Unless you’re among the lucky few who can fall asleep on a dime, it’s easy to appreciate tips on how to score solid sleep on your next long-haul flight. And luckily, there’s a few things passengers can do to catch some shut eye.
To start, choose a window seat when booking your reservation, said Shayne Fitz-Coy, a travel expert with Rustic Pathways, a company marketed to students between the ages of 12 and 22.
“It provides a solid surface to lean against while sleeping and gives you control over the window shade, allowing you to create a darker environment,” Fitz-Coy said in a statement shared with Travel + Leisure.
But if you can’t snag a window seat, you can still make an aisle seat work.
“Make sure to utilize the aisle armrest,” he said. “Since you have easy access to the aisle, you can use the aisle armrest as additional support for your head or upper body while sleeping.”
To help passengers stay comfortable, Fitz-Coy recommended loosening their shoelaces before falling asleep.
“Keeping shoelaces too tight for an extended period of time can end up compressing nerves and restricting blood circulation to your feet, allowing your feet to fall asleep midway through your sleep,” he said. “Loosening laces on the plane can help reduce any discomfort and help maintain healthy circulation, which can therefore help you sleep for longer.”
Uncrossing your legs is another tip to help passengers stay as comfortable as possible when crammed in an economy seat.
“Sitting cross-legged limits blood flow on one half of your body, which places extra stress on your lower spine,” Fitz-Coy said. “This can make you uncomfortable and wake you up, therefore disrupting your sleep.”
And while flying may be a reason to celebrate, Fitz-Coy said passengers should resist the urge to order a glass of wine or even a cup of coffee since both alcohol and caffeine can negatively impact sleep.
“It can be tempting to have an alcoholic drink before your flight, either to start celebrating your holiday at the airport or to help calm any pre-flight nerves,” he said. “However, drinking alcohol actually lowers the quality of your sleep as you spend less time in the rapid eye movement (REM) stage, which can make you feel more tired when you wake up.”
Ultimately, being prepared goes a long way and a good sleeping kit is hard to beat. Simply packing an eye mask, a good pillow, and noise-cancelling headphones or ear buds will help any traveler.
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