Tips for an 11 hour flight

[kissmelittleass]

Not a great flyer on long trips, never sleep night before worrying if I have everything sorted! Flying in couple weeks on an 11 hour flight and have to be up at 4am dreading it as I know I'll get no sleep and will be up 24 hours with time difference of 8 hours. Like Groundhog Day having to go through the same day again ! When I travelled last year I just couldn't sleep on the plane but I would love to as I nearly fainted and went all dizzy the last time after being awake 24 hours. I am a bad sleeper anyway bit of an insomniac hence this post at this time! I can't take sleeping tablets but if you have any tips for me I would love to hear them! Just felt so drained and I want to enjoy every minute away and feel good.

there's not much to be done really - sleeping on planes in economy is very difficult. The only time I crash straight to sleep is after a long-haul flight.

book your transfer and accommodation at the other end, keep hydrated on the flight and don't plan too much for the first couple of days because you WILL feel wrecked.

sleeping tablets are a bad idea due to DVT risk. Take books, plug into the entertainment system and just veg out.

Flying long haul is dull, exhausting and really just a means to an end.
I never sleep either so just accept that you'll watching movies and reading for 11 hours.

I agree with special just accept you'll be knackered for the first day or so but will have a fantastic catch up sleep when you're there.

Everyone seems to be sleeping expect for me. I did once take a sleeping pill on a flight and ended up not sleeping but feeling very spaced outand kneeling in front of the seat with my head on the seat. The hostess had to tell my DH to wake me up.

However I did take a sleeping pill the night before I flew once. That does help in that you aren't completely shattered.

I have also found that making the flight later in the day does make a difference. You don't spend the night before worrying you will oversleep

Otherewise if you cannot take pills as someone quite sternly said to me 'don't go on long flights'!

Is it SO worth it to go to far flung places though

Thanks for advice, I envy the people around me who can sleep sitting up it's hard enough for me lying down! I just want to feel refreshed. Do you all go to bed early the night before when you have to be up in the early hours? I went to bed at 9 the last time but just lay there I think I got about 2 hours sleep in the end and that was before the longhaul flight! No wonder I was wrecked.

Valium is you friend.