Mid-flight exhaustion is a special kind of torture—the unintentional head nods, the restless legs, the feeling of dread that almost makes you want to ask the flight attendant, “Are we there yet?” Whether you’re halfway through a long-haul flight or on the last leg of a journey with multiple connections, running on no sleep, Biscoff cookies, and in-flight entertainment really makes you question if packing your suitcase and hitting the road was even worth it to begin with.
The key is not to let yourself get to that stage to begin with. And let’s be clear: Getting a few hours of quality sleep doesn’t require splurging on an upgrade to business class. It’s very possible to set yourself up for a good night’s sleep in economy with a bit of planning. As long as you’re willing to make a little extra room in your carry-on for in-flight comfort, sleeping on an airplane (yep, even in the middle seat) isn’t just feasible, it’s actually pretty simple. Here’s how to do it.
Our top tips for better in-flight sleep:
Consider the time zone you’re flying into
The first question to ask: Should you actually be sleeping at all? “If you haven’t started to adjust your schedule before your flight to align with the time zone of your destination, you can start to shift your schedule on the plane,” says Jeff Kahn, co-founder CEO of Rise Science. “Set your watch to the time in your destination’s time zone when boarding the plane, and try to sleep (or not), eat, and get sunlight accordingly.”
“You might also want to avoid eating on the plane if it’s nighttime in your new time zone,” Kahn says. A 2017 study found that eating according to your new time zone while in-flight can speed up the adjustment. If you land at night, or if you find yourself awake during the night, try to resist eating until breakfast time in your new location. Further research shows what you eat may also have an impact: Studies suggest that high-calorie diets may prevent adaptation to your new time zone.
Create your own sleep hygiene amenity kit
Putting in a little extra effort to elevate your in-flight experience will pay off big time once you’re strapped in for a long flight. I love creating my own business class–inspired amenity kit to keep all my sleep essentials easily accessible while also making an economy class seat more comfortable.
“The first things I would advise travelers to pack in their amenity kit are earplugs (or noise-canceling headphones), and an eye mask,” says certified sleep science coach Alex Savy. “It’s crucial to limit the stimuli on the plane since they can easily interrupt sleep.” I like to opt for EarPlanes earplugs which help regulate the cabin pressure and lessen the potential for ear pain. Pop on a pair of noise-canceling headphones, like the ones below from Bowers and Wilkins or JBL, and you’ll be whisked to a relaxing world all of your own, whether you’re listening to white noise or soothing music.
