We’re sharing our best tips to get good sleep on a plane. In this episode, we cover how to prepare long before you get to the airport, what to bring, what to wear, and how to settle in for a snoozefest on board.

What to bring:

• Collapsible water bottle
• Magnesium gummies
• Melatonin
• Travel neck pillow
• Scarf/sweater
• Airplane foot hammock
• Sleeping eye mask
• Earpods
• Mouth tape
• Comfy socks

How to Get Good Sleep on a Plane – Episode Transcript

0:35

Today, we’re sharing our best tips to get good sleep on a plane. In this episode, we cover how to prepare long before you get to the airport, what to bring, what to wear, and how to settle in for the snoozefest on board so.We have a lot of different tips for you guys, but before you even get to the airport, one thing you can do is try to book a window seat because this way you can cozy up against the plane side wall and it makes it a little bit more comfortable for you to sleep.

1:19

Yeah, you definitely don’t want to be on the aisle.Like, yeah, you could sleep in the aisle and recline and do all that stuff, but there’s really nothing to lean up against.You going to lean up against the air in the aisle unless you’re with the person who’s traveling in the middle seat.

1:34

You could lean on them, but they’re in the middle, so you don’t want to lean on them and make it more uncomfortable.So I feel like the window pretty much is the best spot that you could be.That way you can just kind of tuck yourself into the corner and use the airplane wall as your support.I would recommend that you look at Seatguru for the layout of the plane that you’ll be on because some seats don’t have windows or they don’t recline.

1:59

And of course the airline’s not going to tell you that, but Seatguru does.And if you’re really trying to get a good seat, you should check Seatguru.I love seatguru.Every time we book a flight and now I have a flight number and a date, I go to seatguru.com.You could plug in that information and it will give you the layout of the model airplane that they’re going to be taking.

2:21

Of course, sometimes depending on that route and that flight, of course, they maybe have 2-3 different like variations of the airplane.So sometimes, you know, you don’t have a hard and true of like, yes, for sure on this.But it’s really cool to actually see because a lot of times, yeah, a lot of people don’t really like to sit in the back.

2:38

But if you’re travelling in an economy, and of course most people are, because there’s more economy seats than anything else on a plane, right?If you’re on a long haul flight, as you get to the back of the plane, it narrows a little bit.So sometimes those back seats are not in a three, three pattern.

2:55

There’s two on there.So if you’re traveling with two people, that could be a good spot for you to try to snag that too.And you guys can lean against each other, not really have to worry about falling asleep on another person that you don’t know, get comfortable with each other and your travel companion.So I really like that about Seatguru to really figure that stuff.

3:11

Out Another thing about choosing your seat on the plane with the airline is that sometimes you’re able to see the other open seats that may be next to you, especially if you’re booking at say like the day before the trip or the day of the trip.You can kind of choose one that has open seats next to you.

3:28

So not guaranteeing, but increasing your chances of an open middle seat or potentially an open road to yourself, which open road to yourself you can lay down and that is some good sleep.One of your most recent long haul flights, Well, not super long haul, but long haul nevertheless.

3:45

You had that luxury did you not Kim?Just full blown open 3 seater.I did, and I also just flew home from Nashville yesterday and I had a whole row to myself and I slept the entire time.Did you also download a track of brown noise to listen to for your flight?

4:02

I didn’t on this one, but I I did when I went to Iceland.I love brown noise.If you can’t sleep brown noise.It’s it’s a massage for your brain and when you put that in with your earbuds, it just drowns everything out.So make sure before you get onto your flight to download a very long track of the brown noise and charge your earbuds in advance so that you can listen to it to get a great nap in.

4:26

Worst thing ever is getting on a plane and then you hear battery low.That would be very bad news.You definitely do not want that.I would also say come tired, like if you’re going to get on a plane at 10 in the morning, you’re probably not going to be very tired and able to sleep right.

4:43

But if you have a evening flight or red eye flight, you will have a better chance of falling asleep and getting that good sleep beforehand.I always like to even exercise, like physically exert myself the day of or the days leading up to the trip, because when your body’s tired, you’re going to get better sleep.

5:01

Yeah, I think, of course, if you have a later flight or red eye, you’re probably doing something for the day and you’re waking up early.And so of course, yeah, you’re going to be tired.But even if you have that 10:00 AM flight, as you said, Kim, one thing you can do is either just wake up extra earlier or even go to bed later the night before.

5:22

That way you are tired for that.And of course, if you just have like a normal flight, you know, not really necessarily need to do that.But of course, if you’re going on a big international flight, flying anywhere between 8 to 15 hours, sometimes even longer depending on where you’re going, you should really focus on being like, yeah, what can I do within reason to have me be the most tired as I am when I arrive?

5:43

That way it’s easier for me to sleep on the plane.I will say some of the best sleep that I ever get on a plane is when I’ve had like a wild weekend, like coming home from Nashville this weekend.I was exhausted.So maybe try that to pull an all nighter.

5:59

Pull and all that.That’s something that you can do for sure.When I was working night shift and we were traveling, sometimes I would be like, should I just stay up so that I’ll be really tired for this flight?It was a good strategy sometimes.Talking about what to wear, you don’t want to wear tight jeans.

