Mission Impossible: Sleeping on Airplanes

Let's face it, sleeping on airplanes can be one of the hardest aspects of travel. We are tired as is, and for most of us, we don't have the budget for the fancy 1st class beds. So what's a person to do? Well, for me, a glass of white wine is a big help to feel relaxed enough to eventually dose off to sleep Heaven. Another tactic I learned in preparation for a 13-hour long flight to Australia was to stay up the night before, so that once I was on the plane the next day I was exhausted enough that I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. Though these tips work for me, I don't have all the answers, so I reached out to fellow travelers to share their best tips for sleeping on an airplane. 

"If it's an overnight flight, take the middle section of the seats and sit in the 2nd seat from the aisle. If you sit on the end people will wake you up to use the bathroom but if you take the 2nd seat, the person on your left will ask the other side to get up to use the bathroom. Don't sit too close to the bathroom because there is a constant coming and going of people who will talk, plus the flushing of the toilet." - Francesco, Italy

"I get jet lag flying to Europe west to east. For a night flight I go to bed a half hour earlier each night for a few days so I will fall asleep after dinner on the flight. I stay away from caffeine for a couple of days before leaving. I use a sleep  mask to make it dark." - Jaclyn, California 
Twitter: @jaclyncarmichae

"Put on your earmuffs, sleeping mask, and hoodie. Pull your arms in from your sleeves and tuck your knees up into your hoodie in a fetal position. Let your body roll and rest wherever it may fall, even on the stranger next to you. You’ll feel like you’re right back in the womb. Only works for short people, so if you’re tall, you’re not sleeping" - Steven, California 
Twitter: @stevenlma
​Instagram: @stevenlma


​"To get a good night's rest on the plane, I would actually take a blanket and a pillow or two blankets. I would also take a set of ear plugs and/or earbuds. Then I would say that the day that you're getting ready to fly, you want to look at the time zone that you're flying to and then adjust the day of the flight so that you start preparing yourself for the new time zone. This might mean you need to get up earlier in the morning so that you allow yourself to quickly get onto a new time zone. Avoid alcohol and drink plenty of water." - Geri, California