After 3 flights and 23 hours of travel time in the air, Kevin and I finally have arrived back home from our Asia trip! I don’t know what I was thinking when I decided that we should fly economy on our way home, especially knowing that Kevin and I both had to return back to work immediately after landing, but we survived and have miles to spare so I guess biting the bullet wasn’t too bad. However, I have a new rule for me: business class/first class only for flights over 8 hours from now on. After flying Cathay Pacific’s first class for the first time from JFK – HKG, I think I’m officially spoiled.
As far as sleeping in economy during our return flights, I can safely say that I got a whole 3-4 hours, if that. I feel funny admitting this, but like taller people, I also have a problem sleeping while sitting. Since I’m on the smaller side – 5’2″ on a good day (aka a yoga or pilates day), my feet rarely touch the ground comfortably on flights, and I often find myself curled up in a ball with my knees to my chest when I have to sleep on a plane.
I’m also the annoying one who puts their feet on armrests of the row in front of me because I really have no where else to rest them. My preferred sleep position on an airplane often is a combination of mouth open, feet everywhere, and the occasional drooling. I can assure that you don’t want me in the seat next to you.
In spirit of sleeping on airplanes, I’m giving away an airplane “swag bag” including a BoardingArea polo (size small), a reusable British Airways tote bag, British Airways/One World notepads and pen, and an American Airlines magnet to a lucky winner. All you have to do to enter is simply leave a comment below sharing your sleep style (or should I say, “technique”) when flying economy. I will draw a winner randomly from the comments on Sunday April 15, 2012 at 9:00 AM EST.
Below I’ve included some popular airplane sleep positions. Feel free to use some of these as inspiration when commenting, or make it fun and invent and describe your own. I look forward to reading through the comments. Good luck!
Airplane Sleep Positions
the rested traveler
I do a variation of the hangover, where I blow up a travel pillow, fold my arms on the tray table and rest on pillow placed on top of my arms. It works surprisingly well!
Rested traveller, recline, maybe use a carryon as a legrest if there is sufficient legroom.
I find the window seat is best for sleeping in economy. My head is on my pillow which is placed along the side of the plane between the windows. Then I curl up on my side and my husband lets me put my feet on his lap.
I’ve given up on trying to sleep in economy. I know it ain’t gonna happen no matter what I try.
Window seat is best for sleeping since I can rest my head on the window/wall.
All of the above….of course, on board alcohol makes them all easier!
I am a cross between the spillover and the snorer.The kind of seatmate you all dream of.
I definitely do a combo of hangover style and leaning against the window with pillow against it. Neither are the comfortable positions, but it’ll do.
I recline my seat half way to give myself some blood flow, but eliminate bumping from behind. Then I tilt my head over to the size and zonk out. Of course, this is usually aided by some form of sleeping pill!
If my wife is traveling with me then we are cuddlers. Otherwise, I roll a coat against the wall (left side) and sleep against that. Now if traveling to a cold climate, or hopping across multiple continents on a series of trips, I have taken to wearing a down jacket. Squishes in carry on and the most comfortable pillow I’ve found for a wall. I may be the only fella that has turned up in Africa wearing a down jacket but got that sleep.
Have to say I am the “spillover”. I start out with my head straight, eyes closed and just as I’m dozing off; my head flops to the side, the sharp pain in the neck of endless bopping around is bad enough, but the embarrassment of having someone nudge your head up off their shoulder (strangers), makes me want to curl up under the seat. A neck cushion helps, but for me I need something to bolt it down!
Window seat, seat fully reclined, feet stretched to full length, head against wall or straight back.
lean againist the window!
I can’t sleep on planes…economy, business, short flight, long flight, red eye, alcohol, no alcohol, sleeping pill…hasn’t mattered to date. Nothing works. I’m looking forward to trying LH F this summer and am praying international first class does the trick!
Lean against window or armrest (up position).
This is easy. Lean your seat back far enough to use the side of the persons seat next to you as a place to lean your head!
