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We all know how hard it is to have a proper sleep on a plane. A quiet environment, a cool room temperature and a comfortable position. Those are the three elements that one must have in order to achieve a good sleep health.

But let’s be honest, when you’re travelling on a plane, checking even one of these three elements is ultimately impossible. Especially if you’re flying economy. The great news is that we’ve accumulated a series of tips to help you sleep better on a plane. 

Here are our top tips that can help you:

1. Choose the best seat possible

Choosing the best seat can help you sleep better.

But it can be a struggle, especially if you don’t have the budget to be in a business or a first-class seat. 

If you’re like most of us, you’ll be sitting in an economy class seat. A seat with limited leg room, unwelcomed noise and unwanted light.

But here are some tips that help you choose the best possible seat available for your flight:

• The Window Seat – The window seat is a great choice if you really want to doze off during your flight. You can control the light coming through the window and there’ll be no one waking you up to squeeze past you. The downside is that it can be a hassle to use the bathroom. But if you’re not a bathroom person or you rarely use it, the window seat is pretty much the best seat to choose.

• The Exit Row Seats / The Bulkhead Seats – The great thing about exit row or bulkhead seat is that it gives an adequate amount of leg room. And that’s it. More often than not, exit row seats don’t recline while bulkhead seats are prone to be near babies. And that’s definitely bad news for your sleep.

• The Last Row Seat – If you really want to have a comfortable sleep during your flight, it’s best to avoid the last row seats as much as possible. Why? The seats don’t recline, unpleasant smells are usually present (last row seats are often near the toilets), plus the irritating sounds of the engine are heard loud and clear.

2. What you eat and drink makes a difference

Eating a heavy meal during a long-hauled flight can be very troublesome to your sleep. As much as possible, it’s still best to stick to your usual mealtime.

Also, try to limit the intake of caffeine and alcohol, for it can play a major role in your sleep problem. We all know that alcohol and caffeine are the enemies of sleep.

So, if you really want to have a comfortable sleep, drink water and herbal teas instead.

3. Use a blanket and a neck pillow

There’s nothing worse than feeling cold and uncomfortable when you’re trying to sleep.

That’s why it’s best to use a blanket and to bring a neck pillow with you.

Trust us, it can help you relax thus prevent you from suffering a miserable neck pain.

 4. Bring or use sandals

Some people do experience having swollen feet or ankles during their flight. And it’s really bound to happen because you’re sitting with your feet down for a very long time.

A great way to prevent this is by wearing or bringing sandals or even flip-flops during your flight.

5. Try not to watch a lot of movies

If your goal is to sleep on your flight, the best thing to do is limit the movies you’re about to watch.

What most people don’t know is that using electronic devices can make a great impact on your sleep. That’s because they emit a blue light that makes your body and brain alert and awake. 

Instead of binge-watching different kinds of movies on the plane, put your headphones on and you’ll be asleep in no time.

6. Recline your seats

The best possible way to be comfortable during your flight is to recline your seat. Sitting up-straight for a long time can do more harm to your back and even your posture than you may know.

By reclining your seat, you can even prevent a serious case of lower back pain thus sleep comfortably. Just remember to be considerate and check the person behind you before you recline your seat.

7. Use an Eye Mask

Using an eye mask can make a huge difference to your sleep.

First of all, even though the lights are dimmed on the plane, some source of light is still bound to distract you at some point.

But by wearing an eye mask, you can block and prevent all these distracting lights and have a relaxing time for sleep.