Should I sleep on long haul flights?

This, plus findings from many other lab-based studies, tells us that even a short amount of light sleep has benefits. So, even if you can't get your usual eight hours during the flight, any sleep you do get will help you feel and function better at your destination.



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We do have a natural decrease of alertness in the middle of the afternoon, which makes this a good time to try for sleep on a daytime flight. On nighttime flights it will be easier to sleep once the dinner service is finished, otherwise you will be battling noise, light and the movement of people around you.

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“If you're landing when people are awake in the middle of the day, that's what you want to do, too. Sleep as much as you can on the plane,” she says. “If you're going to be landing at night, do your best to stay awake on the plane and sleep at your destination.”

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Simply put, it's a mix of the seat structure, less-than-ideal cabin conditions, and our sleep cycles. A plane is not the best place to sleep. but it's not impossible. If you can maximize your sleep environment, you'll have some quality plane sleep and arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to go.

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  1. Choose Your Ideal Seat. Booking your flight in advance may give you a higher chance of being able to choose your ideal seat. ...
  2. Dress for Comfort. ...
  3. Sleep on the Plane. ...
  4. Pack the Essentials. ...
  5. Consider Your Long Term Health. ...
  6. Stay Hydrated. ...
  7. Combat Dry Air. ...
  8. Maintain Your Hygiene Routine.


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13 Tips for Surviving a Long-Haul Flight
  1. Choose your seat. ...
  2. Power up. ...
  3. Get comfy. ...
  4. Bring some snacks. ...
  5. Always bring a scarf or shawl. ...
  6. Pack a pillow and blanket. ...
  7. See no evil, hear no evil. ...
  8. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.


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How to Sleep on a Long Plane Flight: Here Are 24 Tips You Should Try
  1. Reserve a window seat. ...
  2. Try to get a seat with an empty spot beside you. ...
  3. Book nonstop flights. ...
  4. Wear comfortable clothes and comfortable shoes. ...
  5. Make sure your seat belt buckle is visible. ...
  6. Decline the meal. ...
  7. Don't watch movies. ...
  8. Use earplugs.


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Adjust your sleep-wake schedule: Getting on the sleep-wake schedule at your destination quickly may help with jet lag symptoms. Focus on getting quality sleep: Sleeping on the plane, if you can, may help your body adjust faster to a new time zone.

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Dr. Michael Breus, sleep specialist and author of the The Power of When, says that getting enough rest the night before a flight is the most important thing you can do to help prevent jet lag.

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It is widely acknowledged that jet lag is worse when travelling east, but this has nothing to do with the direction of Earth's rotation. Like many creatures, humans have a circadian rhythm that follows a 24-hour period and is kept in sync by the eyes' response to natural light levels over the day.

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Flight attendants and pilots need their rest as well — but you won't catch them snoozing in economy class. While flight attendants sleep on bunk beds in tiny crew rest areas, pilots get their own separate sleeping compartments, where they can spend up to half of their time on a long flight.

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But pilots are not robots, and they rarely become completely adjusted, says Landells. “Sensible rostering helps but if you are a long-haul pilot you know that for at least half your days off between flights you are going to feel awful.

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So, for that New York to London flight we mentioned earlier, you'd be crossing five time zones, so it could take you about five days to adjust. However, research in rodents suggests the liver, lungs, and muscles can take nearly six times as long as the SCN to adjust to jet lag.

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How to survive a long-haul flight: 10 proven tips
  1. Find comfortable clothes to wear on long flights. ...
  2. Reserve a good seat. ...
  3. Prepare yourself for sleep. ...
  4. Don't pack too much in your cabin luggage. ...
  5. Take your own snacks. ...
  6. Move around the plane. ...
  7. Stay hydrated. ...
  8. Relax!


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Being stuck on a plane might make you want to run a marathon, but you might need to stick with one of the following:
  1. Watch movies / TV-Series. ...
  2. Work your way through glossy magazines. ...
  3. Listen to audio books. ...
  4. Eat. ...
  5. Catch up on work / school. ...
  6. Sleep. ...
  7. Stare out of the window and philosophize. ...
  8. Write lists.


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They're not glamorous, but they're very comfortable, with padded bunks and sometimes even in-flight entertainment! With 14- to 18-hour flights no longer unusual, pilots and cabin crew have legally mandated rest times —and airlines also realise that a rested, refreshed crew member is a happy crew member.

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?Preventive Measures
  1. Move around as much as possible.
  2. Choose an aisle seat where feasible as this is known to encourage moving around during the journey .
  3. Carry out calf muscle exercises: ...
  4. Try to avoid placing cabin baggage where it can restrict your leg movement.


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Cardiovascular issues, such as fainting and dizziness, do happen, though they are rare. They are more likely on very long flights, however. For the vast majority of people, the longest flights should be quite safe—though you may find yourself in need of some R&R upon landing.

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Remember that anything over 6 hours flying time is considered long haul, but flights of longer than 10 hours are not uncommon either. One important thing to remember is to keep your seat belt fastened at all times in case of unexpected turbulence.

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Although a pair of comfy leggings is the go-to for many when flying, aviation expert Christine Negroni advises against it, just in case there's an emergency onboard the flight. She told The Sun: You might have to escape through a cabin fire or there could be a separate fire on the ground once you leave the aircraft.

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