Sleeping on planes-how?!

[Candlestickholder]

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 :)

I can barely even fall asleep in a bed but absolutely swear by Space Masks for flying. They’re expensive but so so worth it for getting some sleep and the warmth lasts for several hours.

My biggest tip is start now with a play list you only listen to before bed/in bed. Every song must be unique to that play list, you never listen to it anywhere else. This is my trick, it hacks my brain into thinking 'oh it's bedtime' on a plane and I'll pass out for at least an hour or so, can be the difference between feeling really ill and not!

Another vote for the TRTL pillow, only one that works.

Comfy, layered clothing, can take a layer off if you get too warm but there's nothing worse than being too cold (and I'm always freezing on planes)

Foot Hammock is comfier than trying to sleep 'sitting up'

Blackout eyemasks and good earplugs. Brush your teeth and drink water, not only booze. NO caffeine. Diphenhydramine if you have it, or valium (but not if you're one of those pricks who takes it, snores like a fucking rhino and keeps the rest of the plane awake for 14hrs as I experienced on an Australian flight once, still want to murder that woman)

Have done similar trip many times. Agree re eye mask, extra scarf and one or two good pillows. They always give u a pillow and a blanket and usually give u a little bag with eye mask, socks, toothpaste etc. Definitely go in v comfortable clothes ( tracksuit) and a soft vest type bra). Take glasses not contact lenses. I take trsvel sickness tablets ( sturgeron works well for me) as I really suiffer with motion sickness, it has the side effect of making me very relaxed and sleepy. So I get plenty of sleep, although because sitting up, you wake up tl reposition every hour. The flight that leaves London in the evening is a good one. You get on, have drinks and dinner and about 2 hrs after take off the lights are dimmed. They usually do not turn on lights until 2 hrs before arriving in Singapore ( for ' brekkie'). So you have around 8 hrs to just rest. I never drink alcohol but take an empty bottle to ask for frequent water refills. Also they have a snacl bar set up in the night where u can get hot and cold drinks, noodles, etc. It is quite s chillaxed place to be. Once you arrive in Singapore you feel that you have broken the back of it. The next flight is daytime for your brain, but try and snooze again. Then I always allow 3 days to get over jetlag, just keeping it low key, accepting you may be up at midnight. It always resets after 3 days. I get bad migraines too, it goes with trsvel sickness. Key is to be on top of any travel sickness then that way I do not have any particular problem with migraines on arrival. Its a fantastic journey to make really. Just 24 hrs and on the other side of the world. Mind blowing!!! I do it every year usually in economy and it is definitely doable and worth it. Good luck!

Depending on who you are flying with, please be careful if you are planning on travelling with something that hooks over the seat back, either in front or behind. Many planes (especially long haul) have TV's in the seat back and it's not fair to be hooking your comfort thing over someone else's seat and causing them discomfort either by it slipping down over their TV screen behind or pulling on the seat in front every time you move your feet.

I also think a lot of these replies are overdramatic and winding you up into greater anxiety unnecessarily, OP! I don't sleep particularly well on planes - because of this I am sometimes awake during the lights out portion of a night flight and from that I can reassure you that the majority of people, by far, do sleep. I'm actually amazed at how many people do sleep easily and for a decent length of time on planes. The other day I was on a 9am short haul and probably 1/3 of the plane were asleep when I went to the loo an hour in despite it not being dark or night time where they'd departed from! But also, I have been awake for nearly all the flight quite frequently, including when travelling for work (but not, alas, business class) so I need to be on it at the other end, and it really is ok. Missing a whole night's sleep is weirdly more tolerable than not getting enough sleep in day to day life; some adrenaline kicks in and you often feel quite wired.

i think you just have to set your expectations about the quality of sleep as well - DH always used to think he never got any sleep at all, but every time I looked at him he was asleep !

But it’s not the really deep sleep you get in bed - so you might be vaguely aware of what’s going on around you but you’re still resting.

I travel to/from Singapore a number of times a year.

Change your watch to the destination time on boarding the aircraft. Act as you would at that time.

You are likely to be given a pillow and a blanket. Have several glasses of wine and select what you think would be the most boring film to watch. With a bit of luck you will doze off.

Oh, and keep your seat belt loosely on and visible. Then, in the event of turbulence, you won’t get woken up to buckle up.

Eye mask and headphones. They often give out blankets on long flights.

No matter how long, have never been able to sleep

I have the opposit problem and can't stay awake! I used to fly Stansted to Newcastle regularly which was about 45 mins, I was asleep as soon as we were in the air! I'm the same in the car/train etc! I get soo sleepy and feel ill if I don't sleep!

I too say Valium. Go to the doctor, tell them you have a long haul flight and tell them you're nervous about it, that you're not a great flyer, and could you be prescribed something to relax you. Worked for me.

