Actually Get Some Sleep on the Plane

If you’re not like me, who can sleep anywhere, including a plane where a baby is screaming for 5 hours straight, you probably need some help catching your Zs when you really need to on the airplane. The following infographic can give you ideas on how to get comfortable and actually be refreshed when you arrive at your destination. If you are a light sleeper, you’ll probably want to try a combination of these things. 

 

I always bring a neck pillow when I travel long distance. I have several and have tried a lot of them. Some are better than others, obviously, and I would invest in a good one instead of grabbing one last minute from the airport. My suggestions are the hoodie pillow, which combines a soft hood (that you can wear over pulled down over your eyes), the FaceCradle (especially if you’re tall and need to lean forward to get comfortable) or another pillow that will support your head and neck, like this one that will also work in the car, train, or anywhere else you want to nap. 

I bring an eye mask and a pair of noise-cancelling headphones, because sometimes you just need to block everything out. Usually, I only use my eye mask when I’m in my hotel. I’m not a morning person and being woken up by sunlight directly in my eye is not the way to start a day. It also keeps my allergies under control, which sounds weird, but it works, especially when we have to sleep with the air conditioner on.

Keeping hydrated is important and I pack a water bottle that keeps my drinks hot and cold. Once I’m through security, I get a big bottle of cold water and fill it up. If you don’t want to spend $4-6 on a bottle of water, you can just head to a water fountain. This is the brand I have. I also have a strap for it so Eric can carry it when we’re out and about. This is not the one I have, but it’s pretty cool.

I don’t particularly suggest sleeping less to be tired when you fly. What I do suggest is getting onto your new schedule as soon as possible to avoid jet lag. That means if you’re flying during sleeping hours wherever you’re going, try to sleep, or vice versa. Then when you get there, go to bed at bedtime and it’s more likely you’ll not slow down in the middle of a day. 

How do you stay comfortable on the plane so you can actually sleep in public?