No number of hours on a plane take away from the horrible, gut-wrenching feeling of an unexpected airport delays or extended layover. Even those layovers you’ve scheduled well in-advance carry with them a sense of liminality and travel anxiety which can only be remedied with some serious mind tricks.
Trust us. We’ve been there.
Ali hates a layover that’s too short. She fears (rightfully so) lost luggage and a missed connection. Alex wants to get to her destination as fast as possible, making the most of every moment. The compromise in between has left both us with various levels of discomfort, especially when we’re eager to get to a show and hope our tickets are waiting at the box office with no problems.
Typically, our layovers include lots of fluids: a Starbucks, pit stop at the bar, and a juice for the next flight. The lengthier layovers, though, require a bit more time to kill, which only opens up space for anxiety. So, often, we sit in silence, staring at our phones, sending the other TikToks to watch while just inches from each other. We zone out from our problems momentarily, dreaming of the hotel bed we hope will be ready for check-in.
That’s the big part: When you’re a groupie, you often spend more time in the airport or bus station than the hotel itself. If you get really good at planning your tour routes, you learn early you can save money by planning a red eye flight to substitute a night in your hotel room. The cheap, budget travel times often mean you’ll be waiting for your room to ready, leaving your loitering once again; this time stranded in a dingy lobby.
We promise we’re having the time of our lives; we’re just so jaded that we can make anything feel miserable.
Here’s our suggestion — find a seat away from your gate. There’s always an empty spot where no flights are boarding any time soon. Sprawl out. While we don’t recommend fully putting yourself to sleep, finding some tranquility might be your only rest for awhile, so embrace it.
Fight Travel Anxiety From Your Phone
NuCalm, an app that uses patented neuroacoustic technology that guides the brain toward a deeply relaxed state, could be a companion in this. While it feels natural to blare the music of the band you’re going to see, sometimes all that does is double down the preshow scaries. Plus, if you’re like us, not all of that music is exactly “calm,” especially when you’re dreaming of the mosh pit that awaits.
“Travel shouldn’t drain you,” Jim Poole, President and CEO of NuCalm said. The groupie lifestyle, though, often does. After all, it’s about more than hitching your next ride. There’re rarely time for sight-seeing let alone a spa day
Thankfully, as Jim said, “Wellness doesn’t have to mean booking a spa appointment or rearranging your day.”
A free trial of the mobile app is available at NuCalm Free Trial.