Never mix alcohol and sleeping pills or antihistamine! Honestly, if I am flying, I want to be on the ball with fast reflexes is anything ever went wrong. I'll relax and sleep or not- with herbal tablets- but no more.

Stugeron, noise cancelling headphones, something narrated by Stephen Fry and two big glasses of wine in the airport bar. Knocks me tf out for hours.

I agree with this^ . DH sleeps even short haul just give him a chance. And by chance I don’t mean travel pillow, eye mask, earplugs and blanket, just don’t elbow and shake him for 15 minutes and job done. I can fall asleep if completely exhausted by packing and not sleeping a night before (happened a few times) but otherwise I will be awake even in around the world trip.
I would take heavier scarf for shoulders and body and a light scarf to wrap around your head if you don’t like travel plugs. Comfy warm socks.

I've done this journey more times than I care to remember. Don't worry about the flight or the lack of sleep, you will be fine. You get up there then pretty quickly they bring out the food, that takes up your first couple of hours, usually after that they dim the cabins and this is when people try and have a sleep. If you can get a couple of hours, that's great, watch a movie, try for another bit of sleep. About a couple of hours before landing it's more food then by the time they clear everything up you're landing again. All that X 2. You will be tired but you'll also be excited to land each time. My advice is to avoid alcohol, and drink water to stay hydrated. Bring some moisturiser too. I always found the jet lag not too bad going, but worse on coming home. I have also heard good things about melatonin for jet lag but I don't think you can get it in this country, could try NZ. Hope you have a great holiday!!

Thanks all

Earlier flight is full so that's not an option (I did look)

I'm a bit worried about dvt as I have a higher risk so not sure if drugs are a good idea while flying. I have an aisle seat so I can walk around.

I can't quite grasp the logistics of sleeping upright without anything to lean on!

My eldest has just pointed out if they're in a middle seat there's no window to lie in... I said they can lie on me but that's not cool apparently.

Presumably people manage?!

Have spent far too long googling travel pillows! And getting nowhere fast. Everything will be x 4. We do have noise cancelling headphones but I hadn't thought about eye masks.

Do you still get little bags of things?

I was thinking my coat could act as a blanket? (although I won't need a coat in Singapore I guess!!) do you need a coat??! Now I'm wondering if you're ever outdoors...

I've been trained well enough over the past 20 odd years to have it down pat what works for me.

Take melatonin or Phenergan PM about half hour before desired sleep time
Neck pillow
Blanket tucked up under my neck pillow
Eye mask
Ear phones plugged to the meditation/chill out channel
Bam... 8 hours sleep easy.

@Candlestickholder when you get on the plane check if the headrest moves. Depending on the airline the headrest might go up and down and you can also pull the sides out, this will give your head a place to rest while sitting up.

I also manage to sleep with my head on the tray table. I put it down then sleep with my head in my arms. It might kill your back and neck but deffo lets me get a bit more sleep! Might depend how tall you are and how much space the airline gives you. I'm 5'7 and Emirates gives me enough space to do this...just. Your kids should definitely be able to do it if they feel comfortable in that position.

Eyemask
Earplugs or headphones and play something dull/white noise
Big scarf/pashmina

And a tip from the young'uns, wear a hoodie with the hood up for a feeling of privacy.

I like the J travel pillow - failing to post, but on Amazon, soft and supports your neck. I find the window seat best for trying to get some rest.

And as others have said, a positive mind set can help, so tell yourself you'll get some nice naps in, rather than worrying about not sleeping, because then you won't sleep. I can only sleep properly if lying down, but napping is more doable on a plane if I'm relaxed.

Keeping warm helps me too - I have a big soft pashmina I use for long trips on planes and trains, it makes me feel cosy, so I can relax which helps with naps.

Though if you can change your flight time and have a night or two in Singapore, that would make it a lot easier to manage.

Or, as you have migrane medication which will get you to sleep, I'd take that.

Definitely don’t mix Valium with anything else, especially alcohol, can’t believe that’s actually been recommended!

You're overthinking it OP! As soon as the lights go off, seat back, eye mask and headphones on, earplugs in, shut your eyes and don't open them until after you've slept. More comfortable with a travel pillow. Why don't you book a window seat for your children? You could book window and aisle and hope noone is in the middle.

Same! I'm fascinated by people who can sleep sitting - like how?? 🤣

I just lean back and close my eyes! I will fall asleep on trains, in cars, on the sofa, all sitting up if needs be.

No I'm not booking window and aisle and hoping noones in the middle as it's far too long a flight and they will need to talk to me!!! We've got 4 on the middle for one flight and a 3 together with one window seat and 1 in front for the next flight.

Its in a few weeks time so no changing flight times or extra days anywhere.

It will matter if we don't sleep as door to door it will be about 40 hours. So we will need to sleep...

I also really want to explore changi/the jewel before going onto NZ as we are there for a few hours but at this rate we'll be keeping on the flat chairs there.