Holiday trips? Hydrate, make lists

Traveling can be stressful at the best of times. Add to that the intense anxiety that seems to be inherent in every holiday season, and it’s clear that travelers could use some help to calm their frayed nerves.

Travel pros say there’s a lot you can do in advance to make your vacation trip happier and less stressful.

Make a list and check things off

A week before you leave, write down what you need to bring and what tasks you need to complete before the trip.

“This can include important packing items, but also simple tasks like removing old food from the fridge or watering the plants,” says Jess Feldman, special projects editor at Travel and Leisure magazine. “The key is to leave the list out throughout the week before heading out. I cross off to-dos throughout the week and it helps me feel prepared and less stressed each time.”

Noise-canceling headphones can go a long way in blocking out annoyances while traveling. However, if you use them, be sure to keep an eye on the scoreboards or your phone during flight or gate changes.

Spotify, YouTube and other websites offer music playlists with names like “Relaxing Chill Out Calming Music for Airports” and “Perfect – Music Travel Relax.” Or try “Music for Airports,” a groundbreaking album that launched the ambient music genre in 1978.

It’s also a good idea to have extra medication, a change of clothes, a toothbrush and a phone charging cable with you just in case.

Bringing some snacks or a sandwich from home can be comforting and a great alternative to expensive options at the airport.

“I tend to pack for worst-case scenarios like flight delays and cancellations. Of course, this also includes bringing things that need to be done, like more than one book, knitting supplies, or a few extra downloaded movies,” says Feldman. For longer trips, she might bring a meal in a Tupperware container.

To combat the dry air on flights, bring an empty water bottle (fill it up after security) and a small travel-sized bag of lip balm and moisturizers.

Hallie Gould, editor-in-chief of Byrdie, a digital beauty site, recommends “hydrating yourself before your flight. This means drinking more fluids and applying moisturizing skin products to increase hydration so that you cover your skin inside and out.”

And don’t forget your hair.

“Just as the low humidity on a plane dries out your skin, it can also dry out your hair. If possible, use a deep conditioner before your trip,” says Gould.

Do app-y and know the rules

“Each airline has different requirements when it comes to the boarding process, pre-paying perks or seat upgrades,” says Feldman. “It is best to understand all of the above before coming to the airport so that you are not caught off guard.”

With the airline’s app you will be informed sooner about gate changes, flight delays or cancellations and can find alternative flights or connections more quickly if necessary.

Security lines can be much longer – and slower – than expected, as can walking through a major airport. So if you give yourself a lot more time, you can reduce stress. As a general rule of thumb, you should arrive at the airport two hours before departure for domestic flights and three hours before departure for international flights.

If you’re early, you can always explore the shops and lounges at the airport or curl up somewhere with a good book.

“I always check in advance if there is a lounge at my departure gate that I can access,” says Feldman. But even without lounge access, she says, “I would like to know what the restaurants and waiting areas (near) the gate are like.”

“If you have a sense of why you feel stressed, it can be helpful to find ways to reduce that stress,” says Lynn F. Bufka, practice director for the American Psychological Association. “If you’re feeling overwhelmed, are there things you can outsource? Is there anyone in your family who can help with some of the planning?”

Be aware that crowds, bad weather and canceled flights are beyond your control.

And some people just don’t like traveling or flying far.

“If it is anxiety, such as fear of flying, it is important to know that it can be treated and that treatment can really improve the quality of life,” says Bufka.

Prepare to be welcomed

Taking a little extra time to declutter your home and making sure you have easy-to-prepare foods in the freezer or pantry will make returning home a lot more pleasant.

“Always, always, always clean your space before you leave on a trip. After a long day of travel, you’ll inevitably feel a little uncomfortable, and coming home to a disorganized space will make it even worse,” says Feldman.

Wash the linens, take out the trash, put away clothes, clean the countertops. “Arriving home to a neat and tidy space is the best homecoming, especially after a long period of absence,” she says.