How to sleep on a plane has always been a mystery to me. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always struggled to fall asleep — especially on planes. Long-haul flights, cramped economy seats, and the hum of jet engines make restful red-eye travel feel like a fantasy.
But with my cousin’s wedding kicking off my Greek summer itinerary, I couldn’t afford sleep deprivation.
I needed real travel-tested sleep solutions for overnight flights—and fast. So I did what any determined traveler would: researched every sleep hack, packed essentials, and braced myself for disappointment. Much to my surprise, I slept for 3 hours on the flight — my own personal record.
Curious which air travel tips & tricks actually worked? Here’s what I did to actually get some rest at 30,000 feet.
Tip #1: Be Prepared with the Essentials
I came prepared to sleep on this flight, and that was the key to my snoozing success. I packed everything: travel pillow, eye mask, noise-canceling headphones, and my go-to-sleep-aid — Dramamine (not the non-drowsy one). Having the right tools totally changed my mindset – I felt ready and capable of getting some rest.
My Airplane Sleep Toolkit
- Bose QuietComfort Headphones
- A silky sleepmask – I got mine at a hotel years ago, but any sleep mask that blocks out light and is comfy on your face will do.
- Dramamine (or any sleep aid that works for you) – I avoid melatonin because it always makes me feel more tired after the flight, but use whatever works for you.
- J-Pillow Travel Pillow – The J-Pillow was hands down the best travel pillow I’ve tried.
Tip #2: Stick to Your Normal Wakeup Routine
I used to ruin overnight flights by sleeping in and breaking my usual routine before heading to the airport. Travel days were catch-up-on-sleep days because I knew I was doomed on the overnight flight.
For this flight, I did the opposite and stuck to my everyday routine. I set my alarm, and work up at the same I normally would on a Thursday morning. I went to work in the morning, stayed engaged, ran errands, and knocked out a few last minute chores. No downtime, no nap – just kept moving and grooving throughout the day.
Why did I do? Because I was trying to tire myself out. I wanted my body to believe it was bedtime by the time I finally settled into my seat that evening. I’m not saying absolutely kill yourself, but treat your day like your normally would, maybe with a bit of extra productivity. By the time I was on the plane, ate dinner, watched a movie, and put on my headphones, eye-mask, and pillow, I was tired and actually able to fall asleep.
Tip #3: Embrace the Blue Light Glasses
Airplane movies are one of the best parts of flying. It’s a time to catch up on movies I haven’t seen or re-watch old movies that are my favorite. So of course, I’m going to watch a movie on the plane before attempting to sleep. But here’s the thing – staring at the screen for long periods of time isn’t exactly setting the stage for sleep.
That’s where blue light glasses come in. My prescription glasses already have blue light lenses in them, but you can pick up a pair in almost any store. They even sell them at the airport now. Do they guarantee that you’ll fall asleep on the plane? Probably not. But they’re a helpful thing that you can try if you are trying to sleep on a plane, even if it interrupts the Twilight moving marathon that you are having at 30,000 feet.
Tip #4: You Don’t Have to Skip Dinner
There’s a lot of sleeping-on-a-plane advice out there that says you should skip the meal on the plane, avoid alcohol, and basically pretend that you are at a health retreat for the next 7+ hours. And hey – if that works for you, more power to you. But if there is one thing you need to know about me, I am not missing the airplane meal that I paid for as part of my ticket and will enjoy all of the goodies – snacks and tiny wine bottles included.
On this flight, I ate dinner, had a glass of wine, and still managed to fall asleep for a few hours before I landed. I didn’t overdo it – just had dinner, finished my movie and digested, and then put on my airplane sleep accessories and settled in. If you are super tired, skip the food and get some rest, but don’t feel like you have to do this in order to fall asleep on the plane. Eat, drink, watch a movie, and relax – whatever makes you comfortable if going to be what helps you fall asleep.
One Restful Flight Later…
So there you have it—proof that even someone who’s never quite mastered the art of sleeping on planes can finally catch some decent rest with a little planning, a few handy tools, and just the right mindset. I’m not saying I’m suddenly a plane-sleeping pro, but this trip gave me hope that restful travel isn’t completely out of reach. If you’re also like me and convinced yourself that sleeping on a plane is your new arch nemesis, give these tips a try—you might just surprise yourself too. Sweet dreams and safe travels!