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Should you sleep after a red-eye flight?

Should you sleep after you take a red-eye flight? If you've been able to sleep during your trip you are likely to feel slightly better than those who were awake overnight, but even those who slept may wake up feeling slightly disoriented.



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While some might opt for staying awake, taking a short, rejuvenating nap can help you to get through the day feeling on top of things. If you can't take a short nap before the work day, tackling your most challenging tasks in the morning is the best option. Doing some light exercise can also be beneficial.

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Generally speaking, window seats are best for sleeping on red-eye flights because you'll deal with the fewest disruptions. If you're in the aisle, you not only have to contend with getting up for your seatmates, but also run the risk of getting bumped by other passengers walking around.

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Red Eye Flight Tips
  1. Slip On an Eye Mask. Even if the cabin turns down the lights, an eye mask helps keep all the light out and forces your eyes to stay shut. ...
  2. Pack a Warm Layer. ...
  3. Use a Neck Pillow. ...
  4. Avoid Alcohol. ...
  5. Wear Compression Socks. ...
  6. Spritz Some Essential Oils.


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The cons of red-eye flights are few, but significant for those they affect. Primarily, those who don't sleep well on planes are not likely to have a great flight experience when flying when they would normally be sleeping, and will likely arrive groggy. This can also lead to more severe effects of jet lag.

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Loose fitting clothing is your best bet. Consider bringing an extra blanket or scarf: blankets and pillows are provided on some (but not all) red eye flights, so be sure to check ahead of time. Keep in mind they can be quite flimsy though, so if you like to be snuggled up and warm when you sleep, bring something extra.

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Limit naps in the days following your arrival. If you need it, taking a short nap can help you stay awake during the day. But napping for more than 30 minutes can keep you from falling asleep at night. Try to stay awake until your normal bedtime and get up on time the next day.

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Red eye flight is generally referred to as a flight that departs late at night and arrives early in the morning. These flights take off after 9 pm and land before 5 am. Red eye flights are mostly punctual. Book the cheap red eye flights!

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“Red-eye” flights aren't all bad––in fact, some pilots like them because they generally pay more. The more seniority one has, the more control he or she has over his schedule. Freight airlines fly a lot of all-nighters; airlines with West Coast domiciles or fly through West Coast bases (e.g., SFO, LAX, PDX, SEA, etc.)

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Early morning or nighttime 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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Only medicate if you must. It's common to pop some Benadryl or Ambien to knock you out so that you can sleep through a red-eye flight. But make sure you only resort to this if you absolutely need to.

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