How to Actually Sleep on a Plane
Sleeping in an airplane seat is never going to feel like your own bed. But a few choices before and during the flight make real sleep much more likely.
Before you fly
Pick the right seat
- Window seat if you want to sleep. You can lean against the wall, and nobody will ask you to move.
- Avoid the last row if you can, since those seats often recline less, and the rows near the galley and toilets, which get busy.
- Exit rows have more legroom, but often have armrests that don't lift and can be colder.
Plan your sleep
On overnight flights, try to sleep on the destination's schedule. Stay awake a little later the night before, and plan to sleep soon after the meal service.
Pack a small sleep kit
- A travel pillow that stops your head falling forward. The Cabeau Evolution S3 straps to the seat for this.
- An eye mask. Cabin lights, screens and window shades all wake you.
- Earplugs or noise-canceling headphones for engine noise and crying babies.
- A warm layer. Cabins get cold. A hoodie or light jacket, and socks.
- Water. Cabin air is dry. Stay hydrated, and go easy on alcohol, which tends to make sleep lighter.
On board
- Set up early. Put your pillow, mask and layers within reach before takeoff, so you're not digging in the overhead bin later.
- Buckle your seatbelt over your blanket so the crew can see it and won't wake you to check.
- Recline if you can, and lean into the wall or the pillow's support.
- Keep your feet flat or slightly raised on your bag, if there's space under the seat in front.
- Turn off screens at least a little before you try to sleep.
The head drop
The most common reason people wake up on a plane is their head falling forward. Classic U-shaped pillows support the sides but not the front. Look for a pillow with chin support, seat straps or a firm front support. Our airplane travel pillow comparison compares five on exactly this.
After landing
Get daylight as soon as you can, and try to stay awake until a normal bedtime at your destination. It helps your body clock catch up.