How to Snooze While Flying – 5 Questions Answered

If you are a frequent flyer but haven't yet mastered the are of sleeping on the plane then these tips from John E. DiScala, the editor in chief of the travel-information site johnnyjet.com could help. He would definitely know something about the subject as he takes more than 100 flights a year on 30 different airlines.

So if you are getting ready to fly that red-eye to the west coast (or wherever) then pay attention. This could be a lifesaver.

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1) I'm flying coach - where should I sit?
You may think just because you are flying coach there is no way to get comfortable. Try this: Take the window seat of an exit row. You won’t be disturbed when your neighbors get up and down, and you have the window as a head rest. There is also extra legroom so you can use your carry-on as a footrest. Do not sit near the bathrooms or flight attendant stations. You will find that people tend to hang out there and it can get noisy and cramped. Also ,if you plan to sleep on your flight, try to go online the day of the flight to see if you can change your seat to an empty row. That would be the ultimate comfort. If you can fly at a less than popular time, usually a Tuesday or Wednesday night, you will have a much better chance at this.

2) Do I Need any Special Sleeping Products?
Some people swear by a travel pillow. It can help if you’re in a middle or aisle seat. Another option is to wear an eye mask and use earplugs. Many people (myself included) travel with noise-canceling headphones. These come in quite handy since there is almost always a crying baby nearby, You can wear earplugs and put the headphones on top. Then you can play some soothing music or an audio book. This combination usually drowns out everything. I can find myself drifting off very quickly using this method. Another thing that I never do is use an airplane blanket. You are better off bringing your own blanket or a sweatshirt. 'Nuff said. (We will talk about airplane blankets another time).

3) How Should I Dress for Night Travel?
If you have a long flight and you are in coach you might try this trick: bring pajama bottoms and change into them after take off. Now I know many of you won't go for that but one thing you can do is wear sweatpants. If you tend to get cold during flights you might also bring a pair of warm socks to slip on before trying to sleep and make sure you have your blanket or sweatshirt (see above).

4) I Don't Want to be Bothered - What Can I Do?
Make sure you get your snack and water before you try to drift off and make sure you take care of the bathroom business. Another trick some people do is to buckle their seat belt over their blanket or sweater, not under it. Where there is turbulence and the flight attendant checks she can see that you’re safely buckled and won't bother you.

5) How Can I Make Myself Drowsy?
You should avoid alcohol and sleeping medications. Try these all-natural tips: a few days before your flight start going to bed and rising a little earlier than usual. Even a half hour before your usual bedtime can work. Also, some people like to work out because it helps them sleep. If you are one of those then make an effort to workout while you’re on vacation. This can help you rest when you take the return trip home

Original article posted at realsimple.