Sleeping on planes-how?!

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We're flying properly longhaul to New Zealand soon and now I'm wondering about sleep.

How do people sleep on a plane?! We will really need to as it's not a case when we cna just sleep when we get there (over a day later😳)

So if you're in economy class. Kids next to you (but old enough not to need you) how on earth do you sleep?

Do we all need travel pillows? Do any of them work? Does the plane provide blankets?

Thankyou :)

The plane will provide blankets but they are not warm.

Thick socks, warm clothes. A blanket of your own is good.

Not sleeping on planes is why a lot of people break the U.K. -NZ journey in eg Singapore and book into a hotel for a couple of days just to sleep.

As others have said: travel pillow and ear phones or buds. I also take a big warm scarf/shawl so I can wrap that around me and use the airline blanket in my legs.

Eat some food, lie back and settle down. Close your eyes and refuse to open them again until you've slept.

I can't sleep on planes. But the last time I had to do a long haul trip (3 flights, 33 hours door to door) I did manage to doze. It's not proper sleep but it gets you through and, in fact, I found I could only do it when I gave up on the idea that I might get any proper sleep.

Shoes off, head phones in and a carefully chosen film on the tiny TV - something you're a bit interested in but not bothered if you miss bits. Don't try to sleep - I think for me this is key - just go with the drowsiness you naturally feel. I think having the TV on distracted me from getting frustrated when I inevitably woke up.

Good luck! It'll be worth it once your in NZ!

you don't say who you're flying with, but if you're going with Air New Zealand would you be able to do a tiny upgrade to SkyCouch?
https://www.airnewzealand.com.au/economy-skycouch

Another vote for BCozzy pillow! A game changer for me!!

The only time I've ever managed it was on a near empty flight to New York, when I had 4 seats to myself and I could lie down

I've tried everything, neck pillows, head pillows for the pill down table, drink, legal drugs to help but I can NEVER get comfy

Another fellow Trtl pillow user here - I've seen 2 up thread. It's the only pillow that's ever worked for me as it properly supports my head. I've also been thinking about adding their sleepmask in to my routine but haven't purchased yet. Pricier than those inflatable ones you see people with but worth it to actually sleep.

I've always been given a blanket on the plane but still pack a comfy hoodie as it's not always the easiest trying to keep the blanket on in a tight space.

This. I can get 4 or 5 hours in if the timing is right.

I use a pillow that goes all the way round and clips under my chin, and can also be attached to the headrest at the back. I might look a bit like Hannibal Lecter but I can sleep bolt upright and my head won't flop around.

And I don't have young children so I drug up a bit more. Valium + strong painkillers + 2 x gins. The painkillers are essential to hold off the aches and pains that inevitably develop.

I went to Mexico last year and got these foot rest things that go over the the seat table. They helped me a lot. Also melatonin it's prescription only but you can buy it online with online prescription for jet lag. It really helps me sleep. I wouldn't do hardcore meds, which are rightly hard to access too. Too risky in the air!

No bra and comfy clothes too!

I don’t eat and just drink water, this resets sleep pattern which are regulated by eating pattern. So not eating helps neutralise
i take an antihistamine 3/4 hours before the time I want to sleep
the airline provides blankets
wear clothing without waistbands- leggings or joggers

i sleep and when I arrive at destination took antihistamine

Timeshifter app is great for jet lag. It’s pay per use but well worth it because that includes the round trip. It tells you when to sleep, when to have caffeine, when to avoid blue light etc in the run up to leaving and during the journey.

My flight to NZ was 26 hrs which included a couple of hours kicking around Hongkong airport, but basically I slept through sheer exhaustion on second leg of the journey just for a few hours. Just make sure you have a place booked for when you arrive and accept the first 24 hrs in NZ will be a write off.. personally I wouldn't take anything to make me sleep, as it will make the jet lag worse. I'd look at purchasing a camping blanket for warmth to weight ratio and they pack up really small, so should fit in hand luggage. Or a couple of extra large pashminas.

Travel sickness pill and a glass of wine

travel sickness tablets are antihistamine, they found that stopping motion sickness was a side affect

Try to distinguish between consciously Going To Sleep and dozing where you can.

