From difficulty in sleeping to feeling irritated, here are a few signs of travel anxiety. Know how to combat it.

Do you feel overwhelmed with the thought of a travel plan? With a trip due in the upcoming days, do you feel that you are not ready yet? Well, you may be facing travel anxiety. Addressing this, Therapist Carolyn Rubenstein wrote, “Vacation or travel anxiety refers to the feelings of stress or unease that some experience before or during a vacation.⁣ Coping with travel anxiety involves implementing strategies to manage and reduce your stress and anxiety levels.” A lot of people feel extremely overwhelmed with the thought of a trip. Here are a few signs of travel anxiety to watch out for:

Overwhelmed: The feeling of being overwhelmed with the thought of transportation, itinerary, accommodation and safety is a classic sign of travel anxiety.

Difficulty in falling asleep: This overwhelming feeling and travel anxiety often does not allow us to fall asleep or take rest. We are constantly making scenarios in the head of how things can go wrong. This habit of overthinking is also led by travel anxiety.

Feeling irritated: The pressure of planning and preparing for the trip can make us irritated with everything around us.

Double-checking travel details: We are constantly double-checking travel details, dates, and other things. We also constantly seek assurance from others and research excessively on the trip.

However, travel anxiety can be handled with a few strategies:

Plan in advance: It is important to not leave everything for the last minute. Take slow and steady steps in understanding and researching about the trip well in advance.

Seek support: Speak to a family member or a supportive friend about anxiety and understand how you can handle it better.

Set realistic expectations: “Understand that not everything will go perfectly according to plan. Embrace that there will be unexpected challenges or deviations from your itinerary. Flexibility and adaptability can help you navigate such situations with less anxiety,” wrote Carolyn Rubenstein.