I just give up and watch the movie.
hangover or rested or window position — depending on the mood of that day :)
i guess I’m lucky … i have no problems sleeping on planes
Yikes! I’ve got a 14-hour Seoul-Atlanta economy trip on Korean, and I’m worrying about this one. :-)
I think I’m with Michael. The movies are only there to lessen the pain of not being able to sleep.
The Hangover is probably the most doable position for me.
I’m a rested traveler when I’m flying in the back. Although if I have my own row, that’s a completely different story.
cuddler with my hubby but i have to say it irritates me when the person behind me thinks their toes next to MY elbow, is ok……. also on a flight from Thailand 3 years ago, the person behind me started violently shaking my seat in the middle of night- waking me- and asked that i sit my seat back upright….i did it to avoid confrontation. Question here for you- was that ok for him to do that to me? or is it my Right to use the recline position??
Cuddler with my husband as well as leaning against the window.
Having just attempted this coming back from Australia. Neck pillow, eye mask, and a seat against the window with no seat in front on the A380 works pretty well. Room to stretch the legs (i’m over 6 ft) and the wall of the plane to sleep on. Just bundle up as the window seat gets cold.
hangover!
I take a footrest with me. I’m 5’4″.
Another trick is to lean over your neighbors and drool. They will then kindly offer a tense hand to prop your head to keep you away. I find that firm bur warm platform very comfortable. thank you many neighbor travelers.
Only one thing works: the Double Ambien with a side of Jack Daniels. Luckily, Delta subsidizes one of those if you have GM status or better and print your boarding pass at home. I highly recommend it. In fact, I sometimes try it even when I’m not on an airpla…zzzzzzzzzz
I sit straight up, and for some reason I put my hands under the seat belt buckle, not sure why, but it happens every time. In the past six months I’ve had like 25 flights, 8 were 3,300+ miles, I was in a window seat for all of them, and slept for all of them never leaned on the fuselage.
It varies from airline to airline and the ‘quality’ of their Economy Class seats.
I’ve done “The Hangover” once on a budget carrier, Cebu Pacific, which was a red-eye flight departing at 12am and arriving at 3am (I know the schedule sucks, but it was a $0 fare promotion at that time). The leather seats were very uncomfortable with little or no recline if I recall and lacking any inflight entertainment (or scenery for that matter), so I decided to sleep. Didn’t feel at all comfortable sleeping upright so I opened the seatback tray table and slept on it (woke up every now and then but good enough).
Other flights I generally sleep in “The Rested Traveler” position. Don’t need a sleep mask or a neck pillow generally, but I prefer the new seats that some airlines offer which have adjustable winged headrests (to keep your head from falling onto your neighbour’s shoulders).
I hardly sleep on flights but if I am lucky enough then its usually “The Hangover”….
Definitely relaxed traveler. Just lean the seat back and shut my eyes.
I kind of curl up into myself. Its hard to describe but I bet you know exactly what I mean! I’d fit perfectly into the tshirt – all my favorite blogs and bloggers are on boarding area.
I am one who spills over, hopefully on the window and not the big hairy guy next to me.
Curled up with one of the kids usually. Last flight from Sydney to Vancouver the three year old didn’t sleep and watched the smurfs five times, she didn’t even make take off on the next flight before she was out to it.
If I’m really tired I close my eyes and fall asleep. I’m really afraid of waking up with my head on a strangers shoulder so I’m able to stay straight back in my seat somehow. However, I must have a heavy head as it starts to lean forward. When that happens it shocks me awake for a couple seconds until I figure out where I am. Then I quickly fall back asleep and repeat.
Cannot sleep sitting up. Must be flat bed. Yes, spoiled as well after BA, CX, AF first. Jealous how easily my husband falls asleep while reading….head tilts forward or just leans back.
I always fall asleep on a plane. Window seats are the best, then I can prop my head against the wall/window.
The rested traveler.
Only way I can sleep is in the window seat, with my head against the wall. Being 6’3” I’m too tall for my head to rest back on the seat and I can only sleep on a plane if my head is leaning on something.
If I am stuck in coach (as I usually am)on a long haul I bring a cheap plastic beach ball an blow it up, put a blanket over it and rest slouching over it.I do get some strange looks but it makes it bearable enough to get a little sleep.