Sep 07, 2023 23:00:00

What are the tips for sleeping well in your seat during a long-haul flight of over 10 hours?

If you have ever been on a plane for more than 10 hours on a trip overseas or on a business trip, you may have had the experience of being unable to fall asleep even when you tried to sleep, and arriving at your destination in a sleep-deprived state. You are required to stay in your own seat during the flight, and it is basically impossible to sleep lying down, so it is difficult to sleep as usual. Lee Signal from Massey University explains some tips for getting a good night's sleep on a long-haul flight lasting more than 10 hours.

How can I get better sleep on long-haul flights?

https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-get-better-sleep-on-long-haul-flights-211821

A flight from Japan to New York requires about 13 hours on the plane, but Signal said the human body is not designed to sleep in a nearly upright position, such as sitting. He said he didn't. Therefore, it is difficult to get a good 8 hours of sleep during a long-haul flight.

Previous research has shown that pilots who take naps by lying down in the cockpit during long-distance flights are able to continue doing a very good job of flying the plane despite only getting a short amount of sleep. It has been

reported . Similarly, even if you can't sleep for eight hours in the audience seats, getting proper sleep can improve your mood and cognitive function.

Signal says departure time and alcohol/caffeine intake can have a big impact on your ability to sleep on board. Humans have

circadian rhythms (internal body clocks) that make it difficult for them to sleep on flights departing during the day. It has also been pointed out that ingesting caffeine, which has a stimulant effect, during a flight makes it difficult to fall asleep, and even if you can fall asleep, your sleep becomes shallow.

Also, some people may say that they expect to become sleepy after drinking alcohol, but while alcohol makes the drinker sleepy, it also interferes with REM sleep. The brain tries to restore the disturbed REM sleep, but the body's metabolism, which involves breaking down alcohol, disrupts sleep. Therefore, it is said to be difficult to sleep soundly after consuming alcohol on a plane.

On the other hand, if you take sleeping pills, it is possible to fall asleep, but it has been

reported that it becomes difficult to get a normal sleep, and you may feel drowsy or drowsy after waking up.

Another option is to take melatonin , the hormone that tells your brain it's night. However, if you take melatonin, you can sleep while sitting in your seat, but it has been pointed out that the balance between the time zone of your destination and your own body clock may be lost.

In order to create the best sleeping environment with the restrictions of airplane seats, Mr. Signal recommends ``preparing clothes and accessories that will help you sleep in advance.'' According to Mr. Signal, by preparing a jacket that is easy to put on and take off, it is possible to wear it when it gets cold in the air conditioning or use it as a blanket. Eye masks and earplugs can also block out light and noise that may disturb your sleep.

Also, what you need to do to fall asleep is for your neck muscles to be relaxed. Signal recommends leaning against the aircraft wall for window seats and using a neck pillow if needed.

On the other hand, Signal recommends not trying to force yourself back to sleep once you wake up. If you feel stressed about 'getting enough sleep', you can use in-flight entertainment, listen to music, read, etc. until you feel sleepy.