Holistic care for long summer travel: aromatherapy, Bach Flowers and rituals before flying from Dubai

Every July, at my Arabian Ranches studio, the conversations shift: we no longer only talk about the heat — we talk about travel. Suitcases being packed, goodbyes, long flights to Europe, Asia, the Americas. For many women in Dubai, summer is a month of great physical and emotional movement: a change of time zone, of climate, of food, of family, of pace. In over 10 years accompanying holistic processes, I’ve seen how a few simple tools — a couple of well-chosen oils, a Bach Flower formula, a small ritual before flying — can completely change how you arrive and how you return. In this article I share exactly what I recommend to my clients for travelling in summer with body and soul cared for.

My little travel tray, ready to accompany a client this July: the personalised roll-on, the Bach Flower bottle, fresh lavender, the handkerchief. Small things. Big differences.

What the body lives through on a long flight

Before talking about care, it’s worth naming what happens in the body during a 6, 8 or 14-hour flight. This is not a detail: it’s a real physical experience with effects that can last several days if we don’t accompany them.

• Deep dehydration: the relative humidity in the cabin is usually well below comfortable for the human body. Skin loses water, mucous membranes dry out, eyes burn.
• Low barometric pressure: the body swells, especially legs and hands.
• Prolonged immobility: circulation slows down, energy stagnates.
• Recirculated air: little fresh oxygen, particles, artificial aromas.
• Time zone change: the circadian system gets out of order.
• Emotional load: goodbyes, family expectations, role shifts.

Combined with summer in Dubai — which already carries its own load of extreme heat and constant AC — the body arrives at the flight already tired. That’s why a good holistic preparation begins before, not at the airport.

Three days before the flight: starting to release

What works best in consultation is to bring care forward. If your flight is Saturday, we start Wednesday. Not with big changes — with small daily gestures:

• Warm, constant hydration, in sips throughout the day (forget chugging ice water at once).
• Reduce coffee to one cup a day. Caffeine amplifies jetlag.
• Walk 15 minutes outdoors at sunset when Dubai heat allows.
• An infusion of chamomile or lemon balm every night before sleep.
• Go to bed 30 minutes earlier than usual — start “saving” sleep.
• A Reiki session or a massage two or three days before the flight, if you can. It’s probably one of the most useful gifts you can give yourself before travelling.

If you plan ahead, the Bach Flower formula we prepare in consultation also starts three weeks before. It works best when there’s time to integrate.

Bach Flowers for big journeys

Bach Flowers are one of my favourite tools for accompanying long travel. They have no contraindications, are compatible with any medication, don’t affect sleep, and fit perfectly in carry-on. The ones I most use in consultation for travelling clients:

• Walnut — the flower of change. Protects from big energetic shifts.
• Rescue Remedy — the emergency formula. Four drops under the tongue before takeoff, in turbulence, or when the airport gets heavy.
• Mimulus — for women with a clearly identified fear of flying.
• Aspen — for the diffuse fear of the plane, that anxiety with no clear cause.
• Olive — for the exhaustion you drag on board.
• Honeysuckle — if you’re flying home and nostalgia takes over the trip.
• Star of Bethlehem — if the journey leads to a painful family situation or a difficult emotional reunion.

A personalised formula combines 4-7 flowers and is taken four times a day for three weeks around the flight. For regular clients I prepare one formula before their trip and another on their return. It works very well.

Aromatherapy for flying: the essential roll-on

This is probably the most practical tool of all: a personalised 10 ml roll-on. It fits in any cabin toiletry kit, passes security without issue, and can be applied discreetly to wrists, solar plexus and the nape of the neck as many times as you need during the flight.

The oils I use most for travel formulas:

• True lavender — the base of almost all my flight formulas. Calms without sedating.
• Furocoumarin-free bergamot — for anticipatory airport anxiety.
• Sweet marjoram — if you tend to have neck tension on long flights.
• Geranium — for a saturated nervous system.
• Ginger — if you get queasy on bumpy flights.
• Neroli — the kindest oil for fear of flying.
• Roman chamomile — for flights with children or when you’re arriving very reactive.

A personalised formula is prepared in consultation, adapted to your flight, your state and your sensitivities. The small investment in a good formula accompanies you across several trips. If you want to go deeper into aromatherapy for the nervous system, my article on essential oils for stress and anxiety gives you the full detail.

The 24-hour-before ritual

Here is what I most enjoy teaching: a mini-ritual the night before. Nothing complicated, just 20 minutes to prepare body and soul before closing the suitcase.

1. A warm, long, unhurried shower. End the day with warm water, not cold.
2. Body oil after the shower, skin still damp. Sweet almond or jojoba oil with two drops of lavender.
3. A warm infusion while you check the suitcase without stress.
4. The travel roll-on on wrists, plexus and nape before getting into bed.
5. Three long breaths with one hand on the heart. A phrase for you: “I’m going cared for, I’ll return whole”.
6. Phone outside the bedroom. Yes, even that night.

