Screaming children. Noise from video games and movies. Not enough legroom. Sunlight pouring into your face from the window at 30,000 feet. Air travel comes with lots of hassles and distractions, and sometimes can make you uncomfortable to sleep.
If you find it difficult to sleep during long flights, there are a couple of things you can do to help you get some shuteye on a plane.
Below are the top 5 travel-tested tips you should adhere to if you want to sleep better on your next long flights.
1. Choose your seat wisely
If you struggle to sleep on long flights, your seat location and positioning could be the major cause. When choosing a seat on a long flight, if possible, choose a window seat so that you get something to lean on and relax. A window seat also gets you away from the worry of other passengers who will often visit the bathroom. Plus, you will have control over the window shade.
Don’t fall for the trap of exit row seats or bulkhead, as some of these seats do not recline. Yes, these seats have great legroom, but you may find it difficult to raise or adjust some bulkhead seats. Sleeping on an exit row seat or bulkhead seat is like sleeping in a straitjacket, especially when yeb entire row is empty or the seat next to yours is unoccupied.
The last row of a plane can also make you struggle to sleep during a long flight. These seats are located near the lavatories, which can be an issue in terms of odor and noise. Plus, these seats do not recline.
2. Cut down on your carry-ons
Another great tip to try out if you struggle to sleep on a long flight is to cut down on your carry-ons. If you have more than one carry-ons, one of the bags may end close to your feet, which will reduce your legroom. Instead of traveling with more than one bag, you can pack lighter so that all your belongings will fit in just one bag. Before you stow your carry-on in the plane’s storage compartment, remove those things that you will need (a book or magazine, a bottle of water, or a snack) and keep them in the back of the seat in front of you.
3. Skip the caffeine
You will surely find it very difficult to sleep if you have caffeine running through your veins, especially on a daytime flight, where the noise from video games and movies can distract you. Don’t be tempted to take a bottle of soda or have a cup of coffee before or during a long flight. Instead, stick to juice or possibly water, when the flight crew comes around with the drink cart.
4. Try a sleep aid
We are not medical experts and cannot recommend or advise you on the sleep aid to use. You can consult with your physician for medical advice on drugs for insomnia. Prior to boarding a long flight, be sure to test-drive any sleep aid drug recommended by your physician, as some sleep aid drugs have side effects like hallucinations, sleep-eating, memory loss, and sleep-driving.
5. Take it easy on your arrival day.
Even frequent travelers do struggle to sleep on a long flight because of some of the factors we already mentioned above – uncomfortable seats, noise, and the excitement to meet their loved ones upon arrival. The excitement to meet your loved ones can hinder you from getting quality rest in-flight. Your best bet is to acclimate with the local time zone of the location you are headed. Take things easy and don’t schedule too much activity on your arrival day.