Have got a couple of long haul flights, one a return from Central America, and one Outbound to Japan, both night flights. Don't have any phobia of flying, but just can't sleep on long haul flights. Any tips or advice will be gratefully received.
Have got a couple of long haul flights, one a return from Central America, and one Outbound to Japan, both night flights. Don't have any phobia of flying, but just can't sleep on long haul flights. Any tips or advice will be gratefully received.
Tips for Red Eye, my arse.
You only posted to impress us with your travel plans;)
I’m the same - just cannot sleep on planes (or trains, or basically anywhere that isn’t my own bedroom). It’s something that I would dearly love to change as I travel a fair bit for work and I genuinely think it could improve my quality of life.
The most effective method I’ve found for long haul flights is:
- try to get a window seat, that way you won’t be disturbed by someone next to you wanting to go to the toilet - have a couple of drinks, but don’t go crazy. You want to feel drowsy but definitely not smashed (I’d avoid beer too - I love beer, but don’t enjoy it on a plane as it’s too gassy (and likely to be rubbish beer anyway). Plus beer means it’s more likely to mean you need to go for a slash just as you’re nodding off) - get a good eye mask that blocks out all light and download some white noise to listen to on your headphones. You want to block out all stimulus. I basically can’t sleep even in my own bedroom without these now. - don’t put pressure on your self to sleep. If you can then great, but even if you don’t get a wink of sleep for the whole flight then it’s not the end of the world
I try to avoid sleeping tablets and the like, but I work with a guy who will take a ton of this liquid sleeping aid (I think it’s NyQuil) then downs about five whiskies and then he’ll be out for the count all the way back on our flights from New York to London. It seems super effective, but I’m always too worried that I wouldn’t be able to react properly if there was an issue mid-flight, plus I’m not entirely certain what he is experiencing is actually sleep rather than actual unconsciousness!
Feel for you, I just can’t sleep for more than 15 mins at a time on a plane.
Last time when I went long haul to Australia my watch app registered something like 90 minutes of sleep in about 30 hours from waking up on day of journey.
Only time had a decent snooze was business class when paid for by work but that is probably not an option !!
The sheer discomfort of economy class makes any decent sleep really hard. From memory the only time I had a half decent sleep was when I caught a flight at midnight, and natural tiredness overcame this!
NY to London is hopeless as you're catching the flight at 7 or 8pm NY time, way before I would naturally go to sleep.
Feel for you, I just can’t sleep for more than 15 mins at a time on a plane.
Last time when I went long haul to Australia my watch app registered something like 90 minutes of sleep in about 30 hours from waking up on day of journey.
Only time had a decent snooze was business class when paid for by work but that is probably not an option !!
Flying to Australia in one hit is an ordeal. I got roughly 60 mins sleep across 2 nights, plus you generally arrive in the morning. Stopping for a night in Dubai coming home was better, except for a kid fake crying for 6 hours on the London leg!
I'd pay for a window or aisle seat depending on your preference - a wall to lean on and if you prefer sleeping on your right or left, or quick access to toilets. Buy better ear plugs than the 20 for £4 crap I buy on eBay. Sleep in them at home so you're used to them. Maybe get a neck pillow or inflatable one? I haven't tried one but kind of regret not doing so.
Put on a film or a documentary about something you really don't like or care about, something you find very boring and mundane, and watch it with the volume on loud enough to hear what's happening but quiet enough that it's not going to be an issue if you drift off. I found it helpful on an overnight from New York back to London. Also helped that we woke up at 6am that morning and walked about Manhattan for about 10 hours before our flight
Don’t get het up about not being able to sleep and just relax. In cattle class I would put a blanket over my head to block out distractions. But biz and first class is really the only way to fly long haul.
Used to fly a lot of long haul with work and even though the company looked after us (anything 4 hours and over we flew business class) I always struggled to sleep. I didn't even try whilst they were serving a meal, so just had dinner, a few drinks and hoped I could get a couple of hours. Never tried pills as a solution.
I’ve never been able ti sleep sitting up be it in a plane, train or car.
The last couple of times I’ve flown to the States (west coast) I’ve been lucky enough to book business class (A380 with seats that go to flat beds) and I’ve been able to sleep very comfortably.
People have recommended taking Melatonin about two hours before you’re planning on sleeping, but haven’t tried it myself.
I've flown many, many long haul flights for work, but always business class and quite a few on the Emirates A380. That plane had a bar you could just sit at for as long as you wished. Mind you I still had to have a few red wines and a brandy to get to sleep. I have no idea how those in standard seats managed to get any sleep, tbh, however I did find noise cancelling headphones were very good, and I also tried to get some kip about an hour after eating dinner. I would suggest you give that a go, but I don't envy you! I have to say my trips were also to SE Asia, China, Malaysia and The Philippines to name just a few, and it does take it out of you...whatever class you fly.
I've flown many, many long haul flights for work, but always business class and quite a few on the Emirates A380. That plane had a bar you could just sit at for as long as you wished. Mind you I still had to have a few red wines and a brandy to get to sleep. I have no idea how those in standard seats managed to get any sleep, tbh, however I did find noise cancelling headphones were very good, and I also tried to get some kip about an hour after eating dinner. I would suggest you give that a go, but I don't envy you! I have to say my trips were also to SE Asia, China, Malaysia and The Philippines to name just a few, and it does take it out of you...whatever class you fly.
