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Alcohol and Sedatives: What the Research Says

3 min read

The short answer

A drink or a sedative can seem like a quick fix, but research shows they often backfire. In one study, nervous flyers given a sedative felt calmer on their first flight but panicked far more on the next one. Calming skills you learn yourself keep working — and if you're considering medication, talk to your doctor.

Why People Reach for Them

When you're scared, it's natural to want something that switches the fear off. Many people try a drink at the airport, or ask a doctor for a sedative such as diazepam. It's an understandable choice — but often not a helpful one.

What a Key Study Found

In a study published in 1997, 28 women with a fear of flying took two flights a week apart. Before the first flight, half were given a common anti-anxiety tablet (alprazolam, sold as Xanax). The other half received a dummy pill.

  • On the first flight, the tablet group said they felt calmer. Yet their heart rate and breathing were faster than the other group's.
  • On the second flight a week later, the tablet group felt more anxious than the others. Panic attacks in that group rose from 7% to 71%.

The researchers concluded that the tablet got in the way of learning. The brain never got the chance to discover that it could cope.

Alcohol on Board

  • Alcohol relaxes you briefly, but as it wears off, anxiety often returns stronger.
  • The cabin is pressurised to the height of a small mountain. In a 2024 German study, healthy young adults who drank and then slept at cabin pressure had lower oxygen levels and faster heart rates.
  • A racing heart can feel just like anxiety, which can make you more nervous.
  • Alcohol also dehydrates you and disturbs your sleep.

Sedatives

In the UK, many GP practices no longer prescribe diazepam for flying. Their reasons include:

  • Official prescribing guidance advises against these medicines for phobias.
  • Sedated passengers may struggle to follow the crew's instructions.
  • Heavy, drugged sleep means moving less, which may raise the risk of blood clots on long flights.
  • A few people react the opposite way and become agitated.
  • These medicines are controlled or banned in some countries.

Other Medicines

Not every medicine works like a sedative.

  • Your usual medicines: keep taking them as normal, unless your doctor says otherwise. Pack them in your hand luggage, in their original boxes, with a copy of your prescription.
  • Beta-blockers such as propranolol: some doctors prescribe these for the physical signs of anxiety, like sweating and shaking. They aren't a sedative. They're prescription-only and not right for everyone, for example some people with asthma. Your doctor will decide.
  • Travel sickness remedies: pharmacies sell tablets and patches. A pharmacist can recommend the right one for you.

What This Means for You

  • This isn't about judging anyone. Don't stop or change any medication without talking to your doctor.
  • If you're thinking about medication for a flight, discuss it with a doctor who knows your health.
  • If you'd like a drink, keep it small and have water too.
  • Skills you learn yourself — breathing, grounding and understanding what's happening — work on every flight. They get stronger each time.

Sources

Keep reading

Which Treatments Work for Fear of Flying?

What the evidence says about CBT, exposure, virtual reality, courses, online programmes and medication — and where to start.

Why Controlled Breathing Actually Works

Why slow breathing calms your body so quickly — and how to use it on a plane.

Building Long-Term Flight Confidence

How fear of flying fades over time — and the proven steps that make flying feel easier, then normal.

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