How to Sleep on a Plane Comfortably: 8 Tested Practical Tips

There’s nothing more irritating than closing your eyes for the tenth time in a desperate attempt to fall asleep while your seatmate sleeps deep and sound on a long-haul flight. You toss, turn, put down the tray table, lay your head across your arms on it, and still can’t find a comfortable position. As a frequent traveler, I know that falling into deep sleep isn’t easy for everyone, especially in an uncomfortable economy seat. Luckily, I’ve flown enough times to figure out the best ways on how to fall asleep on a plane in economy class! From appropriate gear to hacking the timezones, here’s how to sleep on a plane comfortably so you’re ready to explore when the plane lands.

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Should You Even Be Sleeping?

To beat any jetlag you may face, figure out the timezone and time difference you experience at your destination. For example, if your flight leaves in the late morning and you arrive at your destination in mid-afternoon, it’s in your best interest to stay awake during your flight. You might be tired when you arrive, sure, but it’s a hell of a lot easier to down some coffee and sleep at a reasonable hour in the new timezone than it is dealing with jetlag.

The best situation is when you have an evening flight, and you arrive at your destination in the morning. That way, you can sleep on the airplane the entire flight! But that’s only if you can… so let’s arm ourselves with knowledge so we can create an inviting sleep environment on the plane.

8 Practical Tips on How to Sleep on a Plane

There are 8 tried and tested tips for sleeping on a plane comfortably that I want to share:

Protect Your Eyes
Protect Your Ears
and Protect Your Nose
Stay Hydrated
Dress Comfortably
Support Your Lumbar
Tire Yourself Out Beforehand
Choose Your Seat

1.-3. Protect Your Eyes, Ears, and Nose

The most important advice I can give on how to sleep on a plane well is to protect your eyes, ears, and nose.

Pack an Eyemask

According to sleep medicine physicians, light is a crucial factor that affects sleep. Light plays a central role in regulating circadian rhythms, our bodies’ internal clock, and the production of melatonin, an important hormone promoting sleep. Especially on a plane, where the overhead lights may be on or off, it’s essential to pack a good eye mask that blocks out light. I use an eye mask that has a flap inside the mask that blocks out light that seeps in from the nose area. Creating as dark of an environment as possible helps trick your brain into thinking it’s nighttime, stimulating melatonin production. Hopefully, it makes it easier for you to fall asleep!

Pack Earplugs or Noise-Cancelling Headphones

There is more debate about sound and sleep; some prefer to sleep with white noise, while others prefer total silence. Whether you are on team noise or no noise during sleep, I think everyone can agree that the noise from the plane during flight is incredibly loud. Even with earplugs or headphones, you can still hear the plane noise. This is why I think investing in a good pair of earplugs or headphones is worth it!

Personally, I prefer sleeping in a quiet environment and using an affordable, over-the-ear noise-canceling pair of headphones when I fly. It reduces the loud plane noises and transports me to a quieter world where I am more comfortable dozing off. I don’t even play music through my headphones; I use them to noise cancel, haha. My headphones are my best companion when it comes to solo travel. Earplugs and headphones also help regulate the cabin pressure and lessen uncomfortable ear pain or pressure. As a result, happy ears and eyes can make for a great sleeping environment.

Pack a Perfume or Essential Oil

You can’t control what the air cabin will smell like, so best to pack something that smells good in case! Some people enjoy calming scents before bed; if that’s you, pack a little vial of your favorite scent or perfume to use before you sleep. Obviously, be considerate of the people around you and don’t use a lot, just enough for you to smell. You can rub it on your temples or your neck for a calming environment.

4. Stay Hydrated

Studies show that our bodies’ core temperature is a key factor in inducing drowsiness. Water helps aid in many bodily functions, including regulating core temperature. Additionally, the cabin air is dry on purpose, making it easy to become dehydrated. Dehydration is uncomfortable and also impacts mood, so make sure to drink water while you fly. I always carry a small, refillable water bottle in my carry-on; that way, I have easy access to water. It’s the worst feeling when you are thirsty and the flight attendant is nowhere to be seen. You can also bring herbal tea to sip on, especially those with calming effects like chamomile or lavender.

It’s easier said than done, but avoid caffeine and alcohol on the plane! Caffeine is a diuretic, and alcohol disrupts sleep cycles, so avoid these two beverages if you want to get to sleep. It’s incredibly tempting when the airline provides coffee or cocktails for free, but trust me, it’s not worth losing sleep over (literally).

5. Dress Comfortably

Don’t dress to impress; dress to sleep! Obviously, you want to look good and be comfortable, so ensure you would be okay sleeping in the outfit you choose to wear on the plane. Our bodies undergo a lot of change when we fly, including expanding gases in our bodies and swollen feet, so we want to accommodate that. You’ll be uncomfortable wearing tight clothing, and even more so while you are in a seated position for hours on end. I suggest wearing pants with a stretchy waistband and loose T-shirts or tops, and you can make them look stylish. The more comfortable you are, the easier it will be to fall asleep.

The optimal sleeping environment is dark, cool, and quiet. However, airplanes are specifically designed to be cold. I’m sure you’ve found yourself freezing on flights and not having enough clothing to keep warm. Airplanes are cold by design to reduce the risk of hypoxia, a condition where people faint when there are low oxygen levels. Warm temperatures increase this risk, so cabin temperatures stay cold. As a result, it’s best to dress in layers for a flight. That way, you can maintain a comfortable, cool temperature while you sleep.

6. Lumbar Support

The truth is, our bodies aren’t designed to sleep, nor sit, upright. Just think of the thousands of people complaining about back pain from sitting at a desk all day. Being in an upright position puts a lot of stress on our bodies. But unless you have money to cash out on a fancier seat, we must find ways to lessen the stress on our backs while sitting up.

Place a rolled-up jacket, blanket, or small pillow across the lower seatback to support the natural S-curve of your spine to create lumbar support. Studies suggest proper lumbar support improves comfort and reduces back pain from long flights. On international flights, some airlines will provide a small pillow and a thin blanket that you can use. Otherwise, you can use a jacket or even a small bag you brought.

7. Tire Yourself Out Beforehand

I had a 10-hour red-eye flight to Copenhagen, which arrived in the morning, which meant I HAD to fall asleep on the plane. If I didn’t sleep on the plane, I would have no energy to explore Copenhagen once I landed. So what did I do? I didn’t sleep before my flight. Was I exhausted? Yes. But because I was tired before my flight, it made it really easy to fall and stay asleep during my entire flight.

I would not suggest this method unless you have no other choice because it’s unsustainable, but it works! I slept like a baby for the whole 10 hours, waking up during sunrise in Denmark. A less extreme way to tire yourself out is to exercise or walk around the airport before boarding.

8. Choose Your Seat

Last but not least, choose your seat on the plane. If you know you are more comfortable in a window seat than a middle seat, get the window seat. Choosing seats is an extra cost, but if you think it is worth the chance to fall asleep, then it’s worth it. Some people say that first or business class is more comfortable, but not everyone has the money to splurge on a roomier seat. Even then, the fancier seats could also not be as comfortable if you don’t know what environment you easily fall asleep in.

How to Sleep on a Plane & Get Some ZZZ’s On Your Next Flight

Now that you’re armed with the knowledge to get a better night’s sleep on your next fight, your next trip will be much smoother. Don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t work out the first few times. It might take some trial and error before you get it right. Perfecting how to sleep on a plane takes time—so be kind to yourself as you feel it out—I wish you the best with your sleeping-on-plane journey and happy travels!

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