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Inflight Insomnia No More: 7 Secrets for Surviving and Sleeping on Overnight Flights to Europe and Beyond!


A graphic with a collage of photos from airplanes
Discover 7 secrets to sleeping on planes!

As summer travel season creeps up, so does the anxiety of long-haul overnight flights. If you’re planning a trip to Europe this summer, you’re probably already reading tons of guides that remind you to “drink water” and “don’t drink alcohol” on an overnight flight. I know, because I’ve read all of those articles myself. 


I’m here to tell you the things you haven’t thought of yet; the things my “How to survive a long-haul flight” Google searches didn’t tell me. Here are my 7 secrets to sleeping in flight to help you survive your upcoming trip! 


Seven Secrets to Sleeping on Overnight, Loung-Haul Flight


#1 Get a Window Seat According to Your Sleeping Position

It dawned on me as I was on a red-eye from LAX to Fort Lauderdale that getting sleep would be impossible for me because I sleep on my left side, but the window was on the right. Since then, I’ve booked seats on the left-hand side of the plane so that I can comfortably rest my head against the window, creating the illusion that I’m lying in bed. If you’re able to secure a window seat, try to pick the side of the plane that will offer you similar comfort. 


#2 Take Sleeping Aid, but Not the Hard Stuff

Friends and family members attest that taking prescription-level sleep aid on a plane can have some adverse effects (Like falling asleep on trains after landing or “blacking out” on the plane itself). My go-to over-the-counter sleep solution is 5mg of melatonin and 20mg of Diphenhydramine (The same ingredient in NyQuil or Advil PM). This, taken in combination, has allowed me to get a few restful hours on long-haul flights without drowsiness upon landing. Contact your doctor before trying any kind of new medication in flight. 


#3 Change into Slippers for the Best Sleep in Flight

I keep a pair of disposable hotel slippers in my carry-on and put them on right before going to bed on the plane. I’ll never condone bare feet on planes, and I don’t feel bad if I have to throw my hotel slippers away after the flight to save space in my bags. You can also buy your own bulk pack from Amazon


#4 Don’t Sleep Until After Service

There’s nothing worse than dozing off right after takeoff, only to be woken by bright lights or (even worse) being bumped by a meal cart. If you’re on a long haul, save yourself the stress and wait until after the meal is served to try to sleep. 


#5 If You’re Traveling with a Partner, Book Window-Aisle

My partner and I call this “poor man’s first class.” We always book a window seat and an aisle seat, leaving the middle seat intentionally empty in the hopes it goes unsold. Unless you’re traveling at peak times during the year, there’s a decent shot the middle seat will remain empty, allowing you a little extra wiggle room. We’ve had around a 50% success rate with this method, although we’ve been flying peak season recently. As a worst-case scenario, you can always ask the person in the middle to switch seats with you.  


#6 Keep an Eye on the Seating Map

Similar to booking window-aisle, it’s helpful to keep an eye on the seat map to see where others are purchasing seats. If you’re flying solo and someone takes the aisle in your row, and there’s an empty row behind you, there’s nothing wrong with switching your seat! On Delta, seat maps tend to lock around 48 hours before departure, so it’s best to check in around a week before your flight to get a sense of where there might be a chance at an open middle seat next to you. 


#7 Only Bring the Bare Necessities to Your Seat

If you’re balling on a budget in economy like me, you need to make the most of every inch of legroom you get! As such, I encourage putting all of your bags in the overhead bin on long-haul flights. Yes, I know they say to reserve those spaces for roller bags only, but if you’re flying in a wide-body aircraft, the overhead bins over the middle section often offer some extra room for a backpack or tote if you’re carrying one. I also recommend keeping only the very essential items you’ll need with you. I keep a water bottle, my Kindle, my headphones, a toothbrush with toothpaste, some hand sanitizer, my cell phone, and a lip balm in a reusable grocery bag within my personal item. When I get on the plane, I pull out the reusable grocery bag out of my tote before stashing it in the overhead bins. Having fewer items at your feet offers you the extra room to stretch your legs and get some sleep. 

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