“When we finally sit down on the plane, it might be the first time in days we have relaxed in mind and body which can be overwhelming emotionally and can lead to a physical release. For some, this will result in shedding a tear of relief or exhaustion,” she explains.
There are also more sentimental associations with traveling that can make us more likely to tear up. “Air travel may involve emotional triggers, such as saying goodbye to loved ones or coming back from a stressful business trip, in addition to travel fatigue,” explains James. “These emotional triggers, combined with the discomfort of traveling, can make people feel more vulnerable.”
This vulnerability could be a hangover from our parents’ and grandparents’ generations. They were the first to adapt to aviation as a reliable form of transportation, and many of their concerns were passed onto their children – many of us are still distinctly distrustful of an airplane’s safety systems. Plus, there are verified phobias associated with flying, from claustrophobia and acrophobia to aviophobia. The lack of control and nervousness about placing your safety into the hands of another can cause feelings of severe anxiety and nervousness.
Are there any physiological reasons we’re more likely to cry on a plane?
Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist, advisor and author, explains that our emotional turmoil once we take off is linked to what happens to our bodies physically. “For some people, travel makes them nervous, but hypoxia is the main differentiator in air travel in terms of impact on the brain physiologically,” she tells us. “The lower than usual air pressure causes mild hypoxia in the brain (low oxygen levels). These affect our cognition and make us less able to regulate our emotions and manage stress. This is usually manifested by people crying when watching sad movies or generally feeling on edge.”
Other physical changes happen to our bodies when we fly, too. “The air pressure inside the ear is regulated by a narrow passage called the Eustachian tube, an opening that connects the middle ear with the nasal-sinus cavity, which helps to regulate pressure inside the ear in accordance with our surroundings,” James explains. “The process of adapting the pressure inside the ears causes the muscles controlling the Eustachian tube to open up, which can result in a painful popping sensation and can even cause the eardrum to stretch.” It’s an uncomfortable feeling, resulting in irritation and a reduced ability to handle stress or emotion, and, therefore, an increased risk of crying as a result—“This can be why children often tend to cry more during the flight, for example, as the smaller the Eustachian tubes, the more discomfort caused.”
On top of this, “airplanes keep their humidity levels at about 10-20 percent to prevent structural damage to the plane, which is quite a bit lower than the 35-65 percent humidity which humans are comfortable with,” James continues. “Dry air means that we lose more water through evaporation and breathing, which can lead to mild dehydration, often resulting in mood imbalances and feeling more emotional.”
Is there a link between loss of phone signal and heightened emotions?
Airplanes are one of the few places where we are forced to switch off from the outside world without any internet connection or access to social media (although that is rapidly changing). For most of our day-to-day lives we are constantly switched on, so remaining uncontactable during a flight could allow us to tap into otherwise suppressed emotions. “In today’s world, sitting on a plane is often a time for us to be still and not have the distraction of social media, emails and being busy, which can create a sense of vulnerability which can be very anxiety provoking,” Jo tells us. “This is likely to be worse if we tend to use social media and being busy as methods to soothe ourselves and avoid difficult feelings as a way to manage our anxiety.”
