The image is so familiar that you can see it in your dreams, if you were capable of dreaming: an airplane full of passengers in fitful sleep, their cheeks pressed against the windows, heads bobbing like yo-yos on strings and eyes masquerading behind black masks. Syncopated snorts fill the air, and bodies toss and turn as if in a storm. Will the sandman ever come?
There's no glossing over it. Sleeping on planes is challenging for those who aren't first-class passengers, narcoleptics or pint-size.
The reasons are manifold. The seats are constraining, and you can't make them fully horizontal, which our weary bodies crave. There is no neck support and little room to stretch your limbs and change position. The lights and the noise are intrusive, as are seatmates' activities. The air is dry, and the blankets contain no-thread counts. Seat pitch, the distance between a point on one seat and the same point on the seat in front of it, has shrunk over the years, and planes are fuller, due to reduced capacity.
Seeking wisdom on how to sleep on a plane, we contacted an array of frequent fliers and experts who specialize in physiology, pillows and more. The ultimate lesson is that there's no perfect strategy (except upgrading), because passengers come in all different sizes and sleeping patterns. Still, their tips could make the difference between pulling an all-nighter and catching a few winks.
David Castelveter, spokesman for the Air Transport Association of America, starts with the seat itself: Avoid seats that don't recline, he says, such as the back row of the plane and some exit-row seats. To find the optimum chaise, study SeatGuru.com or SeatExpert.com, which provide plane seating charts. Castelveter says long-haul planes are more attentive to travelers' repose than quick-hop carriers, as sleep is more crucial when flying internationally.
Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the Teal Group, gets greedy: He scopes out the plane for an unoccupied row on which he can stretch out like a cat. When checking in at an airport kiosk, click on the seating diagram and, if there's an open row, change your seat.
If you're stuck in a full row, "block out the outside world," Aboulafia says. This involves donning a padded eye mask and using earplugs or a noise-canceling headset.
Tim Winship, publisher of FrequentFlier.com, favors reclining – but without offending. "If the passenger in front of you reclines fully," he said, "you definitely want the option to recline your seat as well, to maintain a comfortable distance between yourself and the seat back."
He also likes the window seat. "For sleeping, the window seat is generally best," he said. "You can nestle into the space between the seat and the cabin wall, alleviating somewhat the claustrophobia of coach class."
A former CNN travel correspondent who is now a writer and consultant, Chris McGinnis has logged nearly 1 million miles. His preferred seat is in the center of the plane (even better if it's in the exit row), away from the traffic of the galley, the lavatories and the cockpit. "It's the quietest and smoothest ride," he said. He also prefers noise-canceling headsets to ear buds, which don't fully mute the chatter. For his eyes, his shade of choice is the puffy Bucky mask.
After 21 years of flying with American Airlines, flight attendant Meri Feist has a few suggestions. To avoid being disturbed for the meal and beverage service, leave your tray table up. Also, if you are swaddled in blankets, fasten your seat belt around your extra layers so your buckle is in full view. The attendant then won't have to wake you if the seat belt sign lights up. Feist also recommends drinking a glass of milk, which contains traces of tryptophan, the enzyme known to induce drowsiness. Or pack some chamomile tea. The staff will be happy to supply a cup of hot water.
It may sound counterintuitive, but Robert Hayden, spokesman for the American Chiropractic Association, advises travelers to get active to become inert. It's hard to sleep if your body is screaming for mercy. Perform mild exercises (vary the seat angle, do pelvic thrusts, turn your head from side to side, squeeze your neck muscles) pre-slumber or in a half-dozing state. For the lower portion of your body, stretch your legs and avoid bending your knees. Every few hours, put a phantom pencil between your big and second toe and scrawl your name. "Do this to get the blood pumping," Hayden said.
Mike Lavin, president of European Sleep Works, is an advocate of natural fabrics, which will work as a buffer against the synthetics of the airplane seat fabric, blanket and pillow. "Wear cotton or wool garments, not polyester or rayon."
When you're ready for sleep, slow your breathing to four to six breaths per minute. "It's another way of counting sheep," Lavin said.
The president of Corporate Travel Safety, which focuses on travel safety and merchandise, Kevin Coffey can empathize with those who struggle to snooze on planes. "It all comes down to that additional level of comfort," he said.
For neck pillows, he says, the models stuffed with tiny beads are cushy but don't pack tight. The inflatable versions take up less room in luggage but don't offer as much support as those made with memory foam. Also, pay attention to the fabric of the outer cover. Opt for a brushed velour, which caresses cheeks.
For design, the Komfort Kollar (which Coffey wears) resembles a neck brace and keeps the neck stick-straight, whereas the barbell-shaped Travel Nook (his wife's preference) prevents the head from swaying like a pendulum.
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