For those about to embark on their first long-haul journey, or have struggled to get quality rest flying long distances in the past, we have a few helpful tips that may make the difference the next time you want to get some shut-eye on your flight. Flight attendants recommend a combination of seat selection, personal « sleep kits, » and timing to maximize rest.

Depending on the flight, there are a few options to improve your odds of sleeping well after takeoff. The first step starts at home with your wardrobe and packing the right sleep aids. Then, choosing the right location in the cabin for your seat and planning your routine once you’re settled on the plane are the next steps.

Hydration and supplements can also be very helpful for some travelers, but in general, anyone trying to rest up in the air should avoid both caffeine and alcohol. Let’s go through all the tricks in the book, one at a time, and break down the trade secrets behind quality sleep in flight, according to the advice of cabin crew.

Sleep Strategy Starts In The Wardrobe

The first recommendation that you will get from a Flight Attendant (FA) is to layer up when you are selecting your outfit for your journey. In both summer and winter, temperatures in the airport and on the airplane can fluctuate. When the plane is on the tarmac or in the air, the air conditioning performs differently, and it can be very hot or very cold within a short span of time.

Although most planes have individual air vents to control airflow, each passenger’s influence on the temperature in their seat is limited. If you’re flying during the summer, don’t dress too heavily, but bring an extra layer just in case the air conditioner gets particularly chilly as you’re cruising at 30,000 ft. In the winter, most will want to bundle up, but make sure that you can lie down in case your aircraft is hotter than expected.

On top of improving your comfort relative to temperature, your clothes can also improve your travel in a few other ways. Don’t wear anything too restrictive, as it could be uncomfortable while you’re seated for a long time in the same position. The same goes for shoes. You don’t want to wear tight footwear if at all avoidable.

If you can wear something with plenty of pockets, it will help you keep small personal items on your body where they are easy to access and limit how much you need to store in seat back pockets, under the seat, or access your bag in the overhead bin. Hoodies and jackets can also give you a kind of improvised neck pillow by folding them behind you.

Prime Real Estate: Location Matters

When it comes to seat selection, there are a few different tips to avoid discomfort or inconveniences that will interrupt sleep. To be as comfortable as possible, the ideal location on the plane is in the center of the cabin over the wings. This area of the aircraft experiences relatively little movement from turbulence, as it is the center of gravity. After that, consider a window seat not only to avoid aisle traffic and being stepped over by seatmates, but also to have a “shoulder to lean on.”

Sitting by the window moves you away from the activity in the aisles of the airplane and means that a passenger seated in your row will not need to pass you in order to use the restroom or stretch their legs. You can sit by the window and use it as a surface to lean on if you are more comfortable in that position. You can also gain control of the window blind to darken the room when you want to rest.

You may need to check the aircraft’s floor plan, but in general, sitting near the wings should mean you are not near the galley where the cabin crew prepare meals and snacks or drink service. You should also not be near a lavatory. Both of these areas of the aircraft tend to be much noisier due to activity throughout the flight.

Most cabin crew will tell you that a cheap neck pillow is the same as no neck pillow. You want to invest in something made from quality materials that will actually be reliable and prevent a stiff neck when you arrive. After that, eye masks and noise-canceling headphones or earplugs are must-have items as well. Weighted eye masks are also recommended by many professionals and frequent flyers.

Relaxing music played through noise-canceling headphones works better for some flyers, while for others, some comfortable, high-quality earplugs are a more effective way to achieve the sleep “cocoon” feeling. Whichever style you prefer, the key is that isolating yourself from the noise of the aircraft and the cabin environment is one of the most important factors for getting quality rest on the airplane.

Many people have difficulty sleeping in a cabin without an eye mask. Although the cabin crew will control the lighting, and if you are seated by the window, you can close the blinds, but there will still likely be ambient light from both the people around you and the windows. A simple eye mask is effective at blocking light, but many recommend the type with weighted beads inside that create gentle pressure and help with relaxation.

Timing Is Key

A sleep routine is all about timing and can be very beneficial for both your fatigue after disembarking and the adjustment to the new time zone. This is where we see a difference between shorter domestic flights and longer international journeys that cross oceans and continents. It’s generally recommended not to wait for service on a short hop and immediately settle into “sleep mode.”

If sleep is your top priority, on a short domestic flight, you should settle in and get comfortable to sleep as soon as possible. It is recommended that you make sure your seat belt is buckled over your clothing and not obstructed by any baggage or other items, so flight attendants do not need to disturb you for safety checks. Put on your noise-canceling devices and eye masks, adjust your neck pillow, and clock out until touchdown.

When you are flying to an international destination, or to the other side of your own country, crossing multiple time zones requires some consideration to ensure you can rest well on your flight and adjust more easily after you arrive. It’s recommended to stay awake until your planned “bedtime” at the destination before you doze off. There are even smartphone apps available to help with the timing if the change is significant.

Sleep Tonics And Meal Prep

You want to avoid any kind of food or drink that will be a “gas giant” as some call it. That means, in the 24 hours leading up to departure, you should avoid eating beans, broccoli, cabbage, or any other food that can cause bloating. It is also not recommended to drink carbonated drinks before or during flights.

Much of the food served by airlines in flight has a higher-than-average salt content because the high altitude of the cabin dulls taste buds. It is recommended to eat a light, low-salt meal before departure and avoid menu items on the plane that are likely to contain the most sodium. Salts dehydrate you, which is one of the primary biological obstacles to quality sleep, and they can also cause the “restless legs” sensation, which makes it difficult to rest.

Eating a small amount of protein, such as lean meat or Greek yogurt, with a complex carbohydrate, such as oatmeal or a banana, is a nutritional trick that helps the brain process melatonin faster. This menu combination introduces carbs that stimulate tryptophan, a chemical precursor to melatonin, and is a natural way to induce drowsiness.

Tapering off caffeine and alcohol 10 to 24 hours before departure is recommended to mitigate the negative effects that these have on your sleep in the air. Some recommend a mocktail with tart cherries, a natural source of melatonin and magnesium that can create a calming effect. Other cabin crew and frequent flyers drink chamomile tea or peppermint tea on the flight.

Drinking about eight ounces (250 milliliters) of water every hour is recommended in flight, but you should stop one hour before sleeping to avoid waking up for a bathroom break.