Getting comfortable on a long flight
 

I've read the advice on what to bring to make my 15 hour flight as comfortable as possible, but I haven't read anything on how to make my 'seat' comfortable. Am I the only one whose 'tush' starts to hurt after a couple of hours sitting in those airplane seats? Does anyone have any advice?

Honestly--a good sleeping pill. If you're opposed to medicating, I have a wonderful little ergonomic neck pillow that I bought at Brookstone and always carry on long flights. It keeps my neck comfortable enough to keep my mind off my tired rear. I also try to get an extra blanket to fold and put on my seat just for a little extra padding.

I try to grab an extra unused pillow. I use one behind my neck and the other behind my back in the lumbar area.

My neighbor whose son flies long flights to asia all the time purchased a type of seat cushion that she says practically turns an coach seat into a bed (I can't imagine that). Anyway, you might try searching the net. I know there are also seat cushions specifically for small plane pilot seats. The folded blanket sounds good to me. I also try to move around once in awhile and get the blood moving.

Here you go:

http://www.supersizeworld.com/1stclass.htm

I think "comfortable" and "long flight" are an oxymoron. After a few hours, it does feel like my bottom is on fire, when this happens, I join those folks standing around in the back of the plane--stretch out a little bit, walk if I can down the aisle once or twice, and then stand for as long as I can. A couple of times, I've even managed to strike a conversation with some interesting locals on their way home to where I'm visiting.

We're doing a 15 hour flight this spring--this time with a toddler--it should be fun. The last time I flew this far with him (24 hours on my own--DH was smart enough to follow a few weeks later) he was a baby so at least he could not walk and was happy being cuddled or sitting in his carseat. It'll be interesting to see how he/we do on this trip.

ronda - one problem with the 1st class sleeper. I pity the poor person sitting behind someone with the sleeper. It extends past the top of the seat making for a claustrophic environment for the passenger behind him.

I don't think there's anyway to get comfortable on a long flight, unless it's called 'first class'. Even sleeping pills didn't do it for me. We had a 4 hour flight, followed by 17 hours, followed by 6.5 hours in one hit on our long haul to Europe at Christmas. It was a killer. I use one of those blow up neck pillows. Coming back didn't seem to be so bad - even though I managed no sleep at all and just watched movies. For several days after that flight, I had aching legs (was beginning to wonder whether it was DVT) but that disappeared. Economy class is just not great - and its even worse if every seat is full. The only thing I can suggest is if the flight has a refueling stop and you are allowed to get off, do it, even if for half an hour.

Business Class or First Class might be the best selection for people needing extra space. But most important of all have a
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Last summer I went to Israel for my first time and we flew coach. I thought I might be a bit anxious and excited -anyway, we left at 9:00 at night and by the time I got on the plane I was so relaxed and it was actually the first time I ever slept on a plane ride. I didn't have any sleeping pill other than a sudafed to keep my ears open and stayed a way from a second cup of coffee the day we left. It wasn't the most comfortable sleep of course. On the way back, flying out at 1:00 am I was out as soon as I got my self situated. I do find putting a pillow behind my neck and swadling myself in a blanket essential for my comfort needs...and be careful about how much and what type of food I eat on the plane.

I tried the 1st Class Sleeper, and I wouldn't recommend it. I know others have though....

There was a thread in late September ("my cabin cuddler has arrived") where the 1st class sleeper came up and there were a number of posts. DW had bought 2. She loves hers, I can't stand mine.

So the 1st class sleeper comes with the extra leg room too? :)

Unless you fly 1st class it's not going to be all that comfy. It's just one of those things you deal with and do the exercises that they show on the video. They help quite a bit. GEt up and go talk with the people at the back of the plane, some of them are Fodorites.
Here's a little exercise I do that relaxes me: Tighten up your muscles one by one and release them. Start with you toes and slowly move up your entire body. Then meditate.

Everyone has been very helpful. Thanks for all the advice.

I just drug myself. A valium and two glasses of red wine. I wouldn't recommend it for everyone but I've no patience when travelling so I need to sleep or find a beam me up machine.

On a flight that long, you NEED Ambien. I wouldn't bother with the pillow thing, as I've found that whatever kind of pillow arrangement I try to create to protect my bottom just ends up hurting worse after a half-hour at the most. The seats are small enough that you don't need any other stuff crammed down there.

The advantage of the horse-shoe shaped pillow is that it allows your head to stay in position when you let it loll. If you master the art of head lolling, this is extremely comfortable, as you don't get any kind of neck pinch, and by relaxing your neck your whole body can relax and soften up. Use an eye shade, and use earplugs -- the deafening noise really takes it out of you.

And then dope up. Really, the only way to not mind it so much is unconsciousness. I had never ever been able to sleep a wink on a plane until I tried Ambien. I admit I took a little bit too much (about 1.5 recommended doses), and I felt horrible for ten or twenty minutes when it kicked in. Then I knew nothing until 12 hours later. And you wake up kind of zoned out, so that time seems to move more slowly and you don't care; you just stare at the seatback map in a stupor. Not exactly the beach at Tulum, but not as bad as it could be.

