My first flight was 6 hours long, it felt like an eternity, I was uncomfortable and this was done 2 times in one day. To give you more detail of my first long flight we booked our anniversary trip to Hawaii. Since its harder to get a direct flight from Florida to Hawaii the only options available had one stop and a long layover.
I normally don’t sleep on most flights but in this case, we were extremely tired. Each flight was about 5 – 6 hours long and in between the layover was another 5 hours, so it was a pretty long day.
In the end, once we arrived in Hawaii it was so worth it. This was the first trip we use miles and points and we saved over $3000, right after we planned another trip but this time to Europe (we traveled to Venice, Santorini, and Croatia).
This meant I needed to plan ahead since the flights would be much longer. I started to think about our Hawaii trip and how we could make it a lot better, we purchase the items we needed, worked on other tips which I will share with you, that will help you find ways how to sleep in a long flight.
A few months later on our first Venice trip, we applied these tips and I was surprised how much smoother and shorter the flight seemed.
Selecting your seat can be an advantage,
is always a good idea to look at the seating of the plane, in some cases sitting a lot closer to the entrance will have sits that are a bit bigger or wider. Each airline will differ but always checking the seating can be a great hidden bonus when traveling on long flights. If traveling alone choosing the aisle or window seat might be a lot more comfortable when trying to sleep and enjoy the long flight.
Bring what you need –
I tend to get very cold in any flight, so I notice bringing socks, an extra blanket, Poncho, and pillow for head support do help, the flight will provide the pillow and blanket but for me, it wasn’t enough.
Need help to fall asleep? –
If you need a little help and take something natural, melatonin is a very good one to take. We buy them early on to make sure we take it with us. Make sure you take it early on so you can enjoy the flight, and once you arrive you are well rested.
Elevate your legs –
for some reason making my legs elevated kind of gives me that sleeping position which makes it more comfortable for me to sleep, depending on the area you rest your feet is in the flight you can place a small bag and add a pillow. I also remove my shoes and wear some socks to make it cozier.
Relax with a foot mask –
Want a more spa feel to help you relax more in the flight, why not start out wearing a foot mask, they are so affordable and relaxing too or you can try one a lot simpler from Sephora brand.
-
Hand Mask
-
Foot Mask
-
Jelly Eye Mask
-
Travel Mask
Listen to soothing Music –
another way that can help anyone including a child is listening to soothing or nature music, you can download it before your flight so can be set for the trip.
Extra Travel pillow –
one pillow is not one size fits all, for some round pillow works great while others may not like it. In Amazon, you will find a great selection of pillows that might be a great fit for you. I like to use one as I shared earlier to help elevate my feet while in some cases I use one in my back it all depends how the sits are for some reason they don’t feel the same jejej. Having an extra pillow surely does help. (The prices can range from $20 – $30)
Earbuds to cancel noise –
if the noise is too much for you or for even a child this is a great item to take with you. Earbuds are key for not only sleeping but to watch movies, listen to music during the flight too.
Wear an eye mask –
an eye mask can eliminate any light, provide great sleep and if you don’t want to be bothered during the flight this is a great way of letting others know.
Natural way to relax –
drink chamomile tea before getting ready for a nap or you can apply some essential oils like lavender on an item you will use to fall asleep. My oldest son is in the Army and sometimes is hard for him to fall asleep I added some oils like lavender, rose and orange and I was happy to hear this helped him fall asleep.
Wear comfortable clothes –
if you wear something too tight it can be very uncomfortable or you might need to go to the restroom too often, wearing comfortable clothes can help to move around more pleasurable.
Install a relaxing app –
turbulence can be very scary, my sister was not happy on our first Venice trip, luckily the tv offered a relaxing coach that helps you feel better during turbulence or for sleeping. This feature wasn’t available on other flights so is best to be prepared and install a relaxing app before your flight.
Find more room –
after everyone is seated down, you can check spots in the back that are empty, we sometimes have seen the back part of the plane may have just one person on a few rows. You can ask the flight attendant if anyone is sitting there in the case is reserved for them, otherwise, ask to change your sit. Once you do you will have more space to sleep on.
Travel Toothbrush and Toothpaste –
on our carry on bag we also bring toothpaste and toothbrush. After taking a long nap we usually land the next day in the am, it feels so refreshing being able to brush our teeth right before breakfast is served.
Traveling is something so special to me and being able to travel to places I only dreamed about is truly a blessing. Flights can seem long and sometimes too tight but I hope these tips can help you make your next travel a pleasant one throughout.
