There are many people who experience difficulties with having a good rest during air travels and falling asleep in particular. There might be different reasons: information and offers from flight attendants, noisy neighbors,, and even narrow and uncomfortable seats if it is an economy class.

People try to make travel as comfortable as possible to feel fit when they get to a final destination. Individuals who manage to fall asleep during the journey can be called the lucky ones. Fortunately, they share some tips with others. Below, AirBusinessClass has provided a list of the most useful recommendations that will help you sleep during a flight.

Choose a Seat near the Window

Sitting near the window, you will feel calmer. Since it is far from the passageway, you may not worry that somebody will be touching you on a way to a restroom, for example, and flight attendants won’t disturb you anytime they offer some help or service. Besides, try to take a seat in front of the cabin, as far from restrooms as possible. Apart from queues of those who want to refresh, you may be unpleasantly surprised that a seat can’t be reclined. And if you happen to have a seat in front of flight attendant areas, it can turn out to be noisy as well.

Feel Comfortable in a New Time Zone

Before a long air travel, you should take into account the inconveniences that might accompany the shift of time zones. You do not want to experience jet lag, do you? It would be great if you could adjust your schedule so that you get used to a new time faster. For example, try to finish and begin your day earlier to feel like in the Eastern time zone and do vice versa in case you are going to the West.

Take Comfortable Items for Sleep

In the airports, people wearing a neck pillow do not cause any surprise. However, for those traveling in economy class, an inflatable travel pillow will be helpful. The thing is that only business class passengers are provided with such things and blankets and pillows. Besides, if you are sure that the light will disturb you, take an eye mask. Moreover, air conditioners can make you freeze; so, taking a pair of socks will be a good decision. Finally, if you do not want to listen to distracting conversations of neighbors or other noise, earplugs will also come in handy.

Consider Taking Melatonin

Melatonin is the main epiphysis hormone that regulates daily rhythms. It is recommended to take the pills for long air travels, especially if the change of time zones is going to take place. If you don’t want to take any medication, you can just eat products that also contain melatonin, such as bananas. Unfortunately, chocolate lovers might be disappointed at this moment: although this product is delicious, it helps to stay active.

Avoid Keeping Baggage at Hand

Keeping your bags or another kind of carry-on baggage at foot or, especially, in the hands is not the best idea. You will not be able to take a comfortable position and sleep. It is better to use shelves intended for storing the baggage.

Drink More Water

Properly selected drinks will make it easier to fall asleep. It is recommended to take a bottle of water on the flight (30-45 oz.). Taking a sip of water will protect the body from dehydration and prevent insomnia.

It is not advisable to consume a drink or product containing caffeine before departure or during a trip. For example, coffee, Coca-Cola, or chocolate will keep your body awake.

Before and during a flight, you should avoid alcohol-containing drinks (e.g., wine, beer, cognac, vodka). An alcoholic beverage may help you to sleep at an early stage of your flight. However, after a few hours, the sleep will pass, and you will experience a headache, thirst, and insomnia.

Do Not Choose Days That Are Popular for Flights

One of the factors hindering good sleep is overcrowding on board. The more free space and the fewer strangers there are on the plane, the easier it is to sleep. The problem of overcrowding can be solved easily – make sure to choose days that are less popular for flights. As usual, fewer people fly on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Flights are at their peak on pre-holiday days and Fridays, which precede the weekend.

Put Seatbelt Over Your Clothes

A seatbelt fastened over clothing will not help you sleep better. But in case the plane is in a turbulent zone, a stewardess will not disturb up.

Comfortable Clothing

During a long flight, you will hardly feel comfortable in tight jeans. You should wear loose, cozy clothes, which will not restrict your movements or squeeze your body during the flight. Think ahead about which of your clothes are best for the plane.

Try to Sleep Less before Departure

As an option, you can limit your sleep the night before departure. If you are exhausted, the chances of falling asleep quickly and easily increase. But if the flight isn’t going to be long, you’d better not bother with this trick. Otherwise, you will not be able to recover in time and will feel tired after landing.

Postpone Using Gadgets

TV series, e-books, and games entertain and help spend time more enjoyably. However, they may prevent you from sleeping: smartphone and tablet screens emit blue light, which increases anxiety and hinders the natural production of the sleep hormone melatonin.

You can reduce the brightness of the display or download an application that regulates the intensity of the light output, but the total refusal of gadgets is still more effective.

Final Word

Sleep during a flight is necessary only if you want to sleep. If there is no such desire, you are active and cheerful, then you should devote your time to yourself and to things that you usually neglect – read a book, listen to a new record of your favorite musician or band, watch a movie, or just dream.