Should I stay up all night before my flight?

Don't Pull an All-Nighter Some travelers just stay up all night if they have early morning flights. The thought here is that you can sleep on the plane. However, that sleep on the plane is never as good as the sleep you missed out on the night before.



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The day before your flight, spend some time at the gym, walking or stretching in preparation for spending 24 hours in a sitting position. Make sure you're well-rested, too – denying yourself sleep in order to be exhausted on the plane can backfire.

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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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Focus on getting quality sleep: Sleeping on the plane, if you can, may help your body adjust faster to a new time zone. You may want to ask your provider about the benefits and risks of over-the-counter sleep aids, such as melatonin.

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Get into the habit of sleeping eight hours per night. When needed, and if possible, nap during the day, but limit the nap to less than 30 minutes.

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6 tips to prepare for an early morning flight
  1. 1 – Double check your timings. ...
  2. 2 – Get all your tickets and paperwork ready. ...
  3. 3 – Stay in a hotel in the airport. ...
  4. 4 – Check your weight allowance (and weigh your bag accordingly) ...
  5. 5 – Go to bed early. ...
  6. 6 – Take a pillow.


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Top 5 travel tips to help you prepare for a long-haul flight
  1. Wear comfortable clothing. ...
  2. Stay hydrated. ...
  3. Exercise before you fly. ...
  4. Eat nutritious food. ...
  5. Practice meditation and yoga.


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Accident statistics from Plane and Pilot Magazine show about 10% of all aviation accidents occur at night. But accidents at night can be more likely to be fatal.

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Statistics say that flights during the early morning or night are less turbulent than day-time flights. These red-eye flights mean you can worry less and catch up on much-needed sleep due to a smoother flight and less worrying about turbulence.

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At night pilots will turn their gaze from outside to inside and use the artificial horizon. The artificial horizon is normally a simply globe split into two hemispheres. Using this instrument, the pilot can determine whether the aircraft is in a climb, a dive, or rolling.

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Crew require a minimum of three hours rest when the flight duty period exceeds 14 hours (from when crew 'sign on' to 15 minutes after engines off). For flight duty periods longer than 18 hours, 4.5 hours bunk rest is required. The crew take turns for rest breaks. The first group will rest after the first meal service.

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Crew require a minimum of three hours rest when the flight duty period exceeds 14 hours (from when crew 'sign on' to 15 minutes after engines off). For flight duty periods longer than 18 hours, 4.5 hours bunk rest is required. The crew take turns for rest breaks.

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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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Common ways pilots avoid jetlag is staying hydrated, good rest, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, exercising, or sleeping on the airplane. For long-haul flights airlines use multiple pilots for the flight to allow each pilot to get some rest. The more time zones that are crossed, the worse the jet lag.

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Take melatonin 20 to 30 minutes before sleep (for eastward travel, melatonin can also be taken en route, 30 minutes prior to the target bedtime at your destination. It doesn't need to be taken en route for westward travel).

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