BATON ROUGE — You have probably heard all your life that flying is the safest way to travel, but that may be little comfort for people who get anxious before getting on a plane. If you are one of those people, you are not alone.

"Flying is stressful. Over 25 million Americans indicate that they have some level of fear around flying, so it is quite common. For some, it can create some sleepless nights and a little bit of anxiety. For others, it can be debilitating," Psychologist Dr. Susan Albers said.

Experts recommend reading up on safety statistics before your next flight.

Watching different videos about how planes work and what passengers experience can help as well.

On the day of your flight, arriving at the airport early to avoid any added stress is recommended.

If nerves strike before boarding, try to focus on all the things you are looking forward to once you land.

It is also a good idea to bring something to keep you busy during the flight.

"Focus on creating a calming environment, whether it is bringing noise-canceling headphones, bringing snacks, downloading movies, games – anything that's going to help to keep your mind distracted, so you are not ruminating, or worrying or playing the what ifs over and over again. This is going to help to make your flight go much faster and to reduce your anxiety," Dr. Albers said.

If you continue to have anxiety about flying, you may want to talk to a mental health professional about personal strategies to overcome your fear.