I've never tried Ambien - but I like Valium cos it just makes you nice and dozy and you don't wake up with that hangover feeling.

I just tried Valium for the first time on a flight and it did next to nothing. I got a brief nap and woke up wide awake 30 minutes later. Tylenol PMs work much better for me.

This might sound a bit new-agey or whatever, but I psych myself up for the flight by looking forward to it.

I get excited about taking that book I've been meaning to read, loading those new CDs onto my iPod to listen to and looking forward to a big movie marathon (we don't go to the movies much at home), and just being able to escape my hectic life with the promise of doing nothing for 21 hours (in the case of a Brisbane-London flight).

For seat comfort, I made a habit of getting up every hour (I ensured I had an aisle seat) and went for a walk, and did some stretches. I'd had a knee reconstruction six months before the trip and needed to keep moving so I didn't stiffen up.

Anyway these are the little hints that worked a treat for me. I flew to London in June and got there fresh as a daisy and hit the ground running, dodgy knee and all.

For me Ambien is the only way to go. I pop an Ambien as soon as I get on the plane and quicky fall asleep. The few times that I have flown without Ambien have been brutal. Flights to Europe for me aren't too long (usually about 8 hours or so from the East Coast or Chicago). We did have a 14 hour flight to Japan in October and it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I ate the "dinner", took an Ambien, fell asleep, ate again and it was time to get off the plane.

Tracy

Am I the only one that is worried about people taking Ambien on a flight? I have had way too many people "zoned" out(read unconscious) on my overseas flights and it scares me that they would be unresponsive in an emergency.

Hi dutyfree, your comment is most interesting to me as there is no way I would ever take anything to even make me the least bit groggy while on a flight. I know many, or maybe now a days most people do but not me. I want to be alert and have my full capacity in case there is any kind of a problem.

The one time I was comfortable in coach was when I took on a down bed pillow with me and leaned back on it. It was an old one and was not firm at all. I also just take a little piece of zantac to relax a bit. The zantac doesn't knock me out but I figure if something happens to the plane over the Atlantic there is not much I can do anyway.

What am I saying? xanax ! not zantac.

Hi A,

A: Get up about every hour or so and walk around the plane.

Go in the back and do knee bends, arch your back front and back, twist at the waist.

Also helps prevent deep vein thrombosis.

or

B: Right after dinner, drink three servings of gin. Wash down with tonic water. Go to sleep.

Enjoy your flight.

((I))

dutyfree, I can't speak for anyone else but I never had a problem "zoning out" on Ambien. Actually I usually don't even fall into a really deep sleep because it's hard to fall asleep sitting upright in coach. I sleep enough that I feel rested upon waking up, but I can still hear hings going on around me unless I am using my earphones.

The only time I've had problems with Ambien is when I've a) taken two of them and b) when I've taken one an hour or so after drinking alcohol...not a good combo. Otherwise no problems at all.

Tracy

believe me should the plane be on fire or goin' down, i'll be as alert as the next passenger (having taken valium or xanax for the flight). these are not sedatives and shake off easily should the need arise for you to be coherent.

Suze and others-the reason that I brought this up was I have had my share of international passengers that have taken "something" and we could not get them up.Examples-they take the pills and then immediately fall asleep into the next passenger's head and shoulder whom they do not know and wecannot move them OR we need to reseat someone right after takeoff and they cannot even open their eyes to communicate. I have had parents take this stuff while traveling with their small children which has been interesting as I don't think that it is fair to expect the flight attendants to babysit for 8-10 hours when there are only 4-5 of us in economy for hundreds?

I meant to add that you are always welcome to come back and chat with me as everyone else does-I know more scoop!!!

dutyfree~ well medicated or not, i have *never* once fallen asleep on a plane flight, not for a minute, regardless of time of day or length of flight, so i'm not the one you'll be worrying over.

If anyone is still reading this and interested in making a coach seat more comfortable, I travel with a "Tush Cush." It fits in the seat but tips your spine so that you don't get pain...I got it for sciatica and it worked wonders. I use it on all overseas plane rides. I got it at my local Longs drugstore, but they're available online. Here's one place: http://www.tushcush.com

To Dutyfree,
Ambien is useful for getting people TO sleep, but not keeping them there. This is from a long-time user for a sleep disorder. I can wake up easily in any emergency, at home or elsewhere, on the Ambien and I take 10mg. You should be able to wake anybody on that--don't know about other stuff, but can speak to the Ambien.

dutyfree, as Kellye mentioned above I don't use Ambien to stay asleep...I use it to help me fall asleep. It has never put me in a deep sleep where I am not aware of my surroundings. And believe me, if there was an emergency it would terrify me into alertness!

I would never take anything in a public place that would put me into the comatose state that you are referring to, although for me most sleeping aids don't work to that extent and otc pills don't work at all. If someone took something that put them int such a deep state of sleep, I would wonder what exactly they took or if they had some kind of adverse reaction to it.

Tracy

We put our trays down and rest/nap by leaning forward into a travel pillow, recently added a semi-inflated $1.40 beach ball underneath the pillow. If you lean forward to nap, you don't have the feeling of subconsciously fighting not to lean to the side.