 We explain how you can stay calm when flying. This is Simon. He can't wait to finally see his girlfriend again. But when he gets to the check-in, his excitement is suddenly gone. Beads of sweat start to form on his forehead. Soon he's in the plane and he's scared. But what is happening in his body? In evolutionary terms, this reaction is a logical protective reaction produced by our body. We sense something and the body reacts immediately without our conscious control. Hormones such as adrenaline are released. Picture a caveman who meets a saber-toothed tiger. In an instant he has to be able to fight or flee. His body recognizes the danger and immediately provides energy. Increased heart rate, shallow breathing. Blood rushes from the brain to the arms and legs. Digestive activities are minimized. Stomach is tense. His pupils dilate. Saliva becomes thicker and he gets sweaty palms. The caveman defeats the saber-toothed tiger with all his energy and then has a rest. But since Simon is sitting in the plane, all this energy bothers him. His brain is suffering from a poor blood supply. He can't think clearly anymore and his control over his feelings has been lost. Since Simon also doesn't want to start a fight with his fellow passengers, he tries finding another way to get a grip on himself. Simon tries to calm himself and relax his stomach. He shakes his hands, shoulders and head. He takes a deep breath and lets the blood rush back into his brain. Now he has control over his body and he can spend the rest of the flight talking to his neighbor. When Simon finally sees his girlfriend, the process starts all over again. But that's probably for another reason. Before his return flight, Simon practices how to keep his physical reactions under control. For example, the swing set gives him a very similar feeling to take off. At that moment, he gives a long, powerful exhale. Simon also does short sprints, quickly turning and coming to a sudden halt. Dizziness and a rapid heartbeat can be controlled with his breathing. This helps him get used to all the symptoms and know that he can change them. Before the flight, he does a lot of sport so that he has as little adrenaline left as possible. Now when he's in the plane, he can concentrate on more important things instead.