Sleeping well the night before is worth more than ten tips during the flight itself. And this ritual helps.

At the airport and in flight: what I always carry

What goes into my cabin toiletry kit when I travel, and what I recommend to my clients:

• The personalised aromatherapy roll-on.
• The Bach Flower bottle (and Rescue Remedy drops separately if the moment asks for it).
• An empty reusable water bottle (I fill it after security).
• A pair of cotton handkerchiefs (one dry, one with two drops of lavender).
• Cotton socks for the plane.
• A linen or cotton jacket even if it’s hot (planes are cold).
• A rich hand cream (skin dries fast).
• A natural lip balm (same reason).
• My bottle with Himalayan salt — a pinch in each glass of water reactivates hydration.

The roll-ons I most often prepare for travel: lavender + bergamot + neroli for flight day, lavender + marjoram for the night of arrival. Each adapted to each woman.

During the flight:
– Drink warm or room-temperature water in sips, not all at once.
– Get up every 90 minutes to walk — even if just to the bathroom.
– Apply the roll-on every 2-3 hours on wrists and plexus.
– Four drops of Rescue Remedy if there’s turbulence or punctual anxiety.
– Small neck and ankle stretches while seated, every hour.
– Avoid alcohol during the flight. It multiplies jetlag.

On arrival: the first 48 hours set the tone for the whole trip

What you do in the first 48 hours after a long flight determines how you feel the rest of the trip. These are the gestures I most recommend:

1. Morning sunlight in your eyes the day after arrival, for 20 minutes. Reconfigures the circadian rhythm faster than any supplement.
2. A warm shower with two drops of lavender on the shower floor when you reach the accommodation.
3. A warm infusion instead of coffee.
4. Gentle movement: a short walk, not intense training.
5. Simple food for 24 hours: broths, fruit, mild salads.
6. Sleep at local time the first night, even if it costs.
7. The night roll-on before getting into bed the first day.
8. A conscious breath on waking the first day.

If your trip is long (more than a week), a massage three or four days after arriving at destination helps a lot to integrate the change. Any serious therapist will do — ask for something gentle and restorative, not a sports massage.

And on returning to Dubai: the other half of the journey

This part we often forget. Coming back from a long trip is also a journey. Your body needs several days to reintegrate — to the climate, the schedule, the home, the routine, the AC.

My usual recommendation:

• A Reiki or massage session the week of your return, if you can.
• Continue with the Bach formula for two more weeks after returning.
• The roll-on stays your companion.
• Warm hydration the first 5 days — AC and jetlag add up.
• Step outside 5 minutes morning and evening, even when Dubai heat is intense.
• Go to bed early at least 3 nights in a row.

If you want to go a step further, my article on holistic care after the summer goes deeper into how to reset when the whole summer has passed.

About my treatments at Arabian Ranches

If you’d like to go deeper into any of the topics covered in this article, at my Arabian Ranches studio I offer several treatments: Reiki with chakra balancing, therapeutic and aromatherapy massages, manual lymphatic drainage, Bach Flower therapy and personalised essential oil formulas, among others.

📋 See the full list and up-to-date pricing at Treatments.

✨ First visit: includes a free 15-minute initial consultation to understand your case and tailor the treatment. New clients also receive a 10% discount on their first treatment.

Book your session here or contact me if you have any prior questions.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance do I need to ask for the formula?

To make the formula properly, I need a 50-minute consultation and then a couple of days to prepare it and let it rest. Ideally, book your appointment 2-3 weeks before your flight. That gives me time to understand your situation, prepare the formula, and lets you integrate it before the trip.

Can Bach Flowers be carried in cabin?

Yes, no problem. The bottle is 30 ml, well below the liquids limit. You carry it in your cabin kit along with the rest.

Does the aromatherapy roll-on pass airport security?

Yes. It’s 10 ml, perfectly within the limit. Carry it labelled and I’ve never had any client report problems.

Can I receive Reiki if I arrive with strong jetlag?

Yes, and in fact it’s one of my best recommendations. A Reiki session the day after a long flight helps the nervous system reset much faster. My article on Reiki for anxiety explains more about how it works on the nervous system.

Does this care also serve for short weekend trips?

Yes, adapted. For short trips I use a lighter version: just the daytime roll-on, a simpler Bach formula, and the pre and post-flight rituals. For long trips, the full preparation is worth it.

Can I travel with my formula if I’m pregnant?

Yes, with adaptations. Some oils are avoided during pregnancy (clary sage, rosemary, fennel, among others) and the dilution changes. If you’re going to travel pregnant, tell me in consultation and we prepare a formula adequate for your stage.

How long does a roll-on last?

A 10 ml roll-on, used well, lasts 2 to 3 months. For travel it can accompany you across several trips. When it starts to smell different or no longer resonates with you, that’s a good moment to prepare a new formula.