3 Tips to have a better sleep on your flight

Flying can be a demanding experience and can take a toll on your body. With all the distractions, anxieties and hassles of air travel, it can make getting some good quality sleep on planes feel near impossible.

For most of us, inflight sleep is a struggle. Learning how to sleep on a plane has become an invaluable skill for travellers. By incorporating these 3 tips and tricks into your flying habits may increase your chances to slip off into that sweet mid-air slumber your needing for your next flight.

1.       Meditation

Calming yourself in preparation for sleep through breathing exercises and meditation can help lull you into a more peaceful and deeper sleep. Some even say that through meditation they find themselves with even more energy after travel! Travelling, no matter how short or long, can be nerve-racking, and breathing deeply and controlling your thoughts can help calm down your nervous system leaving you to feel more relaxed. Listening to soothing music while doing this may also help tune out those inflight distractions helping you into a peaceful sleep.

2.       Non-intensive activities

We all know that light exposure before sleep isn’t the best idea. Overstimulation and electronic screens such as inflight entertainment, phones, and tablets keep your brain awake by suppressing melatonin release which makes it harder to fall asleep. With the extensive selection of inflight entertainment, it can be at times hard to resist. However, if it's sleep you’re after, watching that action movie or TV show before attempting to sleep is probably not the best idea. Switching these inflight activities to non-intensive activities such as reading, listening to calming music or going for a little walk up the aisles and stretching are more positive ways to prepare your body and mind for sleep.

3.       Sleep Aids

Sleeping aids may be used as a helping hand in ushering you to sleep on flights. Such aids can trigger your sleep pattern making the process of falling asleep that much easier. There are many forms of sleeping aids – whether it be a cup of decaffeinated tea, refraining from alcholol or mind calming activities. It is important not to forget that your pharmacist can also help. There is always a pharmacist at the airport and it is never too late to consult them on a range of stratagies to help you reach your destination refreshed and ready to go.

Travelling is exhausting. Ensuring you can get some rest on your flight will make everything run much more smoothly and ease the stress of ensuring you get to where you need to go. If you feel that you are struggling with lack of sleep due to travelling, consult your pharmacist today to help you get through your next long haul flight.