Sleeping on long flight?

[DougH]

My next cruise is sailing from Singapore and I have the very long flight from the West Coast to get there. Luckily it leaves at Midnight which will help but any one have tips/suggestions to be able to sleep and survive the flight? I'm in economy so won't really be able to strech out. Flight home leaves early afternoon so sleeping will be even tougher.

[PoohUnderstands]

On these long flights in economy, the operative word is survival. I cannot sleep on these type of flights. I cat nap at best.

And I make sure to keep very hydrated, take walks very frequently; do leg exercises at my seat. These are very important. I do get in some Kindle reading time too. Going to a cruise isn't too bad as one is excited and anticipating a fun trip. Coming home is the bummer! Grin.

 

Hope your flights go quickly and you have a great cruise.

 

Pooh

[RocketMan275]

Depends upon how crowded the flight is. Sometimes one can find a row of unoccupied center seats. Flip up the arm rests and lay down. Probably won't work but something to look for.

 

You can also take dramamine. Several martini's might help.

 

Another suggestion. The problem with sleeping in coach is the lack of neck support. I found one of these inflatable neck pillows to be very useful:

 

https://www.google.com/search?ei=LoIAWpiSEYzVmAHTnJOgBg&q=inflatable+neck+pillow+amazon&oq=inflatable+neck&gs_l=psy-ab.3.4.0l10.72838.76468.0.81924.15.15.0.0.0.0.233.1445.12j2j1.15.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.15.1442...35i39k1j0i131k1j0i67k1j0i20i264k1.0.vKySey2f8_4

[beg3yrs]

Be wary of the martini technique. The suggestion was probably made in jest.

 

While it might knock you out quickly, it won't be a good sleep. You'll be dehydrated and wake up with a hangover.

 

We've done the LAX to Singapore trip twice as well as LAX to Sydney and have found that working to adjust your clock a little bit helps. If your personal circumstances allow, for about a week before the trip work on staying up later and later. Of course you'll be sleeping later as well ...

 

 

Most people find traveling east to west easier than west to east but ... many don't.

[tomatospice]

I always take ear plugs as I am a very light sleeper. The foam ones that can be bought at Walmart or other stores like that. Make sure you roll them between your fingers repeatedly until they are thin and skinny before trying to put them in your ears. Good luck!

[RocketMan275]

Be wary of the martini technique. The suggestion was probably made in jest.

 

While it might knock you out quickly, it won't be a good sleep. You'll be dehydrated and wake up with a hangover.

 

We've done the LAX to Singapore trip twice as well as LAX to Sydney and have found that working to adjust your clock a little bit helps. If your personal circumstances allow, for about a week before the trip work on staying up later and later. Of course you'll be sleeping later as well ...

 

 

Most people find traveling east to west easier than west to east but ... many don't.

 

I wasn't jesting. Martini's are an option that has worked for many in the past. Martini's have drawbacks but the bottom line is this: all of these suggestions really won't work well to any significant degree. The only thing that would make these flights even marginally comfortable would be business class. And I would still suggest the dramamine or the martini's. YMMV.

[broberts]

If one really wants to sleep, window seat and pillow, (or two if the airline is stingy), is a must. One can lean against the cabin wall and will not be interrupted by people needing to get up. Of course window seats are a pain when one has to get up.

[Viv0828]

You can ask your doc for a script for a sleep aid. Or you can try Dramamine or benedryl.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Flatbush Flyer]

My next cruise is sailing from Singapore and I have the very long flight from the West Coast to get there. Luckily it leaves at Midnight which will help but any one have tips/suggestions to be able to sleep and survive the flight? I'm in economy so won't really be able to strech out. Flight home leaves early afternoon so sleeping will be even tougher.

 

 

 

Take another look at biz class. Depending on the airline, you may be able to still purchase an upgrade or (on occasion) bid for an upgrade. On rare occasions, you may also be able to purchase an upgrade (at a somewhat reduced price) when you check in at the airport.

 

Of course, this is the perfect candidate flight for using loyalty points to upgrade (the earlier you look, the better your chances of capturing one of the few allotted biz seats).

 

Also, if you have not yet purchased your tix, use the ITA Matrix website to look at biz fares including multiple days pre/post your cruise dates. If there's a bargain fare, this is where you'll find it (no tix sold on this site). And that bargain may leave you enough cash to pay for a night or two at the arrival location.

 

You could also subscribe to Scott's Cheap Flights website. But, their notices are more for telling you when/who you can fly cheap rather than providing search features.

 

At the bottom line, if this is your first international long haul and you stay with the "economy" seat (or even "premium economy"), you will quickly come to understand why frequent international fliers are willing to pay biz class prices.

 

And, whatever seat you end up with, invest in some good noise cancelling headphones (e.g., Bose).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Ladybellerose]

If one really wants to sleep, window seat and pillow, (or two if the airline is stingy), is a must. One can lean against the cabin wall and will not be interrupted by people needing to get up. Of course window seats are a pain when one has to get up.

 

 

 

Melatonin! Natural hormone, not addictive, 5 hours restful sleep at window seat & pillow. No hangover. I've taken many red eyes and this works!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[easyboy]

Check with your physician if Melatonin tabs is fine for you to use. Worked for us from East Coast to Singapore.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Flatbush Flyer]

Cute story: We were once on our way to somewhere on a long haul flight. We had only boarded a few minutes earlier when the pilot announced that there was a mechanical issue and we we would have to deplane while it was examined/repaired (hopefully).

