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Tips for sleeping on a "Red Eye"

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.
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Comments

  • Boom
    Boom Posts: 1,679
    Get hammered.
  • usetobunkin
    usetobunkin Posts: 2,181
    Boom said:
    Get hammered.
    Tried that, just got a skull splitting headache
  • Alwaysneil
    Alwaysneil Posts: 13,805
    Set your watch to the time zone you will be landing in as soon as you get on the plane and try and then eat/sleep as if you were in that time zone, 

    Wear comfy clothes including an additional hoodie, try using noise cancelling headphones and an eye mask. 

    Failing that, acquire some Valium. 
  • CAFCsayer
    CAFCsayer Posts: 10,223
    Zolpidem If you can get hold of any… could never sleep on planes, but knocks you out and no next day hangover
  • sillav nitram
    sillav nitram Posts: 10,163
    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?
  • se9addick
    se9addick Posts: 32,034
    edited January 2023
    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!
  • SporadicAddick
    SporadicAddick Posts: 6,846
    edited January 2023
    business class, gin and tonic... (if someone else paying)

    gin and tonic...(if you are paying)
  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,846
    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. 
  • Over the counter sleeping pills
    and a few beers works for me
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  • RedPanda
    RedPanda Posts: 4,986
    edited January 2023
    MrOneLung said:
    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.
  • sam3110
    sam3110 Posts: 21,256
    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
  • Solidgone
    Solidgone Posts: 10,206
    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.
  • Redmidland
    Redmidland Posts: 44,700
    edited January 2023
     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.
  • thai malaysia addick
    thai malaysia addick Posts: 18,333
    edited January 2023
     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.
  • flyingkiwiDK
    flyingkiwiDK Posts: 5,722
    Download the “Timeshifter” app
  • Couple of Night Nurse capsules will do the trick.
  • Algarveaddick
    Algarveaddick Posts: 21,148
    Try getting old. It's worked for me.  :D  
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  • R0TW
    R0TW Posts: 1,673
    Pills 
  • 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. 
  • blackpool72
    blackpool72 Posts: 23,668
    R0TW said:
    Pills 
    Only if you are planning on dancing the entire flight. 
  • Dave2l
    Dave2l Posts: 8,865
    If you try to sleep... then it's not going to happen.

    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"

  • MrOneLung
    MrOneLung Posts: 26,846
    Download the “Timeshifter” app
    Isnt that for jet lag rather than sleeping on a plane ? 
  • cafcledbury
    cafcledbury Posts: 1,228
    Have a couple of beers. 
    Have some food. 
    Go knock one out in the toilet. 
    Listen to Nigel Adkins on a podcast 
    Boom fast a sleep zzzzzzzzzzz
  • ME14addick
    ME14addick Posts: 9,761
    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.
  • usetobunkin
    usetobunkin Posts: 2,181
    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
  • shine166
    shine166 Posts: 13,916
    8mg diazepam 
  • 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.