How to Actually Get Some Sleep On a Plane

If you're anything like me, overnight flights are your worst nightmare. Luckily, I've had my share of overnight trips and have become a bit of an expert on sleeping in awkward positions - I was even quoted in Readers Digest! How cool is that?


Tip 1: Win the airplane lottery. 
By this I mean getting 2 or more seats in a row all to yourself! I myself have won the airplane lottery exactly twice - that should be a decent indicator of how rare this actually happens. I must say though, when I had those seats....It. Was. Amazing. I am a fairly small person and am able to curl up in a ball easily so I just stretched across those seats and made it work. 2 seats can be a little tight, but if you somehow manage to get 3 seats to yourself, you are golden! Just be respectful and keep your feet and head out of the aisle and other people's space! Also, don't be afraid to take advantage of a half-full plane. You can politely ask your flight crew if it's alright to move and odds are they will not have a problem with it. Use that space!

Side note: I once saw someone who had an entire MIDDLE ROW to themselves. They slept sitting upright. They even sat in a middle seat so I couldn't even use the outside few seats to lay down. It was torture. THEY WON THE LOTTERY AND COULD NOT CARE LESS. Anyway.

Tip 2: Use a quality eye mask and/or ear plugs
As I talked about in Reader's Digest (did I mention how cool that is?), I'm a firm believer in an eye mask that soft, comfy and fits snuggly around your nose. Other eye masks can let in light through that little gap and make it much harder to sleep. Also, if you need complete silence, don't be afraid to spring for some quality earplugs or even noise-canceling headphones.

Tip 3: Experiment with sleeping positions (respectfully)
Always, always, always be respectful of other passengers, but don't be afraid to get creative when it comes to sleeping positions! Two of my favorite are: Knees up with blanket over head and facedown on tray table. A few things to keep in mind - It's definitely possible the passenger in front of you can feel your knees so be aware of that. If you feel the seat is thick enough they won't notice, be gentle and don't fidget. It doesn't hurt to just ask them if they can feel it. As for the head-down-on-tray position, WIPE THAT THING DOWN FIRST. Seriously. People change their baby's diapers on it so there can literally be fecal matter on that tray that you are shoving your face on. Don't be afraid to be that person wiping down their seat area. That's what I do!

Tip 4: Plan your pillow
Sleeping on overnight planes can be really difficult, and a lot of people like to use travel neck pillows; however, I've found that unless my head it lower than my body, I really can't sleep. Thus I tend not to use those. I have, however, used my sweatshirt or a spare blanket as a pillow, because let's be real - those tiny pillows they give you are kind of questionable. Just know your sleeping style and  have a game plan going in.

Almost no one emerges from an overnight flight well-rested, but whatever you do, try to avoid weird naps! I'm talking a nap at 8am or a 6-hour long nap. Try your best to adjust to the new time zone and enjoy your trip!

Check out my company at MilesIntoMemoriesTravel.com. I'd love to help you plan your next adventure!

Malena