In the seat
How to calm down on a plane when you feel sick and scared
Six things, in order, all from your seat. Open the vent and aim it at your face. Put the screen away and look at the wing, or close your eyes and rest your head on the headrest. Breathe out slowly for longer than you breathe in, and count. Press your feet into the floor. Say to yourself what is happening: turbulence, uncomfortable, not dangerous, passes. If you use Dizzout, headphones on and press play. Then tell the crew you feel unwell. None of this needs anyone to notice.
Airsick when the bumps start? Drug-free sound therapy through any headphones: Prepare Me for the 10 to 30 minutes before, Motion Sickness Relief for once it starts.Starts in your browser · works with any headphones
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Key facts
- Cool air on the face, eyes on a true horizon and a still head each remove one input the brain is arguing about.
- A longer exhale than inhale is the part of slow breathing that matters most.
- Naming what is happening engages the thinking brain and lowers the alarm.
- Cabin crew deal with nervous and airsick passengers every week and will bring water, ice and a bag without fuss.
- Dizzout is for passengers and can be started from your seat with the seatbelt sign on, with relief in about 90 seconds.
The six steps
- 1.Air. Open the vent and aim it at your face. Cool air on the skin is one of the oldest nausea remedies and it also interrupts the hot, closed-in feeling that feeds panic.
- 2.Eyes. Put the screen and the book away. If you have a window, watch the wing or the horizon; the wing flexing is normal and gives your eyes the motion your inner ear is feeling. No window, or clouds: close your eyes and rest your head firmly against the headrest so it stops moving.
- 3.Breath. In through the nose for about four counts, out through pursed lips for about six. Count the breaths. Keep going for at least two minutes before you decide whether it is working.
- 4.Feet. Press both feet flat into the floor and feel the pressure. Grip and release your hands. This is grounding: it gives the frightened part of the brain a signal that you are here and solid.
- 5.Words. Say what is happening, silently or to the person beside you: this is turbulence, it is uncomfortable, it is not dangerous, it passes in minutes. Naming it engages the part of the brain that can check facts.
- 6.Sound. If you use Dizzout, headphones on and press play on Motion Sickness Relief, eyes still where they were. Dizzout states relief in about 90 seconds for the nausea. Then tell the crew you feel unwell.
What each does for the fear and for the nausea
The first two steps work on the nausea by removing inputs: heat, a false visual horizon, a moving head. The next three work on the fear by shifting the body toward its rest state and engaging the thinking brain. Slow breathing is in both columns: in small controlled studies it lengthened how long people tolerated nauseating motion, and a systematic review links it to higher heart rate variability and lower reported anxiety. The sound session is for the motion sickness side only. Dizzout does not treat anxiety and this page does not say it does.
When to call the crew
Early. Cabin crew would far rather know at the first wave than at the last. They will bring water, ice for the back of your neck, a bag, and a few calm words, and they have seen it all before. If you have chest pain, pain in your arm or jaw, or you faint, tell them at once; that is a medical question, not a nerves one.
Before the next flight, the pre-flight plan and the 30 minutes before boarding are about not arriving at this moment in the first place.
The sixth step, ready in your pocket
Stop Motion Sickness Now
Dizzout is drug-free sound therapy through any headphones, for passengers. Press play from your seat when the nausea starts, with relief in about 90 seconds, or run Prepare Me in the 10 to 30 minutes before boarding. Free to download.
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Questions people ask
How do I calm down during turbulence?
Vent on your face, screen away, eyes on the wing or closed with your head on the headrest, breathe out slowly for longer than you breathe in, press your feet into the floor, and tell yourself what it is: uncomfortable, not dangerous, passes in minutes. Tell the crew if you feel unwell. Most turbulence lasts minutes and pilots change altitude to find smoother air.
What do I do if I feel sick on a plane and start panicking?
Do the breathing first, because it belongs to both problems: in for four, out for six, counting. Then air on your face, eyes on the wing or closed, feet into the floor. If you use Dizzout, press play for the nausea side. Tell the crew. Panic peaks within about ten minutes and passes; motion sickness eases as the motion does.
Can I use Dizzout during a flight?
Yes, as a passenger, with any wired or Bluetooth headphones, from your seat, with the seatbelt sign on. Keep the volume low enough to hear the crew. Dizzout is for the motion sickness side, with relief in about 90 seconds; the fear side has the steps above.
Related
Sources
None of these studies tested Dizzout. They are the general research on anxiety, expectation and breathing.
This content is for general information only and is not medical advice. Dizzout is a wellness app for motion sickness and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition, including anxiety. Speak to a doctor if symptoms are severe or persistent, and to a doctor or therapist if fear is stopping you from travelling.