To sleep on the flight is for many a nightmare, especially when flying longer distances. If you travel in first class or business class it’s, of course, much easier and comfortable to sleep, but for the rest of us, it’s often a different scenario. Therefore, I thought I would share you my best tips for getting better sleep on your next flight.
Prepare yourself
Being prepared for traveling and have everything ready on time could have a huge impact on your sleep. Fixing everything last-minute will make you stressed, and higher stress levels will make the quality of sleep worse. Therefore, be sure to have everything ready-packed at least a day before.
Comfortable clothing
If it’s a long-haul flight, it is recommended to have loose-fitting clothes, both for health reasons and to be able to sleep better. Comfortable clothes help you to relax and make it easier to move while you’re asleep.
Meditation
Meditation is very powerful and something you could use for many purposes. Your body becomes calmer when you meditate, which helps you sleep better on the flight.
Bring lavender oil
Several studies have been able to show that you get a calming effect when inhaling lavender oil. The studies have also shown that people who inhale lavender oil before and during sleep may lower blood pressure and get a deeper sleep. A good tip is to rub it in your temple area and wrists with lavender oil before going to sleep.
Avoid the Tv screens
Watching films and displays, in general, is not a good idea if you want to sleep. The light makes your brain confused about whether it’s day or night. If they are showing a movie on the aircraft tv screens, don’t start watching the movie if you want to fall asleep.
Write “to do lists”
Many of us, including myself, is thinking a lot before sleeping. It is not unusual that I get my best ideas before I go to sleep. The explanation is simple, and it’s because our brain processes what has happened and what will occur in the future, such as the following day.
To lie down and think is not the best thing to do if you want to sleep. Solution? Write lists of things to do and write down your thoughts, so that you can relax and get some sleep.
Bring something comfortable and familiar
To be comfortable is important. Ideally, the environment should be cozy, and there should be something that you recognize. An aircraft is usually not very cozy or comfortable by itself, so a good tip is to bring something of your own, such as a pillow or a favorite sweater.
Cover your eyes
For me, it is important to cover your eyes and that it’s dark while I try to sleep. On an airplane, it is often light and without an eye mask, your eyes will constantly be disturbed by the light. When it is dark, the body also starts to produce the substance melatonin, which is important for us to be able to sleep properly.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine
Drinking alcohol when flying is common for many travelers, both before and during the flight. However, alcohol is not something that is good for sleep, although some find that you fall asleep more quickly when intoxicated. But even if you manage to fall asleep, the quality of your sleep will be reduced. The same applies to caffeine, which makes us alert.
Quality sleep is better than the quantity. Also, drink some extra water so that you will not have to wake up thirsty, because of the dry air in the aircraft cabin.
Use earplugs
To have a quiet surrounding is almost as important as darkness when sleeping. So, of course, the best combo will be to use both earplugs and a sleeping mask. The earplugs also protect you from the loud sounds of the aircraft engines.
Stock up on sleep
Tried everything and still not managing to get some sleep? You can stay calm; there is something that will suit you too. Studies have shown that it is possible to stock up on sleep. You can do this by sleeping a few hours extra the days before traveling. The result? You will be more alert and fresh than otherwise.