Summary
- Choose a window seat to maximize your chances of sleeping well on a plane.
- Bring your own ergonomic pillow to ensure a restful sleep, and be sure to drink enough water.
- Prioritize comfort over fashion when dressing for a flight and avoid blue light from electronic devices.
If you’re an aviation enthusiast, you probably tend to make the most of every flight you take. From taking pictures of the interiors and the beautiful landscapes from high in the sky, enjoying a snack (especially if complimentary), or exploring the features of the in-flight entertainment system, there is no room left for sleeping.
However, even if you love planes, it might be a good idea to get some rest, especially if you are flying long-haul and want to feel recharged upon arrival. Falling asleep while flying economy class is not always easy. More people translates into a more noisy environment, personal space is reduced to a minimum, and you might not always be lucky with the passengers sitting next to you.
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If you feel you’re part of the “can’t sleep on a plane” team, travel expert James Smith might have some exciting tips. And don’t worry – you don’t need to fly in a premium cabin to arrive at your destination well-rested.
1 Aisle or window seat? Always go for window!
Once upon a time, passengers were asked this question at the check-in counter. However, this choice was progressively taken away when airlines realized that seat allocation could be leveraged to boost revenue.
Although most airlines now make you pay to choose your preferred seat, there are still occasions where check-in agents let the passengers decide where to sit, especially if the flight is not fully booked. If you are lucky enough to be asked this question, you should go for a window seat.
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Although an aisle seat might provide more legroom, it is not the best choice if you want to sleep during the flight. Indeed, you are more exposed to cabin crew moving up and down the aisle with food and drink carts during the in-flight meal service and passengers walking to stretch or go to the bathroom.
On the other hand, a window seat provides you with a wall to lean on. Additionally, you would not have to get up to let anyone go to the bathroom, a burden reserved for those seated on the aisle.
2 BYOP
A good pillow is one detail you should not forget about when flying long-haul.
Although most airlines provide passengers with a pillow on long-range services, not all pillows will ensure a genuinely resting sleep. You are looking for an ergonomic travel pillow that prevents your head from dropping forward when you are asleep, interrupting your sleep cycle, and hurting your neck. A U-shaped pillow wrapped around the neck and supporting the chin proved to be the most efficient in limiting head movements to a minimum.
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A good, ergonomic pillow is not only essential to prevent neck pain. Research shows that the human body is not designed to sleep upright since such a position stresses the body, causing backache – something you’d like to avoid on a long flight. However, a good pillow placed across the lower seatback will support the natural S-curve of the spine, thus limiting the negative effect of being seated for several hours.
3 Comfort, not fashion, is key
Let’s be honest. Flying allows you to show your style to so many people that it would be a waste not to fashion up your travel outfit.
However, remember that although being fashionable will help you turn heads during the trip, it might become your greatest enemy when trying to fall asleep. The challenge is to show your style through loose-fitting clothes made of breathable fabric. You might also want to consider layers to fight cabin temperature changes. Indeed, it has been shown that 60% of aircraft cabins are subject to temperature changes of up to ten degrees Celcius.
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A relevant garment not to forget is bed socks. Although some airlines provide them in economy class, you don’t want to wait until you’re onboard to find out if your airline does. Research shows that bed socks can improve sleeping by 7.6%, reduce sleep awakenings by 7.5 times, and add 32 minutes of sleep on average.
4 Take the chance to disconnect
It is common knowledge that the blue light of electronic devices negatively impacts the sleep cycle.
Photo: Alexey Fedorenko/Shutterstock
More precisely, blue light interferes with the production of melatonin, one of the hormones involved in regulating sleep. Therefore, if you’re eager to sleep during the flight, why not choose a good book? Alternatively, it could help to listen to some music to relax. You could opt for pink noise, where the intensity decreases as the frequency increases. Good examples of pink noise are beach waves, steady rainfall, and rustling leaves. A study shows that listening to pink noise can reduce the time required to fall asleep by up to 38%.
5 “Would you like a cup of coffee?”
No matter how much you love coffee – the correct answer to this question is “No, thanks.”
Although coffee is one of the most common drinks offered or purchased onboard, it should be avoided, as caffeine disrupts sleep. The same applies to alcoholic beverages. It’s okay to accompany your dinner with a can of beer or a glass of wine. However, think about your plans for the rest of the flight. If sleeping is the idea, it would be advised to go for some water.
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Did you know that aircraft cabin air is usually 20% less humid than air on the ground? This could cause your nasal passages to dry up, thus making it more difficult to catch some sleep. Experts, therefore, suggest drinking at least one cup of water each hour to reduce the adverse effects of the dry environment on your sleeping patterns.
Do you know any other good tips to induce sleep during a flight? Let us know by clicking on the comment button below!
Sources: Travel Lingual, Casper.