Similar flying to you and, yes, business class on Emirates is the business! I never have trouble coming home with jet lag but heading to Asia, I try to arrive lunchtime in Asia to make sure I’m tired by normal bedtime. Otherwise, it can take 2-3 days to recover.
I used to do red eye flight regularly, and my routine was
- depending on when you plan to sleep, make sure you eat well before that. Make sure you don’t get woken up for meals - no alcohol, just water, you need to keep hydrated. Make sure you have a bottle with you on the flight for when you wake up with a dry mouth - noise canceling headphones if you have them - eye mask - compression, socks as a miminum, but I always wear recovery tights for longer distances. Makes a huge difference at the end of the flight
You could try a neck pillow, but I’ve never really found them to be useful.
But if your company has a decent travel policy, any seriously long flight should result in a bump to business class. Mine set the limit just beyond UK/East Coast US, so all my transatlantic flights ended up in cattle, althoug they would pay for premium economy.
When I went to Singapore, I couldn't sleep at all on the flight. When we got there I stayed awake until the night Singapore time, went to bed and had the best night's sleep ever. I got up next morning, had no jet lag at all and was immediately ok with Singapore time.
Have got a couple of long haul flights, one a return from Central America, and one Outbound to Japan, both night flights. Don't have any phobia of flying, but just can't sleep on long haul flights. Any tips or advice will be gratefully received.
Tips for Red Eye, my arse.
You only posted to impress us with your travel plans;)
I’d love to go to Japan, work or pleasure?
Both trips are holidays, but splashed out and flying business class
Have got a couple of long haul flights, one a return from Central America, and one Outbound to Japan, both night flights. Don't have any phobia of flying, but just can't sleep on long haul flights. Any tips or advice will be gratefully received.
Tips for Red Eye, my arse.
You only posted to impress us with your travel plans;)
I’d love to go to Japan, work or pleasure?
Both trips are holidays, but splashed out and flying business class
In which case, all good. Couple of gins and / or beers in the lounge, champagne on boarding (balls to this "hydrate" nonsense), eat, put your headphones on, go to full recline, and wake up when breakfast is served.
Comments
Wear comfy clothes including an additional hoodie, try using noise cancelling headphones and an eye mask.
You only posted to impress us with your travel plans;)
I’d love to go to Japan, work or pleasure?
The most effective method I’ve found for long haul flights is:
- try to get a window seat, that way you won’t be disturbed by someone next to you wanting to go to the toilet
- have a couple of drinks, but don’t go crazy. You want to feel drowsy but definitely not smashed (I’d avoid beer too - I love beer, but don’t enjoy it on a plane as it’s too gassy (and likely to be rubbish beer anyway). Plus beer means it’s more likely to mean you need to go for a slash just as you’re nodding off)
- get a good eye mask that blocks out all light and download some white noise to listen to on your headphones. You want to block out all stimulus. I basically can’t sleep even in my own bedroom without these now.
- don’t put pressure on your self to sleep. If you can then great, but even if you don’t get a wink of sleep for the whole flight then it’s not the end of the world
I try to avoid sleeping tablets and the like, but I work with a guy who will take a ton of this liquid sleeping aid (I think it’s NyQuil) then downs about five whiskies and then he’ll be out for the count all the way back on our flights from New York to London. It seems super effective, but I’m always too worried that I wouldn’t be able to react properly if there was an issue mid-flight, plus I’m not entirely certain what he is experiencing is actually sleep rather than actual unconsciousness!
gin and tonic...(if you are paying)
NY to London is hopeless as you're catching the flight at 7 or 8pm NY time, way before I would naturally go to sleep.
and a few beers works for me
The last couple of times I’ve flown to the States (west coast) I’ve been lucky enough to book business class (A380 with seats that go to flat beds) and I’ve been able to sleep very comfortably.
People have recommended taking Melatonin about two hours before you’re planning on sleeping, but haven’t tried it myself.
Mind you I still had to have a few red wines and a brandy to get to sleep. I have no idea how those in standard seats managed to get any sleep, tbh, however I did find noise cancelling headphones were very good, and I also tried to get some kip about an hour after eating dinner. I would suggest you give that a go, but I don't envy you! I have to say my trips were also to SE Asia, China, Malaysia and The Philippines to name just a few, and it does take it out of you...whatever class you fly.
- depending on when you plan to sleep, make sure you eat well before that. Make sure you don’t get woken up for meals
- no alcohol, just water, you need to keep hydrated. Make sure you have a bottle with you on the flight for when you wake up with a dry mouth
- noise canceling headphones if you have them
- eye mask
- compression, socks as a miminum, but I always wear recovery tights for longer distances. Makes a huge difference at the end of the flight
You could try a neck pillow, but I’ve never really found them to be useful.
I advise not taking the flight seriously in this sense.
If your mind and body isn't interested in sleeping then your mind and body can't feel pressurised into doing so.
They won't like it.
If you don't sleep, just say to yourself "So what"
Have some food.
Go knock one out in the toilet.
Listen to Nigel Adkins on a podcast
Boom fast a sleep zzzzzzzzzzz