I personally don't get nervous when traveling, but on a plane I sat next to my mother, best friend, and several strangers who had always been afraid of flying. This resonated with me and also questioned my own confidence in being silent in flight. While flying can be scary, the SkyGuru travel app may help reduce stress. Launched in early September, SkyGuru aims to help people overcome their fear of flying, and it works in a rather unexpected way. (Honestly, I really wish this app had existed when my mom held my hand so tightly a few years ago that I thought it would break during the one-hour flight from the UK to Ireland.)
Rather than trying to distract people from what’s happening in the sky or encourage them to stay calm, the SkyGuru travel app uses expert aviation data to educate passengers on the noise and bumps that can cause anxiety. SkyGuru uses your phone's microphone, gyroscope, compass, accelerometer, barometer and built-in aviation weather forecast to download all the data for your flight before departure. When the app goes into airplane mode on a plane, it reassures nervous passengers by telling them what's going on.
Those of us who suffer from severe flight anxiety can listen to the show on board and learn more about the situations that cause stress, such as why the flight lights flash, why the blinds need to be open and, of course, what causes all this turbulence. Reassuring messages such as "Control yourself not the plane" will also be sent to users.
The app was designed by Alex Gervash, an Israeli pilot and psychologist who runs an aerophobia research and treatment center called Fearless Flying. Gerwash revealed in an interview with the Daily Mail that he has more than eight years of experience dealing with frightened passengers. Gervase also believes that when humans face stress, they need more information and support to help them cope with the situation. “People need support in times of turmoil, or need to understand strange voices,” he said.
Researchers estimate that 30% of the world's population is afraid of flying, so what other techniques can help you relax and unwind when you're 60,000 feet above the ground? In addition to finding cheap flights (because, let's face it, that will definitely help reduce stress on and off the ground), these three travel tips might also be worth trying.
1. Virtual reality games
Game developer Theresa Durer has a fear of flying. So she decided to create a game to distract her from being on the plane. Ascension VR has nothing to do with soaring into the sky, but rather places players in a fantasy world. It can be played on the Samsung Gear VR mobile headset, launched in August 2016.
2. Meditation
Research proves that trying to stay calm in the face of something that makes you nervous can actually have the opposite effect. However, downloading an app for in-flight meditation may help distract you and keep you calm—luckily, there are plenty of options. this is also a good idea
3. Stay logical
Before a big flight, I sometimes like to google "Is it safe to fly?" just to put my mind at ease (because: logic). I also love being able to tell some facts to people nearby who are more scared than me. Some of my favorite bits of information that will reassure any nervous pilot include the fact that you are more likely to die from a bee sting or fall out of bed than from a plane crash, and that every time we fly, we have One in 100,000 (0.000014%) chance of death.
Still nervous? Of course you are not.
Image: Giphy (3)
