Lessen Your Travel Stresses With This Unexpected Airport Trend

We all know how stressful the airport can be. Everyone wants to unplug and disconnect during vacation, but traveling can undo our whole holiday mindset. Between airport parking, crying children, and harried travelers, the experience can quickly become very unpleasant. While many airlines have meditation programs on their in-flight entertainment systems, you have to wait until you're actually on the plane to take advantage of them. What about the airport? As it turns out, there is a trend that has been building for over a decade that can really help you board the plane in a good state of mind. Specifically, many airports have added yoga rooms to their facilities. For instance, in 2012, San Francisco International Airport added one between Terminals 1 and 2, with another added later in Terminal 3. 

You don't have to be a great yogi or even that familiar with the practice to use these rooms. You can simply stretch (which is helpful before sitting still on a plane for hours) or sit quietly and meditate, away from the maddening crowds. They're also generally free, and some have mats and other accessories for you to use. You're waiting around for your flight to leave anyway. Why not take advantage of these oases of calm and relaxation while you do so? 

Yoga can help with stress levels and improve your mood, making yoga rooms one of the best airport trends we've heard of. In the U.S., there are space's in Chicago's O'Hare and Midway, as well as Burlington International Airport in Vermont. Miami has not only a yoga room but also therapy dogs that can help travelers stay calm. Sioux Falls has one near its business terminal, and you'll find another in New York's JFK airport at JetBlue's Terminal 5. On the international side, there's a yoga room in Frankfurt Airport at Terminal 2, as well as ones in London's Gatwick and Heathrow facilities, and in Hong Kong International Airport. There is also one in Helsinki Airport along with a quiet room.

As we mentioned, many of these rooms have yoga mats and accessories like blocks, cushions, and straps. But in case they don't (or if you don't want to use something a bunch of other people have touched), you can bring your own vacation yoga gear. If you're someone who regularly takes yoga retreats, you may already have some, but if not, here are a few ideas. If you're not traveling in comfortable pants, throw some leggings or stretchy shorts into your bag. Antibacterial gel is also a good idea since you may have your hands on the floor. If you use blocks, you can substitute a book or the top of your suitcase. If you use straps for stretching assistance, bring a rolled up bathrobe belt. There are some great travel yoga mats that fold up well, like one from Primasole that costs around $16 on Amazon and won't take up much space. You can use it in the hotel, too.