Sleep, shuteye, catching some zzz’s – whatever you call it, it’s hard to come by in an economy class airplane seat. Use these tactics to improve your chances of sleeping on your next flight.
A, ahem, sort of health warning: this blog does not address the use of medications as a sleep aid or meditative techniques. Nor does it take in to account matching sleep patterns with destinations times to reduce the effect of jetlag.
BEFORE YOUR FLIGHT
Choose your seat wisely at check in…
- Research the best seats on your flight using SeatGuru.com
- Pick a window seat so you have control of the window shade, and so you’re not disturbed by other passengers heading to the bathroom
- Avoid bulkhead (exit row) seats – they’re often reserved for families, and we all know children make noise; many don’t recline; contrary to popular belief, not all have more legroom – some have less
- Avoid the last row – often these do not recline; you’re close to the bathroom(s), which means doors opening and closing and people congregating nearby; some planes have a galley at the back, and that means crashes and bangs
Come prepared…
- They’re far from perfect, but those inflatable neck-pillows do a great job of supporting the substantial weight of your head – they’re not always the softest material (and the joins can cut into your neck) so wrap it in a thin piece of material like a shawl or T-shirt
- Noise is a big interrupter of sleep, and we all know how noisy planes can be – take control by wearing earplugs or splash out on some noise-canceling headphones. Pro: They really are effective at blocking out unwanted sounds. Con: They are expensive pieces of kit and they get in the way if you like to lean the side of your head on a headrest when sleeping
- Just like noise, lots of light can make sleeping difficult – the free blindfolds in economy aren’t the most comfortable, so seek out a more deluxe version that’s padded, has a nice wide adjustable strap and is designed to follow the contours of the face
Don’t fuel up the wrong way…
- Avoid caffeine all day if possible (in particular coffee and soda)
- While it may assist the onset of sleep, alcohol is also known to disturb sleep too – for some for it will be a useful sleep aid, but for many others it may be best avoided
Eager to find more ways to beat that in-flight insomnia? Check out Part 2 of our guide on how to sleep on a plane.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
(Images: Zach Klein, dospaz, BVStarr)