6:16

Definitely not.You want to be as comfortable as possible.I get those pants with like the stretchy waistbands or joggers and I typically wear those on the plane because even yoga pants can be a little restricting at times.Please don’t wear obvious pajama pants.

6:34

That is my pet peeve in the airport.OK, but what about this?We are going on a business class flight and I’m not going to wear my pajamas at the airport, but I’m going to change into them for our 17 hour flight.I just.Think we have so many other comfortable options?You don’t need to wear your Plaid Christmas pajamas while you’re traveling.

6:52

I’m not going to wear my Plaid ones, I’m going to wear my cute ones from Napa.Maybe.I don’t think she’s going to stay in it for the whole flight.I think she means when the flight attendants are going to come and do turn down service for our seats to make them into beds and set up the sheets and stuff like that.

7:08

She wants to change into pajamas so that she’s talking about changing during that time, which I think that could possibly be acceptable.If she stays in her pajama pants for the duration of the flight upon waking up, I will criticize her and let you know Kim because I think that’s also very taboo.

7:27

I always wear socks on a plane I never come onto the plane with just like flip flops.If I am wearing sandals or for whatever reason and I’m not wearing them, usually for a long flight I make sure to pack some socks in my backpack.But previously I used to wear shoes that were like the biggest or the bulkiest.

7:44

But to be the most comfortable, you want shoes that can easily slip on and off.Definitely.I hate wearing sandals through an airport because for whatever reason, even with TSA Pre, if I’m wearing sandals guaranteed for whatever reason, they’re going to mainly take them off and walk barefoot through the security, which is gross.

8:01

But yeah, socks.It’s cold on planes.Or it can be really hot.We’ve had a few flights that have been warmer than normal.So it’s either usually really cold or really hot.So I like to wear some layers.I usually wear a short sleeve and then like a light jacket.

8:18

And I usually have a scarf that I bring with me which I can either wrap around my head if I’m cold or use as a little extra blanket.Now, if you are in a hot plane, if you’re in a cold plane, you put your socks on, right?If you’re in a hot plane, are you going to take your socks off?No.The only thing that you should really do if you’re in a hot plane is just roll up your sleeves.

8:38

If you have a long sleeve shirt on, then at that point, I mean, that’s all you can really do.And of course, if you’re dressed in layers, because it could equally be cold that we’ve been on flights where it’s like hot then cold, hot then cold, then, you know, you want to take off that coat or sweatshirt then at that point in time.

8:56

But yeah, just point of this is really think about what you could wear to be the most comfortable within reason and not upset Kim by wearing pajamas onto the play.There’s a couple of other accessories that you can bring that will help along with what you’re wearing.

9:12

We always talk about the take on travel pillow.It’s like a pillow kickstand for your head.I love this thing.It’s super comfortable.It’s also great if you do get that open row and you can lay down with it.I love it.But if you just have any trouble pillow, it’s going to make your experience that much better.

9:28

Our old.Roommate and Squatty Josh, he was actually talking about a travel pillow that he just got for his flight back from Thailand, and it’s one where it straps onto the back of the seat to hold.I’ve been saying those.And he said it was a game changer and he slept so great.

9:46

He texted me as soon as he landed in Seattle from that flight from Asia, coming back from Thailand and he’s like, this was an absolute game changer.You for sure need this.So that’s something that we’re going to try.So yes, we’re talking about the take on travel pillow because we have that.

10:02

We love it and you just described it perfectly, like a kickstand.It’s not like one of those ring doughnut ones that goes around this literally cradles your head as a kickstand.It kind of leans to the side so you have that subtle little bit of a lean.But I’m very interested in trying what our friend Josh was telling us about the ones that hold your head to the back of the seat.

10:21

That way you could just kind of like kept upright and you don’t have to like mentally hold yourself because sometimes when you’re trying to sleep on a plane, that’s one of the most uncomfortable things that you can do also.Your head keeps falling down and waking you up or your mouth falls open.Absolutely.Also if you’re a Shorty you can get a foot hammock.

10:39

Kim and I both have them.I bring mine on any flight over like 3 hours and I swear by it.Sleeping eye mask is great too, especially for those longer flights because you’re going through night, you’re going through day when you’re on a plane and you’re trying to get sleep and it’s daytime, that can be really uncomfortable for your eyeballs.

10:55

So sleeping eye mask, earbuds, whether it’s the earbuds that play music or even if you just want earplugs, it can drowned out noise enough to help you sleep.Like the announcers coming on.So annoying when they turn the lights on to do beverage service that can wake you up.

11:12

So the eye mask and the earbuds.Also be sure to bring a water bottle.I know most people thinking like, well, what does a water bottle really have to do with me being able to sleep?But obviously when we’re traveling and of course, what the flight attendants give you for your water is not necessarily very big.

11:28

But there really are studies that show if you are dehydrated, it also brings in a sense of discomfort.It makes it harder for you to sleep.That’s there to help refresh you, relax you.And so if you have a water bottle, you have access to more of it and it’s going to make it easier for you to sleep if you’re actually drinking what’s in your water.

