How do you get some sleep on the plane
 

Hi

I'm looking for ideas on how I can get some shut eye on a long haul flight. I don't want to take pills and I don't want to use noise reduction headphones. I have read the posts here on alcohol, eating, exercise etc. My main problem is the noise from the engine (I know that while you can still hear it it's a good sign!). Someone told me about using special travel earplugs and that seating position is important. We always sit on the wing seats (no, the ones inside the plane not those allocated for frequent flyer points!) which apparently are the noisiest. Any suggestions for air travel earplugs if they exist and where to sit to minimise noise? Thanks for that.

Zzzzzzzzzzzz

Hate to tell you but in my limited experience, First Class is where you will find the least noise and the best seats offering you that "position."

Why don't you want to take something to help you sleep? It isn't as if you are going to realistically become addicted to it. On my recent overnight to Gatwick I used Melatonin for the first time and it really worked and made a BIG difference in the next day.

Sit in the middle of the plane and watch a poor rated movie. Keep the sound down. You will fall asleep.

Oh, Wally, I really wish that worked...the airlines could make another fortune.

I never sleep on planes. Just take plenty of reading material

Don't try to sleep, just keep your mind active & hopefully at some point you'll lose interest & fall asleep - which is generally the point the cabin crew start handing out meals

"Sit in the middle of the plane and watch a poor rated movie"
In my experience, if I start watching a terrible movie I always end up staying awake till the end. But when I try watching a great film I've always wanted to see, I fall asleep in seconds and only wake up when the credits start rolling. Murphy's law!

One way to try and get some sleep on the plane is to make sure you are exhausted when you board, by getting minimum sleep the night before. Of course it can be counter-productive, but it works for me! (a glass of red wine with dinner helps too)

If you plan to take melatonin or any other drug, try it out before your trip. I found that taking melatonin gives me night terrors.

A sleep mask will raise your melatonin levels as even low light levels will reduce natural melatonin production in most people.

2 international units of shiraz (or generic equivalent) followed by three international units of single malt. Ensure bottle of water in hand... commence snoring ! ;)
Works for me !!

If you don't want to take pills then enjoy that engine noise. If you change your mind then take 10-20 mg temazepam washed down with a double Drambuie - works a treat! (but also have plenty of water beforehand, an aspirin and wear some airline stockings if you're over 35). This is a lot cheaper than 1st class!

This is interesting considering all the advice about drinking plenty of water and no alcohol in order to prevent jet lag....but if you actually sleep then who cares?

these days I find I have "jet lag" after I return home (westbound) from Europe more than I experience it when I arrive in Europe..go figure.

I'm with Intrepid on the jet-lag issues. I get it once I'm back West, in the States. I also think it has something to do with adrenalin levels being peaked and then "pop"...drained!

Otherwise, if anytone ever does find a fool-proof way to sleep...I want to know it.

Last flight over, I actually got comfortable and was just dozing off when a fellow passenger with the tiniest bladder imaginable started his getting up and going to the "loo"..and every time he's whack into me with his hips...sheesh. Watched some horrible movie with Jessica Parker...

I had never ever drank alcohol on an airplane, but on my last trip I did just that. Well, I had 2 before i boarded and one more when I was in the air...and I fell asleep!!!
I have NEVER slept on an international or domestic flight in my life. I felt fine later too.

" a fellow passenger with the tiniest bladder imaginable started his getting up and going to the "loo"


Not a tiny bladder but an enlargened prostate, I would imagine. For the next time: If the guy is 50+ and he does that, just suggest that you will change places with him. I assure you, by doing that you will make one man very happy. Ah, it is so easy to make 50+ men happy ;o)

worldinabag, I just use normal old-fashioned ear plugs (ones that are stuffed into the ear), a sleep-mask, a blown neck-support, and a blanket that the airlines provides. And contrary to all advice I swallow three small bottles of wine. And no eating except breakfast the next morning.

I have never slept on a plane in my life.

If you don't want to use medication, and don't naturally fall asleep, I'm not sure what we can suggest.

Sometimes I use the plane/movie headphones and listen to the various radio programs which kind of dulls the other sounds on the plane.

Maybe check Travelsmith or Magellen online for special plane earplugs?

Elina, good idea if he had been sitting in my row. He was a row behind and had t sit with his lady-wife who, clearly, also was afraid of flying.
Someday I'll be sooooo blase' I'll sleep away ...

i have a little secret. Many airlines do not allow you to reserve the first row of coach on the two side to accomodate handicap passengers. I get to the airport early to make sure i am first to change my seat, assuming its available, because the fold out trays are far enough in front of me that i can actually bend over and put my head down on my forearms and sleep great for hours. you could bring a small pillow to do the same i suppose but i travel light.

