Getting good rest while aboard is not always easy, but frequent travellers and sleep experts have shared their strategies for dozing off at 30,000 feet. From managing anxiety to avoiding risky combinations, here's how to improve your chances of sleep on a plane.
Brian Kelly, also known as The Points Guy, clocks up about 300,000 miles in the air every year, often in first or business class. He says the key is total privacy: 'You are in your own cocoon rather than in an open-air seat where the cabin is much louder.' For those in economy, however, the experience is vastly different.
Jamie Zeitzer, an associate professor at Stanford University, explains that stress and anxiety are two major barriers within our control. 'When you worry about falling asleep, you won't fall asleep,' he says. He recommends zoning out and imagining yourself elsewhere to mitigate the claustrophobic feeling, and suggests using an eye mask with noise-cancelling headphones and music to block out the world.
Betty Thesky, a flight attendant with 30 years of experience, warns against combining alcohol and sleeping pills. 'People end up in jail, they take their clothes off... it’s dangerous,' she says. Instead, she advises looking for empty seats further back in the cabin, which are often available when the front of economy is packed.
While some swear by melatonin supplements, Zeitzer advises caution as it is an unregulated substance with few reliable studies. Ultimately, the key is to find a method that works for you without causing disruption or risk.