We decided to stay in the gate area (vs going to the United Club) and seated across from us was a fellow engaged in a frantic cell phone call. I had to stop myself from laughing out loud when he shouted into the phone: "But I just took an Ambien when I settled in my seat on the plane." A few minutes later: out like a light!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[yags]

When I travel Long distances the longest was 30 Hours to Africa. I immediately set my watch to the next stop local time and then try to get on that schedule. So if it is noon when I take off and local time where I am landing is 10 PM I take a mild sleeping pill. This helps me get acclimated to jet lag issues.

[Katgoesonholiday]

We’ve done loads of long haul flights overnight and they are generally grim. I find the best way to get through them is a sleeping pill.

 

Nowadays, where possible, we choose daytime flights so we can sleep in a good bed at the end of the flight. In six weeks we fly to Singapore (only 10 hours so not too bad) and have chosen a 1:30pm flight so we can sleep in our own beds, enjoy the in flight entertainment system with no expectation of sleep, and then sleep once we get to our hotel. Our flight back to NZ will be at 8am so planning the same scenario. I’m hoping this will be much easier on both us and the kids. Our last long haul flight was 16 hours of me being squished between two restless and uncomfortable children who couldn’t sleep for more than a few hours at a time and ended up completely exhausted.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Cute story: We were once on our way to somewhere on a long haul flight. We had only boarded a few minutes earlier when the pilot announced that there was a mechanical issue and we we would have to deplane while it was examined/repaired (hopefully).

We decided to stay in the gate area (vs going to the United Club) and seated across from us was a fellow engaged in a frantic cell phone call. I had to stop myself from laughing out loud when he shouted into the phone: "But I just took an Ambien when I settled in my seat on the plane." A few minutes later: out like a light!

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Funny! Ambien never worked for us at all. We just sat there and watched others sleep. In economy, all I can say is good luck.

 

 

Check out your seats on seatguru.com and see if you can get a seat next to a crew jump seat. That way, the seat is only occupied for take-off and landing. I did this once on a very long flight in economy and it really helped. I could move around between my seat and the other one easily, put stuff in the seat between me & the other person (3 seats together) and even put my legs up for awhile.

[Coffeeluvr05]

To look and feel your best when you get to your destination:

 

1. Avoid alcohol and drink water at every opportunity.

2. Try to adjust to the time of your destination. So sleep if it’s time to sleep where you are going. Use a sleep aid if necessary.

[cruise4kicks]

Inflatable neck pillow. Eye mask. Ear plugs. Benadryl. Lots of water. Lysol wipes. Zycam as a prophylactic.

[Shmoo here]

You can ask your doc for a script for a sleep aid. Or you can try Dramamine or benedryl.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I flew for years with no problems, but as I got older, I got more anxious about it. I finally had to ask my doctor for something for those long flights. Got generic Ativan. Tiny, tiny little white pill, helps me catch about 4-5 hours sleep on long flights. I also get up and walk every couple of hours or do leg flexes while seated frequently. And drink water. I use my iPod for blocking noise, and a neck pillow (found it works best if turned around).

[AZ Stan (FKA Stan in Chicago)]

My next cruise is sailing from Singapore and I have the very long flight from the West Coast to get there. Luckily it leaves at Midnight which will help but any one have tips/suggestions to be able to sleep and survive the flight? I'm in economy so won't really be able to strech out. Flight home leaves early afternoon so sleeping will be even tougher.

 

Doug,

If you haven't booked your flights yet, check Princess EZAir. Sometimes their prices are fantastic. We are flying to Europe, not Asia, but have booked First Class on a Delta flight for half of what Cattle class costs on the Delta site. Even our TA could not believe this was the price for First Class, with lay flat beds.

 

Stan

[Credit 00]

Serapax, Slept from Sydney to Hong Kong many times only to be woken up by staff for breakfast.

[trbarton]

Take another look at biz class. Depending on the airline, you may be able to still purchase an upgrade or (on occasion) bid for an upgrade. On rare occasions, you may also be able to purchase an upgrade (at a somewhat reduced price) when you check in at the airport.

 

Of course, this is the perfect candidate flight for using loyalty points to upgrade (the earlier you look, the better your chances of capturing one of the few allotted biz seats).

 

Also, if you have not yet purchased your tix, use the ITA Matrix website to look at biz fares including multiple days pre/post your cruise dates. If there's a bargain fare, this is where you'll find it (no tix sold on this site). And that bargain may leave you enough cash to pay for a night or two at the arrival location.

 

You could also subscribe to Scott's Cheap Flights website. But, their notices are more for telling you when/who you can fly cheap rather than providing search features.

 

At the bottom line, if this is your first international long haul and you stay with the "economy" seat (or even "premium economy"), you will quickly come to understand why frequent international fliers are willing to pay biz class prices.

 

And, whatever seat you end up with, invest in some good noise cancelling headphones (e.g., Bose).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Thanks...I’ve looked at the ITA Matrix site. Is there a way to look at multi airports when your arriving in one airport & leaving in another?

Tom😎

[Lucky TGO]

Inflatable neck pillow. Eye mask. Ear plugs. Benadryl. Lots of water. Lysol wipes. Zycam as a prophylactic.

 

Wow I love all the suggestions one of them has to work good luck.:):):)

Tony

[Flatbush Flyer]

Thanks...I’ve looked at the ITA Matrix site. Is there a way to look at multi airports when your arriving in one airport & leaving in another?

 

 

Tom[emoji41]

 

 

 

There is a search choice for "multi-city" (vs "round trip" or "one way").

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[34TigerLily]

Go to Amazon.com and purchase the First Class Sleeper. It is an inflatable pillow that is like sleeping on an air mattress. The trick is to not inflate it too much. Deflated, it takes up no more room than a regular travel pillow.

[CI66774]

Bring you own pillow, travel blanket, ear plugs, and choose a window seat. I don't sleep but am able to take cat naps. Get really good sleep the week prior to the flight, too. That always helps.