I've never been able to deliberately Go To Sleep - where you arrange yourself in blankets, turn off your devices , close your eyes and decide you will sleep now, like you would at home - on a plane (except in business class but it's still shit there). I just can't get relaxed enough and every little distraction or discomfort (of which there are many) seems to wake you up more and more.

I have to accept that proper sleep is going to happen for me, so I don't even try. I act as though I'll be conscious at all times and keep myself occupied with a film, music, books. Inevitably at some point I doze off and that's as good as it gets.

I do find that missing a night's sleep is never quite as awful as I imagine. Just zombie your way through the next day/power through with a million espressos, and then the next time you're in an actual bed you'll be out like a light. If you have side effects like migraines stock up on whatever you need to treat them.

If you have a stopover I recommend going to the gym in it - just a quick intense run. I find it makes you feel less like a zombie in the moment but also when you get on the next plane makes you tired enough that you're more likely to doze.

Good travel pillow
eye mask
drugs of your choice
warm layers - airplane blankets are small and thin

Be a man 🤣

Sorry thats not that helpful, but there always seem to be men on every flight who manage to be asleep before the plane has even taken off. Maybe they know some magic plane sleeping trick?!

(Oh and I personally never take sleeping pills on flights. Did that once and somehow managed to remain conscious, but too groggy to move, for several hours - like being paralysed. Do not recommend. Admittedly that wasn't the hard stuff like Valium but it's put me off trying.)

Try not to stress about it too much. I manage to sleep ok on long haul flights in economy and I am a terrible sleeper normally.

As others have said, blanket, travel pillow, eye mask and silicon ear plugs. If you take a couple of Nytol you will definitely get some sleep. I actually wouldn't drink alcohol as it dehydrates you.

Noise cancelling headphones, I have some Bose ones plus wear something with a big hood so you can pull it over your face. Travel pillows are rubbish I just use a rolled up jumper. Wear very comfortable clothes. I tend to wear a dress so nothing rides up the backside. I can fall asleep anywhere. At one point in my life when I was a studying in the evenings I used to nap under my desk at work on the floor in a sleeping bag. Some people can just nap.

So so true. DH can pretty much sleep standing up!

Oh I probably shouldn't take antihistamines on the plane as I'm worried about dvt and things. I don't know if there's a link I'll ask a pharmacist don't worry. But I do have a migraine pill that will knock me out when I get to nz

We leave evening UK. Stop in Singapore for I think it's 5ish hours and arrive NZ in the morning. So cumulatively that's going to be 2 nights sleep missed.

Can we change flight times at short notice? It says I can make 1 change but would have to chat with them whether I can move earlier and stay longer Singapore. They have those lounge chairs we could lie one. (although if we all slept that's risky belongings wise isn't it?)

No we absolutely cannot upgrade. This is why we are clueless as this is not something we can regularly afford at all. We're visiting people we know and it is likely a one time thing

You can try and change flight times. If you can there's a hotel in Singapore airport that you rent by 3 hour blocks. All internal rooms. Silent and wonderful.

It's just lovely to get a shower halfway here and sit on the loo without someone hammering on the door. 😂

I've only done the "straight-through" flights a couple of times. I much prefer to break the journey for a couple of days (though possibly not helpful if prone to migraines).

If you are all going down the antihistamine route, do a trial run in the school holidays to make sure it works.

We tend to make the first flight happen during "our" usual bed time. We book a lounge with decent food and eat a main meal and switch to "sleep-friendly" clothing.

On the plane make sure it is obvious that your seatbelt is secure. The crew will then leave you alone.

Do you think the trtl pillow is worth it? I keep looking at them. Have loads of the 'normal' type but thinking of the trtl for me ( don't care about the rest of the family!)

I fly for a living - please do not hit the booze, you will feel like shit!!

comfy clothes
good neck pillow
blanket/scarf - planes can be drafty places
small hot water bottle - go to the galley and we will fill it for you - I can’t sleep if I’m cold
please be aware of walking around an aircraft in socks 🤢 - there is all sorts on that carpet!!
herbal teas - again we will happily give you hot water