I inflate my neck pillow, put on my sleep mask, and turn on my noise cancelling headphones and I can usually get a few hours of sleep. I greatly prefer the headphones to earplugs, since they cut out the engine noise but you can still hear announcements.

I think eating carbs before getting on the plane and then not eating again until breakfast is served also helps.

" I greatly prefer the headphones to earplugs, since they cut out the engine noise but you can still hear announcements. "

If you hear announcements how can you sleep? I keep my seatbelt closed when I sleep so I don´t have to hear even the "fasten your seatbelts" announcement. And "We are starting the tax free sell" and "We start serving dinner" are the kind I don´t even want to hear.

It is possible to store your sleep. Get lots of sleep before the trip and plan on doing an allnighter on the plane. Watch movies or read all night. Before arriving, drink strong coffee. One should be able to go 24 hours without sleep--if well rested at the beginning of the journey.

I'm always excited about going to Europe, and since it is a night flight, I have trouble sleeping. Have you thought of having some drinks and "passing out?"

I keep my noise cancelling headphones on regardless of whether I'm sleeping or not. If I'm am asleep, well, regular cabin noise and talking passengers don't bother me at all, maybe a product of apartment living. Its really the engine noise I can't stand and keeps me from getting to sleep. I can still hear any important pre-landing announcements with headphones; when I use earplugs, I end up taking them out to make sure I've heard everything correctly.

In the past, I've managed several hours of rest with earplugs, an eyemask, and the C shaped blow-up neck pillows they sell in the airport. No alcohol needed, haven't tried Ambien or Melatonin (I may try it this trip, though), and no noise-canceling headphones. I prefer the wax earplugs (they aren't for IN your ear but block the area outside the canal) as I find they work better on me.

After a recent (Mar/Apr) SFO - PEK RT Air China coach flight, I'll never fly again without Ambien.
SO is lv JFK for CDG and connections Prague/Budapest this PM and has one for every day of the journey.
M

"One way to try and get some sleep on the plane is to make sure you are exhausted when you board, by getting minimum sleep the night before"

Doesn't work, you just end up even more knackered at the other end.

I've had occasions where I've had an early start (like 4:00am), a full day, then 2 hours sleep, 3 hours to the airport, then a 14 hour flight plus 2 hours at the other end. None of the sleep was on a plane

Hi

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. Seems to be a common problem. Like Ashields it's the engine noise I can't put up with. I can handle other noises (except squawking children). I don't know about pills, wary of the side effects. But a few wines, weeell, after all my body IS a temple in which numerous offerings need to be made to the Gods. Might try sitting at the back of the plane too!

Cheers

On a previous post someone said that some of us just can't sleep sitting up. I think that's me. On my first trip to Europe my TC bet me $50 that I would not be able to sleep...I won. But we had a row and I could curl up and be horizontal. I can always sleep on a plane if I'm not sitting up. Nothing seems to work if I'm sitting up...although I haven't tried drugs yet. And the return jet lag is always MUCH worse.

If it's engine noise that you see as the biggest problem, the best solution is the noise cancelling headphones. Not sure why you are averse to those - I've had a pair of small, fold up Sennheisers for years and they are a god send. Even waiting in the airport terminal is less stressful when I cut out all the background noise.

I either leave connect them to my ipod and play some brainwave symphony music a low volume to block out some of the non-white cabin noise, or just leave them disconnected.

The minute I get on the plane I set my watch ahead to arrival time zone, and act like it's that time already. I eat before I get on the plane, regardless of 5pm or 9pm departure, business or coach class.

When I get on the plane I change into sleep clothes - comfortable sweat pants and sweatshirt, put on my hedphones, eye shades and close my eyes. On a good day I'll wake up once during the flight, that being after takeoff to recline my seat.

worldinabag--I think the noisiest seats are at the back of the plane, between the crew and the engine, I would find it really hard to sleep. The closer to the front, the better I sleep. Of course, I'd sleep like a baby if I were seated right at the front--in first class!

There is a serious mismatch between the size of me and the size of an economy seat in a 747B. So I stay awake on both legs of the flight to Europe, all 21 hours of it, and make full use of the provided in-seat entertainment, my Ipod, and the excellent service on Singapore Airlines. I sleep very well on my first night in Europe!

Yes I agree Adeben, Singapore Airlines is excellent, we're flying Emirates this time though. And yes Ashields first class would solve the problem. Unfortunately when I pay the fares I too would sleep like a baby - wake up every hour and cry!

Cheers y'all

I don't think trying for the back of the plane is going to make you any happier, worldinabag.

The only time I've slept on a plane was last year, taking sleepeze. I don't normally take drugs but it was worth it. I had an inflatable neck pillow and slept for hours.