Long haul flights can be a real challenge. When the flights creep up over 6 hours (and you’re stuck in economy class)….it’s pretty brutal on your body. You’re cramped, uncomfortable, dehydrated and those jet engines just drone on and on. I’ve tried all sorts of things to make long haul flights more comfortable – and get a bit of rest in those seats that only recline a few inches. So here’s a few tips I’ve learned on how to stay comfy and cozy – and maaaaybe capture some of those elusive airplane zzzzzz’s.

The essentials:

A pillow

Oh boy, there are all sorts of travel pillows in every shape and size – all attempting to make the super uncomfortable position of sitting upright sleepable. I’ve tried a bunch. The classic horseshoe shape, the horseshoe shape that Velcro’s into a donut, even this crazy inflatable thing that is supposed to allow you to sleep facing forward. It didn’t completely suck, it just didn’t really work great either (and kinda made me look like a tool bag on the flight).

My current favorite is the Therm-A-Rest Compressible Travel Pillow. I bought it primarily for backpacking, but it works great as a travel pillow too! The size small compresses down smaller than one of those horseshoe pillows and it puffs up to a decent size pillow when unrolled. Recently, I was gifted a Trtl Pillow which looks promising! I will try it out on my upcoming long haul flight to Slovenia. I will keep you posted how it turns out!

Ear plugs

Part two of the “trying to sleep on a plane” arsenal, are the ear plugs. Inexpensive, tiny and easy to pack, these should just be a traveling staple. You never know when you might need some to block out the sound of the plane, an annoying passenger, or even street noise at your hotel. The inexpensive foam kind of ear plugs tend work fairly well, but I found that the silicone triple-flanged kind stay in place and block out more sound.

Eye mask

I know it may seem cheesy, but I actually like using one of these. Sleeping on a plane is pretty difficult for me, but with an eye mask and ear plugs, I miiiiight have a chance. On some overnight flights they will dim the cabin lights so that everyone can sleep, but sometimes they don’t. And if you are on a day flight, an eye mask can be a life saver. Although it’s not total blackness, it is pretty darn close. After using a few different pairs of eye masks (that smashed my eyelashes and smeared my eye makeup) I found this inexpensive eye mask on Amazon that has curved eye cups. Now I don’t look like a creature that crawled out of a sink when I take my eye mask off. #Winning.

Sleep aid & medications

Even with my pillow, eye mask and ear plugs – most of the time I just can’t get to sleep. So with a little help of my friend melatonin, I usually can get at least a little bit of shut eye. However if I REALLY need to be knocked out, a little Tylenol PM will do the trick. But beware if you only have a few hours to sleep, Tylenol PM might make you a bit groggy when you wake up, and nobody has time for that on vacation.

Also, if you are on medications, ALWAYS bring them with you in your carry-on luggage. There’s always a chance that checked luggage can get lost – you don’t want to lose your medication with it.

Water bottle

Did you know you can bring an empty water bottle through security? You surely can. Then just fill it up on the other side of security before you board. Flying is super dehydrating, so it is important to drink lots of water to help fight jet lag. Sure, you will be served water on the plane, but it might be an hour (or more) into your flight before they get to the beverage service. And even then you might get handed one of those teeny tiny bottles. It’s better to have a supply of your own.

It’s also important to note that alcohol is often free flowing on international flights, and as tempting as it may be (and I don’t always follow this advice) it is probably a good idea to go easy on the booze. It will further dehydrate you, and is probably not a good idea to mix with sleep aids. Just sayin.

Compression socks

These really are a life saver for me. Sitting in a cramped space for hours on end makes the blood pool in your legs, and can cause swelling and increase the threat of developing a Deep Vein Thrombosis. Wearing good compression socks can prevent DVT and promotes blood circulation. It is also a good rule of thumb to stand up and walk around every so often to get the blood moving. My legs always feel much more refreshed after a long flight when I’ve been wearing my compression socks.

A little bit on clothing selection:

Obviously comfy clothes are a must if you are going to be sitting in close quarters for hours on end. However, my advice….don’t get TOO casual if you are headed to Europe. Europeans tend to dress to impress more than us Americans do and can flawlessly pull off a casual look without looking frumpy. You’re probably going to get a few looks if you turn up in a European airport wearing pajama pants – so leave those at home, don’t be that person. Here’s a few suggestions:

• Pants – Go for loose fitting or stretchy. When cramped in a small seat, you don’t want your crotch or belly constricted. My go to is usually jeggings or dark leggings/yoga pants – stretchy enough to be comfy, but not too frumpy.
• On top – A t-shirt or loose fitting long top is great when paired with a long sweater or cardigan. I mention long twice here…this is so it covers your lower back (and possibly butt crack) when you’re sitting or bending over in your seat. A cozy sweater is also key since it can get chilly on a plane (and those blankets they hand out aren’t all that warm….and can be a bit skeevy). A big comfy scarf is also a good idea – you can use it as a blanket too. Ahhhh so cozy…
• Shoes – I usually opt for something closed toed and easy to slip on and off. This not only makes security a breeze, but protects your feet from the untold horrors of the plane lavatory during long haul flights. Those puddles you see are probably (definitely) not water – just saying…

Other things to consider:

Headphones

Some planes will have nifty seat-back entertainment systems, and most will provide you with headphones. To be honest, they suck – so I always bring my own. Just be sure to bring a pair with a 3.5 mm headphone jack (in case you were planning on brining ones that come with the newer iPhones, which have the lightning jack).

Old school entertainment

While some long haul planes have seat-back entertainment systems to keep you happily distracted on long hauls flights, some don’t. Or even worse, yours could be broken. This has totally happened to me on more than one occasion. So it’s always a good idea to pack some backup time-killers like some good old fashioned reading material, a journal – or an e-reader if you are so inclined. Also don’t forget to bring a pen! Often there are customs forms to fill out in the air before landing.

Snacks

In my experience, they usually feed you pretty well on long haul flights. I’m one of those weird people that actually likes airplane food. However if you are not, it’s probably wise to bring some of your own snacks. Especially if you tend to get hungry between meals.

Disinfectant wipes

Those seat back tray tables…I don’t even want to know how often they AREN’T cleaned. As a person with an auto-immune disease, I can’t take chances with overly germy things. Packing some disinfectant wipes to wipe down tray tables and arm rests is a must.

Toiletries

I always pack a small bag of “freshening up” toiletries in my carry-on bag. Like a toothbrush (or those mini-disposable toothbrushes) mouthwash, deodorant, face wipes, and some lip balm (for combatting the drying out that tends to happen in the air). Before landing I try to spruce myself up, so I’m fresh for my destination!

Backup clothes

If the space in your carry-on allows, it’s also a good idea to pack a change of clothes (or at the very least, a clean pair of underwear) in the unfortunate case that your checked luggage gets lost or delayed. All is right with the world when you have on a clean pair of undies.

So let’s re-cap shall we? Those essentials are:

• Pillow
• Ear plugs
• Eye mask
• Sleep aid & medications
• Water bottle
• Compression socks
• Comfy (but not frumpy) clothes
• Headphones
• Entertainment
• Snacks
• Disinfectant wipes
• Freshening up toiletries
• Backup clothes

Bottom line, this list is in no way exhaustive, nor is it everyone’s ideal list. But it’s these essentials that get me through those literal-pain-in-the-ass long haul flights and hopefully they will help you too! The only way to ensure a great long haul flight is to upgrade to Business or First Class…..but we all don’t have that kind of cash. So just remember when you are cramped in that economy seat…just a few hours separate you from a great adventure!