5 Flight Attendant-Approved Tips For Getting Better Sleep On A Plane

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There are few places that are less comfortable to sleep than on a plane. Between the dry air, the uncomfortable seats, and the sounds of other fliers around you, it can be a recipe for a sleepless flight. That can make the first day of your vacation or work trip a blur. While you may have an easier time getting some rest with an expensive business or first class ticket, especially if you have lie-flat seats, not everyone can afford that, especially if you're someone who travels often. However, there are some great tips out there from flight attendants that you can make use of on your next flight. After all, who knows more about catching ZZZs in the air than people who make their living at 30,000 feet? 

They have all sorts of fantastic tips, from having the right items in a sleep kit, to dressing correctly, to picking the right time to start your slumber. They also have helpful advice, depending on which seat you're in, as well as picking the right seat to begin with. If you've got a trip on the way, here's everything you need to know to get the best sleep possible on a plane. 

Having a great snooze in an airplane can really be helped out with some accessories, and making a sleep kit that you keep with your carry-on bag is the best way to ensure that you can nod off, and wake up without a stiff neck. Flight attendant and life coach Aura E. Martinez told Tom's Guide, "Create a cocoon-like environment for your senses: eye masks, noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs, and a relaxing scent like lavender essential oil can signal to your body that it's safe to rest." Southwest flight attendant Katie Storck mentioned another important accessory to Southern Living, which is a good neck pillow, while Delta flight attendant Andrea Davis told the same site that you should choose a weighted version of an eye mask to help you relax. 

You can get a small zippered pouch to hold all your items, though if you have essential oils, you should make sure to put them in your liquids bag to comply with the 3-1-1 rule. You can also choose it in the form of solid scents, or put a few drops on a cotton ball instead of carrying the bottle. If you're picking a neck pillow, make sure you have something stable that holds your neck upright, like the napfun Neck Pillow for Traveling on Amazon.

Where you sit can be as important for your sleep quality on a plane as the accessories you bring with you. Former flight attendant and cabin manager Paula S. Adams told Tom's Guide that window seats are the best for sleeping. That is even more important when you're taking a red-eye flight. With a window seat, you can lean against the wall (rather than on some stranger's shoulder), and even better, you get to control the window shade. There is nothing worse than trying to sleep when your row mate opens it up to blinding sunlight. (That makes the sleep mask even more important.) Another benefit is that you won't have to get up every time anyone else in your row needs to use the restroom. 

If you're the one who tends to get up for potty breaks a lot, the aisle seat might be worth it to you. However, Adams has some advice for the middle seat if you get stuck there. She suggests bringing something soft for either side of your neck, though a thick neck pillow can help keep your head from sliding to the side. She says another great idea is a hoodie or scarf to keep yourself in your own little world. Another tip from Adams is to put a pillow and scarf or sweater on the tray table in front of you and sleep with your head down.

Wearing the right clothing can aid in relaxing more comfortably, which can help you drift off. Martinez said, "Cabin temperature fluctuates, and being too cold or too hot can interrupt your sleep cycles. When I'm a deadheading crew member or when I am traveling as a passenger, I always bring my own blanket and, just in case, a scarf and a sweater." (In case you're wondering, deadheading a flight is a trip where the flight attendant isn't working, usually to relocate them to another airport.) A scarf can be especially useful when flying to a tropical location where you don't want to bundle up, and it has lots of other uses, like an eye mask in a pinch, a towel for small spills, or a picnic blanket during your vacation. In fact, travel pro Samantha Brown calls scarves the Swiss army knife of travel. 

However, it isn't just about what you throw over yourself to stay warm. Storck mentioned wearing comfortable pants as well. Joggers can work, as can any soft pants. You may want to avoid wearing jeans or pants that bind around the waist. If you couldn't wear them for eight hours straight sitting at a desk job, they're probably not going to be comfortable while you try to sleep on the flight. You can also bring a pair of slippers to wear during the flight, but make sure to change your shoes before you board. A plane is a bit too confined to subject other passengers to sweaty socks. 

What you drink can affect your sleep on a plane, and Adams has a suggestion for you there as well. She says to avoid caffeine, which you probably already know. Coffee and tea can keep you awake, as can caffeinated sodas and energy drinks. However, she also recommends avoiding alcohol. One reason is that it can dehydrate you, which can make you really uncomfortable. It can also disrupt your sleep cycle, and keep you from getting REM sleep, leaving you groggy after your flight. It can also make your snoring worse if you're prone to it, so your row mates will thank you for picking another beverage instead. While it may help you drift off initially, the morning after isn't great. 

This goes for drinking at the airport before departure or between connecting flights as well. Flight attendants are trained to look for inebriated passengers, and if it's bad enough, you may get kicked off the flight. Your best bet is to bring an empty reusable water bottle and fill it up before you get on the plane. Adams also says not to drink too much of any liquid and to sip slowly if you plan to sleep so you don't have to keep getting up to use the restroom.

When you try to sleep on a plane can be as important as how to drift off in the first place, according to some flight attendants. Martinez mentioned limiting your screen time an hour before sleeping, which is something you may have heard in reference to your sleep in general. While some airlines have in-flight entertainment videos that can help with relaxation, you may want to switch to a white noise app in your noise-canceling headphones, or soothing music instead of watching something shortly before dozing. 

Adams also suggested something helpful if you're trying to adjust your sleep to a new city. She says, "Try to sleep when it's night in your destination, especially if crossing time zones. Use your meal service as a guide: eat, then sleep." You can use the universal clock on your phone to double check the time, and look up sunrise and sunset for your destination online. And finally, one Reddit poster in r/TravelHacks had a great tip, saying, "Accept you won't sleep much and that at least your body will rest, and if you do sleep that's a bonus. It can help with the frustration that can make falling asleep harder." 

To come up with the best flight attendant-approved tips for better sleep on planes, we looked at a number of articles with ideas directly from flight attendants, including Southern Living and Tom's Guide. We also checked out Reddit's r/TravelHacks to see what was working for actual passengers as well. In addition, I've personally been on dozens of long haul flights with either work activities or family activities right after landing, so sleeping on planes has been a bit of an obsession for the last 20 years. Full disclosure, with the amount of eye masks and neck pillows I own for travel, I could open a store.