a huge weight off your shoulders.

3. Join a Mileage Rewards Program

Every airline has them and the obvious benefit if you travel often is racking up miles for upgrades and free flights. They can be beneficial to reducing your travel stress too though. In the event issues should come up with your trip, such as missed or canceled flights, rewards program members often have their own dedicated customer service for rebooking and ironing out problems. This can save considerable time and stress rather than standing in line trying to speak to an agent. Many mileage reward programs also come with lesser-known benefits. For instance, enrolling in Delta’s SkyMiles program and holding a SkyMiles American Express credit card entitles you to a free checked bag for you and a travel companion. Benefits like this can really add up over time, especially as more and more airlines are charging high prices for checked luggage and new fees for carry-on luggage.

4. Packing ahead of time

It’s not fun, but it’s important for travel stress relief. Packing ahead of time ensures you won’t be left scrambling to grab pieces in 30 minutes or less, then realizing — once the house is a distant memory — that you forgot at least one crucial thing.

Bonus: Use a checklist. Write down the most important items you need to travel comfortably (passport, laptop, chargers, etc.) and check each off when it’s packed. It’s a time saver and a stress reliever in one.

Takeaway:

Travelling can sometimes be a considerable stress in your life. But it doesn’t have to be a hair-pulling experience.

By applying for Precheck through TSA, security wait times can be eliminated by hours, an amazing benefit for any frequent flier.

Dehydration from flying and drinking alcohol in flight can set you back worse than the actual jet lag from any time difference between locations. Instead, natural forms of relaxation can help save you from mounting travel anxiety and stress without any negative side effects when you land and arrive at your destination to begin your business trip or vacation.

And finally, Frequent Flyer Programs can make travel cheaper and less stressful by making it easier to take care of any problems that arise during the trip.

All in all, using these tried and tested stress-free travel tips, you should have a much easier experience for the next time you travel.