11:46

And then I’ll just say mouth tape here at the end too.We talked about your head falling down and mouth opening up.There’s been a million times I found myself in that situation.So mouth tape is getting real popular now.And if you’re one of those people and that that’s happening to you, slap a piece of tape on there and snooze away.

12:04

I am a mouth tape user now and I absolutely love it.I use it every night when I go to bed.I’m really going to have to start using it a lot more when I’m actually flying.That’s one of those things where I have it and sometimes I’ll put it on, sometimes not, but I really need to be more consistent because again, like I said, kind of with the water bottle, there are studies that show that if you keep your mouth closed when you sleep, forcing you to actually breathe through your nose, you do become more relaxed.

12:30

And it makes it a lot easier for you to sleep in that way too, to get more restful sleep.We talked a little bit about the water bottle that you should bring on board, but we have it in your carry on bag.Fill it in the airport or buy water at the airport.

12:45

And then make sure to use the restroom before you board the plane because if you’re sitting in that seat up against the window, this will help reduce the need for you to get up and you can settle in, get some rest right off the bat.You can also do any other pre sleep rituals that you typically do when you’re at home if there’s skin care.

13:05

Brushing your teeth.I always take magnesium before bed and lately I’ve been taking melatonin as well.One helps you stay asleep, one helps you fall asleep.I would recommend doing that and my trick for it, just like I did when I went to Iceland recently.

13:22

I took those two while I was standing in line to board so that by the time I got settled in my seat and we were taking off, I was already letting my eyelids fall and getting ready to sleep.In fact, I did this once with just melatonin coming back from Thailand and the combination of melatonin and being exhausted from having a wild trip in Thailand for over a week.

13:45

I slept for like 12 hours straight on that plane.That’s a good amount of sleep, 12 hours.That’s practically the whole thing.I know it’s a lot longer, but I mean, that’s that’s a good amount of sleep.And I was going to say, you know, magnesium, melatonin, these are very easy things that you can get over the counter.

14:01

And I think anything that you could use to help aid yourself into that sleep is good.And of course, those two items right there, like you said, Kim, one puts you to sleep, one helps you stay asleep.Why not have the double combo there to help you?The 1-2 punch.Absolutely.

14:17

So when you get on the plane, like Brittany said, you know, be sure to use the restroom before because you want to start settling in.You really want to get comfortable, set up your space, put in your earbuds, ideally with that brown noise track that you have.And of course, put on that eye mask which you should be bringing to help really put you into a mood and vibe to help ease into that sleep.

14:40

You might be tempted to watch TV with the screen on the back of your seat, but if you can avoid the light from the back of the screen, that’s going to help you sleep even better, especially if you’re just planning on going to sleep right away.Sometimes if I can’t really get into it I will put on ATV show just as background noise, but that blue light isn’t the best for you to get your best sleep cycle.

15:03

It does not help put you into a good sleep cycle pattern.So we’re talking about the TV that’s on the back of the seat.That could even be your phone, tablet, laptop, if you want to use that.By all means, of course, we’re not saying not to.But if you know that you’re going to try to sleep sometime soon, like you should really cut that out at least 30 minutes before you decide to yourself.

15:23

Like hey, I’m actually going to close my eyes because that blue light really affects your sleep pattern and cycle.It’s much better to try to read a book.Anytime Jamal picks up a book, he’s asleep in 2 minutes flat.If I do not read within the first 3 hours of waking up, it could be midday.By that point a book will put me to sleep.

15:39

So you know that is like my go to of like I need to sleep.I’m like, OK, yeah, it’s book reading time.It helps me fall asleep too.Get a few pages in.Let your eyeballs get tired.Brittany, you actually told me this when you were working night shifts, that there is something to sleeping in 90 minute increments.

15:58

It’s your natural sleep cycle, so I don’t know how you could really master this, but if you can, try to sleep in 90 minutes, 3 hours, 4 1/2 hours, six hours so that you don’t disturb that cycle.Have you tried it even when you’re not traveling Kim to see if you feel a difference in your body?

16:16

Well, how do you do it?You set an alarm.Yeah.So I usually set an alarm and I usually give myself a 20 to 30 minute buffer as my falling asleep buffer just so that it’s not right on the dock, because usually when you say I’m going to sleep, you’re not going to fall asleep right away.So I give myself a little bit of a buffer.

16:32

But when I do stick to that, I do usually feel a little bit more refreshed than if I just set it to a specific time.It’s a great tip, so you’ll have to give that a shot on your next flight.Squatties, especially those long haul ones, this is really, really going to come in handy for six hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, or like you all going on a 17 hour flight here pretty soon.

16:54

Coming up pretty soon, 17 hour flight.So again, sleeping on a plane is never the easiest thing to do at all.These are not silver bullets that will for sure put you to sleep, but all of these tips collectively should help give you the best sleep that you can actually get on on an airplane.

17:10

That way you are well rested when you arrive in your travel destination and you can hit the ground run.Thanks so much for tuning into this week’s Just the Tip.Make sure to subscribe, leave a review, and follow us on all the socials at Travel Squad Podcast.And have fun travelling this weekend.