(New York) — If you’re planning to travel by air over Christmas and New Year’s, you could be among the tens of thousands of passengers who had their flights canceled last week.
More than 20,000 flights across the United States have been canceled since last Wednesday due to weather, airline and airport disruptions, according to ABC News, which analyzed data from flight tracking service FlightAware.
The problem is expected to last at least through the weekend.
Experts offered advice on what you can do to stay calm rather than stressed, panicked and anxious about flight delays and cancellations.
Accept that you may be stressed
One of the best ways to manage stress is to recognize when you’re stressed from the start, Aaron Bruinen, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told ABC News. I’m talking
“So always check yourself to see if you’re really overwhelmed right now,” he said. because it’s time to do it.”
Brinen recommends stopping and seeing if you’re stressed, compared to a traffic light.
Just take a moment to take a breath and think, “Am I a red light, I mean stop. Do I need to take care of myself now?” Am I yellow light, be careful and slow down, or am I green light?
Brinen added that while people are frustrated and saddened by the mass cancellations, it’s okay to feel stressed and anxious about feeling this way.
“Accepting should not be confused with being accepted,” he said. Stay like this forever
focus on feeling good
Dr. Luana Marquez, associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, told ABC News: “So what I tell my patients is an approach to getting out of that anxious brain.”
One of these approaches is to take control of your powers so that you don’t feel helpless and focus on “shifting your perspective” and feeling better.
Marques says her mother was recently stuck in Boston and recommended these techniques to her.
“So what I said to her in that moment was, ‘Let’s see what we can control.’ What, if anything, can help you feel better?”
Marques continues: So she just went to sewing for a bit and that helped her. ”
meditate or listen to music
Experts say one of the tips for staying calm is to practice meditation and mindfulness.
This can take the form of breathing, mentally focusing on sounds and visual images, and repeating words and phrases, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health.
Although studies have shown mixed results, one study from Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital found that people who practiced meditation had changes in genes that regulate glucose metabolism, circadian rhythms and inflammation, and improved blood pressure. helped reduce the
Listening to your favorite music is another way to reduce stress. Studies show that this lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which helps you relax.
Additionally, studies show that listening to your favorite music releases a chemical called dopamine in your brain that makes you feel better.
Panic attack management
If you are prone to panic attacks, experts recommend taking some steps to prevent panic attacks.
“Remember that they will pass, they will last 10 minutes, they will be uncomfortable, and you will be tired later,” Brynne said. If you’re having panic attacks, now’s the time to double or triple the skills you know.”
This includes mindfulness practices, exercise such as taking a walk if you’re stuck at the airport, or cognitive restructuring, a set of techniques that help people identify and change negative thought patterns. increase.
Make sure you are eating and drinking
Experts recommend making sure you’re eating and drinking while you’re waiting for your flight or train, whether you’re stuck at the airport or in the city.
Anxiety and stress can cause anorexia, so it’s important not to space meals too far apart.
Marques said he’s seen some patients confuse mental health symptoms with hunger side effects.
“I’ve often seen my patients confuse anxiety with hunger, so they say they’re anxious when they’re actually hungry,” she said. I think it’s important to separate the misconception that you’re hungry and not even anxious.”
Brinen said to try to eat something similar to what you eat regularly at home and be careful not to consume too much stimulants like nicotine or caffeine.
“If you find yourself getting really nervous and nervous, see if you’ve stepped away from the half pack. [of cigarettes] In a pack or half a pack? He said. “Have you had more coffee? Are you digging into chocolate because you only have chocolate? Well, it’s full of caffeine.”
He said, “Stimulants make us more aroused, so if you suddenly find yourself snapping at people, you want to be really careful.
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