It is not always simple to fall asleep on an airplane, even though you are super tired.

When flying longer distances, a good night sleep is foremost the second most important thing during a flight, after a safe landing of course. If you are traveling in first or business class, it’s much easier and more comfortable to sleep, but if you are flying in economy class, it can often be a struggle. 

In this article, I will give you my best tips to improve your sleep in the airplane. Whether you are flying with first, business or economy class, these tips are always helpful. 

Prepare yourself

Number one rule before you get to the airport – be prepared. To have everything set and everything fixed before going to the airport can have an enormous impact on your sleep. If you fix everything in last minute, it will probably make you stressed, and a higher stress level will not make the quality of your sleep. So make sure to have everything prepared the day before you travel so you can relax and be as stress-fee as possible on the day that you departure. 

Comfortable clothing

It’s nothing worse than stepping into an airplane and realize that you’ve dressed to look good, not to be comfortable. This is one of the most important things to get better sleep on flights. To sit on a plane for hours with a tight pair of jeans, a short dress or a chafing bra will affect your chances to be able to sleep. I recommend to wear loose-fitting clothes, both for health reasons and to be able to sleep better. Comfortable clothes will help you relax, and that will make it much more easy to move while you’re asleep. Remember – you are on an airplane, not a fashion show. 

Avoid alcohol and caffeine

Drinking alcohol when flying is pretty common among travelers, both before departure and after. However, alcohol is not good when it comes to good sleep, although some people might find it easier and more quickly to fall asleep when intoxicated. But, even if you manage to fall asleep, the quality of your sleep will be reduced. The same thing applies to caffeine, which makes us alert. If you want to achieve better sleep on flights – skip the alcohol and caffeine!

NOTE: Quality sleep is much better the quantity sleep. Also, as the air in the aircraft cabin is pretty dry, make sure to drink some extra water before you’re going to sleep so that you don’t wake up thirsty. 

Make yourself extra sleepy

One thing that always works for me when I need to get sleepy is to put my brain to work and solve some Sudoku puzzles. This might not work for everyone, but when I solve Soduko Puzzles and are focusing on the numbers, it somehow quiets my thoughts and makes me sleepy.  Maybe not sudoku is your thing, but you might enjoy Crosswords or other brain activities. Might work just as good as it does for me!

NOTE: If you want to try to make yourself extra sleepy by exhausting your brain, then I would recommend buying a Sudoku/Crosswords book. Sure, there are many apps on the market that you can download for free, but it’s not good for you to sit in front of a screen before going to sleep.

Bring lavender oil

Several studies have shown that you get a calming effect when inhaling lavender oil. These studies have also shown that people who inhale this oil before and during sleep may lower blood pressure and get a deeper sleep. To improve the sleep, make sure to rub the oil in your temple area and wrists before going to sleep. 

Make sure to bring your Travel Pillow

A travel neck pillow is one of the most important things for me to bring along on flights. This is one of the travel gadgets that will allow you to have a better sleep on flights. A good neck pillow will make sure that you don’t get a stiff neck or accidentally happen to fall asleep on the person sitting next to you, which can be quite awkward. 

If you don’t own a travel pillow, or if the one that you have is not comfortable enough, then I have a great recommendation for you. The Cabeau Evolution Travel Neck Pillow is the best and most comfortable travel pillow I have ever used, and the best part is that it doesn’t cost a fortune! If you are interested in buying one of these incredible neck pillows, you can find it HERE!

Use earplugs & a sleeping mask

To sleep in a quiet surrounding is almost as important as darkness when it comes to better sleep on flights. So, the best combination will be to use both earplugs and a sleeping mask. Make sure to buy good quality earplugs that protect your ears from loud sounds, such as noise from the aircraft engines and screaming babies.