I recently purchased (from Magellan) an inflatable back support pillow. It folds into a little bag, a couple of puffs and instant support for your lower back. It works wonders on those horrible airline seats.

Although it appears that many people prefer the aisle seat on a long trans ocean flight, I am more in favor of a window. Since I don't have to run to the bathroom too often, I like being next to something I can lean on for sleeping. I don't take any sort of pillow, but I do bring a pashmina, and find that I can almost always fall asleep leaning against the window or the panel, whichever I am seated next to, with my pashmina as a pillow. And I don't have to worry about my seatmates getting up and down and having to wake me up to crowd past my seat.

I always bring along a pair of socks that I don't care about - I take off my shoes as soon as I'm seated, put on the socks, and then toss them after the flight.

Ambien is good, too, but I don't indulge in much wine, as I find it dehydrates me, especially in the cabin air.

I don't like bulkhead as that is where they usually put the kiddies. It also seems colder and I'm always cold on flights. I always book a window seat so I can lean against the window. I take a neck pillow that has mircobeads and weighs very little. I also take a quilted down pillowcase which folds into a travel pillow. I put my carryon under the seat in front of me for a footrest. Ambien (the old kind that is not time released and only lasts 4 hours, not the new Ambien CR).

No drugs and no earphones - - that way I can make it down the aisle and out the exit before the rest of you even know anything's wrong!

When I want to sleep or zone out on a plane, I use earbuds that are top-quality (both for comfort and to block outside sounds), and I make sure that I have a long recording of rain or breaking waves on my IPod. I set the rain or waves tune to repeat endlessly, and that proves to be a surefire way (for me, anyway) to drift off. [Disclaimer: I'm not a coach traveler for long-hauls, but I'd use the same strategy if I were.]

Travelnut~ Hate to ruin your fantasy but if the plane's going down, getting down the aisle to the exit isn't gonna save you.

Most long-haul planes now have headrests with side pieces that can be angled out, so your head is better supported in terms of side-to-side motion. With those kinds of headrests, I find that I don't need a neck pillow.

Those headrests with side pieces only work for people of a certain height. My husband loves them, I find them useless.

Those winged headrests also slide up, so should be useful to quite a number of people. For those who may not know what we're talking about, here's a photo:

http://rkkwan.zenfolio.com/p436125581/e38b3a3c7

I swear by this silly thing: http://www.1stclasssleeper.com/

but my 6-foot-2 husband says it doesn't work for him.

I like a neck pillow as well, though I can squish up pretty much anything to use as support. The winged headrests are nice but it's more important for me to support my neck. I also like to have a little easy to access supply of goods like lotion and lip balm, pens, ear plugs, hand wipes, xanax, et. al. and I keep them in a little zippered bag with a hook that hangs on the seat back in front of me. The little comforts help alleviate cabin fever.

Leanna, loved your comment-it made me laugh!!
I bring a neck pillow, Pashmina,a pair of warm
fuzzy socks (my feet always get cold). I have never tried
the noise cancelling headphones but it sounds like a good
idea.

I bought a box of those ugly disposable medical "scrub footies" and now take some to use over my regular socks when I fly on long trips. They keep my feet warmer and cleaner (I hope!). Definitely not attractive however.

I am going to have to start packing my carryon now. I have decided on the pashmina, noise cancelling headphones, and a sleep aid called, I think, Mid-night. If anyone has used it, tell me if it works ok and that if you don't feel too dozy afterwards. Maybe a small bottle of wine with dinner. It is a 9 hour flight, so I chose a aisle seat, as I have to get up and use the bathroom fairly often because I drink loads of water on a flight, and I don't want to scramble over other people and wake them up. Thanks for all your helpful suggestions. I'll try and get back to you to report if it works.

"<i>a sleep aid called, I think, Mid-night. If anyone has used it, tell me if it works ok and that if you don't feel too dozy afterwards.</i>"

I would never ever <B>EVER</B> take any OTC (or prescription) sleep aid for the first time on a flight. What if you have a bad reaction. Or what if it keeps you awake instead of helping you sleep. Not everyone has the same experience w/ the same drugs. And drinking after taking a sleep aid you've not used before could cause problems too.

If I'm thinking of taking a drug or supplement --I make sure I can use it for at least a few days ahead just to be sure.

Definitely pre-test any drugs. Last thing you want is to have a bad experience with it on your flight.

I have a really short neck too, which is why the inflatable neck pillow is so important - I inflate it only part way and it works. Those fold out head rests are worthless for me though - yeah, they slide UP but who cares? No help for the shorties.

New Chapter makes a natural supplement called Tranquilnite. Two of those and you are pretty drowsy, with really no side affects that I have noticed. I use it at night if I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep. Many people I know have used it and I have heard no complaints. However, I am a Xanax long haul traveler.

To seeksocean-Never heard of Tranquilnite but would like to get it for my husband. Is it an OTC available at the local pharmacy? Thanks.

www.iherb.com

I have found that in order to get any decent sleep I need to support my head. I'm also a side-sleeper. Leaning against the bulkhead doesn't work well for me. I bought a couple plastic popcorn cups at Target, put them on the armrest upside down and made myself a high armrest. Doing this allows me to put my arm on the cups and support my head. For the last flight I was out for six full hours and actually felt fairly rested. My wife thinks its pretty dorky and wouldn't be caught dead with my popcorn cups. It works for me.