The image is so familiar that you could see it in your dreams, if you were capable of dreaming: a plane full of passengers in fitful sleep, cheeks pressed against the windows, heads bobbing like yo-yos on limp strings and eyes hidden 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 the activities of your seatmates.
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 than ever, due to reduced capacity. The only thing missing - for now - is loud cellphone talkers.
Seeking wisdom on how to sleep on a plane, I contacted an array of frequent flyers and experts who specialise in physiology, pillows and more. The ultimate lesson is that there's no perfect strategy (except upgrading), because passengers come in different sizes and sleeping patterns.
Still, their tips - one or all - could make the difference between pulling an all-nighter and catching a few winks above the clouds.
Start with the seat itself. Know your good ones from your awful ones, says David Castelveter. Avoid seats that don't recline, he says, such as the back row of the plane and some exit-row seats.
If it's any consolation, he says that long-distance planes are more attentive to travellers' repose than domestic carriers, as sleep is more crucial when flying internationally.
"They invest more in passengers' comfort," he said.
Finally, don't be a vampire: "Snooze before the sun is up."
Richard Aboulafia gets greedy: he scopes out the plane for an unoccupied row on which he can stretch out like a cat. "Any kind of empty seating is a great strategy," he said.
When checking in at an airport kiosk, click on the diagram of the seating arrangement and, if there's an open row, change your seat. If none is available, don't lose hope; there could be some no-shows.
If you're stuck in a full row, switch to Plan B: "Block out the outside world." This involves donning a padded eye mask and sticking in earplugs or a noise-cancelling headset. "Try to imagine yourself with as much privacy as possible," Aboulafia said.
Tim Winship, publisher of FrequentFlier.com, is in favour of reclining - but without offending. "If the passenger in front of you reclines fully," he said by e-mail, "you definitely want the option to recline your seat as well, to maintain a comfortable distance between yourself and the seat back."
He is also a fan of the window seat, and not for the view. "For sleeping, the window seat is generally best," he wrote. "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 a million miles. His preferred seat is in the centre 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-cancelling headsets to ear buds, which don't fully mute the chatter. For his eyes, his shade of choice is the puffy Bucky mask: "It's like a pillow over your eyes. In the black fabric, it blocks out everything, and it's stylish."
After 21 years of flying, Meri Feist has witnessed some unusual sleeping habits, such as the passenger who dozed with his eyes open. But alas, not everyone can pull off that snake trick. For the rest of us, Feist has a few suggestions.
To avoid being disturbed for the meal and beverage service, leave your tray table up. "Sometimes we don't wake up people for breakfast, because if it's nothing great, like a biscuit, it's not worth bothering them."
Also, if you are swaddled in blankets, fasten your seat belt around your extra layers so your buckle is in full view. The flight 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.
Diana Fairechild advises passengers to take advantage of the optimal sleeping conditions between takeoff and airborne. Her rationale: Once the plane starts rolling, the fresh air is cut off, creating a drowsy atmosphere. Also, during ascent, the plane is flying at a steep incline, an angle similar to a La-Z-Boy chair at full throttle. Third, the thrust of the engine increases the G-force. "That weight pushes you into sleep."
It may sound counter-intuitive, but Robert Hayden advises travellers to get active to become inert. It's hard to sleep if your body is screaming for mercy.
Muscle, ligaments and joints are designed to move, and if kept idle, they may swell, impeding circulation. In addition, your calves contain a secondary pump that increases the blood flow to your heart. If your limbs stiffen, your blood supply could be compromised, which could lead to a blood clot.
To avoid those concerns, 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-doze 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 or the number of hours left in your journey. "Do this to get the blood pumping," Hayden said.
Mike Lavin 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."
Also drink lots of water and keep a bottle nearby for late-night sips. "Dehydration is exacerbated by synthetic materials," he said.
When you're ready for bed, slow your breathing to four to six breaths a minute. "This facilitates falling asleep and the rhythm of sleep," Lavin said. "It's another way of counting sheep."
Kevin Coffey can empathise with those who struggle to snooze on planes. "It all comes down to that additional level of comfort," he said. "That's when you want to look into these products."
When considering travel accessories, Coffey cautions that you might have to sacrifice compactness for coziness. So, consider the size and portability of an item before hauling it on to the plane (and on your entire trip).
With neck pillows, he explains, 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 from memory foam. Also, pay attention to the fabric of the outer cover. Opt for a brushed velour, which caresses cheeks.
Designs vary from the Komfort Kollar, which resembles a neck brace and keeps the neck stick-straight, to the barbell-shaped Travel Nook, which prevents the head from swaying like a pendulum.
Many travellers carry their own traditional-style pillows, but the large rectangle can be cumbersome. Consider a smaller inflatable pillow or one from the airline (if they still keep them in stock). Just pack your own pillow case; it's more sanitary and homey.
- The Washington Post