zzzzzzzz...
One thing I have not dialed in during my decades of travel is sleeping on planes. Sleep is so necessary and yet so elusive for so many of us. This is really on my mind right now, as we have a trans-Atlantic flight coming up this fall.
My husband and I have been on two red eye flights from the Pacific Northwest to Virginia in the past few months and boy did those wreck us. We would get an hour or two during the long flight — with layovers in Chicago and Charlotte — and a short nap on the second flight to our home airport. Once home, we both were useless until we took long naps of several hours.
When we fly to Europe from Virginia, we try to schedule the overseas flight for as late in the evening as possible so that we are really tired. Before the flight, I make sure to get plenty of exercise and do yoga. On the plane, I use a white noise app, an eye mask, and have tried a variety of neck cushions, then I work on focused breathing and relaxing my body. I usually end up in sort of a semi-conscious/dozing state, with some periods of actual sleep interspersed. Luckily, once we hit the ground in Portugal, France, or wherever, adrenaline and coffee keep me going all day.
Yes, we always fly economy, so of course our sleep sucks. Alas, business class is not in our budget, so I can only imagine how comfortable those lay-flat seats might be.
I dress in comfortable, breathable clothes and have more layers if I need them. I’ve tried melatonin, which simply does not work, but I have not tried other sleep meds because I worry about them really messing me up on a travel day.
In spite of all this, I remain hopeful that I can find something that helps.
So today I’d like to know how you sleep on planes. What works for you and what advice might you have? Maybe we all can crowdsource our collective sleep issues together.
Flying Virginia to Europe, I go with the “body comfort” stuff; Long scarfed tied around the tray to uses a hammock for my feet, in addition to a neck pillow I find that if I bring a small Travel pillow to hold in my lap to rest my arms, it helps keep my head and neck upright, and if I’m lucky, I get to be by the window and can slump against the window. Along with these body, comfort strategies when Flying to New Zealand I go for big guns prescription sleep medication!
I fly internationally a few times a year for business, in Premium Economy, and I have not conquered this. It's partly that I am short, I think? I might need a foot hammock? I do take melatonin and it sometimes works. And sometimes I take Advil PM but it's such a bad drug. A friend of mine pops a prescription sleeping pill and loves it. Looking forward to reading the comments here for inspiration.