Sleep and Travel

Are you one of those people who avoids sleeping on the airplane because you wake up with a stiff neck, stiff back, and stiff legs? Sleeping in a airplane is one of the most difficult travel questions to answer, because the small space you have to sleep in seems almost designed to make your whole body stiff. If you’re trying to figure out how to sleep on a plane without having to turn yourself into a human pretzel, here are some tips.

  • For any kind of travel, you should consider investing in a travel sleep pillow immediately. Sure you could take your pillow from home, the familiar feel is soothing, but with the size of airplane seats, even a twin pillow can be bulky and intrude on the seat next to you. No one wants a pillow in their face that isn’t theirs, and being respectful of other travelers is important. There are many kinds of travel pillows out there to choose from, pick the one that’s right for you. It’s worth it.
  • Wear comfortable clothing if you’re trying to do your sleeping on a plane. Even if you’re going to a business meeting, wear your comfy clothing on the plane. You can change if you need to when you get to your destination. If you find yourself wondering how to sleep on a airplane, but you’re trying to fall asleep in a three-piece suit, your fitted clothing is a big reason why you can’t doze off.
  • Bring your iPod or other MP3 player with you. Soothing music can make a huge difference in your state of mind as you try to fall asleep during your flight. Make sure you have soothing music on the MP3 player to help you fall asleep. If you’re afraid you won’t be able to wake back up without looking and feeling fatigued, make a separate folder on your music player with upbeat music. Then when you wake up, you can switch over to music that will get you feeling awake and ready to take on your destination.

Once you institute those three tips you’ll find yourself wondering why some people cannot sleep on the plane, because you’ll be well rested and feeling good on arrival! These same tips can be used if you need to get some sleep during train travel. The comfortable clothing is especially important so you don’t feel the fabric pinching or pulling while you try to get cozy.

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