We share expert advice on how to sleep soundly on a plane so you wake up at your destination refreshed.
Some people are capable of sleeping soundly as soon as the plane leaves the tarmac, while others struggle to sleep on a plane at all. With uncomfortable seating, no leg room and too much light, there’s a lot to contend with when it comes to falling asleep on a plane. Fortunately, there are things you can do to ensure you arrive at your destination well-rested.
Whether you want a power nap on a short flight or you’re aiming to get a full eight hours on a long-haul flight, we’ve asked the experts how to go from wide awake to falling asleep on a plane without even thinking about it. Here, we’ll look at the common challenges we face when trying to sleep on a plane, and share tips on how you can overcome them with just a few simple changes.
With around 100 other people all jammed into a plane there are bound to be some noises that can disturb you. From people talking to young children crying, it’s not the same environment as your own bedroom. Choosing the best sleep earplugs can cancel out noise or play soothing sounds as you drift off.
Some sleep earplugs like the QuietOn 3, feature noise-cancelling technology to block ambient sounds so you can nod off faster. However, you may not want complete noise cancellation, especially if you don’t want to miss important announcements or want to be woken up for plane meals, so choose the right ones for you.
If you’re on a long-haul flight it may be tempting to get your money’s worth in free alcoholic drinks or coffee, but both can leave you feeling alert and dehydrated according to Dave Gibson, a sleep expert at eve Sleep (opens in new tab).
“Caffeine is well known to keep us awake and quickly enters the bloodstream. Alcohol, whilst helping us nod off will then wake us in the later stages of sleep, disrupting sleep quality,» Gibson says. Thus, he recommends drinking water (or non-caffeinated soft drinks) to stay hydrated in mid-air.
Gibson also offers this advice if you want to sleep during your entire trip: «If you intend to sleep on a flight you could also try to hydrate before the flight so that you aren’t prompted to go to the toilet once asleep.”
In addition to walking around the cabin every so often, wearing the right socks will improve blood flow through your legs and feet so you don’t wake up with cramps, pins and needles, or deep vein thrombosis (blood clots). Plus, the temperature on most flights tends to dip as soon as you’re in the air, so a good pair of socks will keep your feet warm, too.
Look for compression socks, which feature a circulation-promoting compression profile to improve blood flow and venous return.
