How to Sleep Comfortably on a Plane?

Sleeping on a plane can be a real challenge, especially with limited space, noise, and uncomfortable seating. 

But don't worry, there are plenty of simple tricks you can use to sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to tackle common flight discomforts and get some much-needed rest.

• Choose a window seat for added support and minimal disturbances during sleep.
  
  

• Use a neck pillow to prevent neck strain and enhance comfort.
  
  

• Wear loose, breathable clothing to improve relaxation and freedom of movement.
  
  

• Block out noise with noise-canceling headphones or earplugs for better rest.
  
  

• Stay hydrated and avoid caffeine to reduce restlessness and improve sleep quality.

• Cramped Space Makes It Hard to Relax: One of the biggest hurdles to sleeping on a plane is the limited space in economy class. With cramped legroom, your body can feel stiff and uncomfortable, making it hard to relax.

• Slight Recline Limits Comfort and Sleep: Airplane seats often recline only slightly, leaving many passengers wishing for more comfort. Finding the best angle to sleep in a seat that barely reclines becomes crucial to improving rest.

• Choosing the Right Seat Helps During Turbulence: Picking a spot above the wings, near the plane’s center of gravity, can help. These seats stay steadier during turbulence, making it easier to settle in and get comfortable.

• Engine Noise Can Keep You Awake: Airplane noise, especially the constant hum of the engines, can prevent you from falling asleep. It's a common issue for many travelers and can be a major disruptor to rest during the flight.

• Other Noises Affect Sleep Quality: It’s not just the engine noise, passenger chatter, snoring, and flight announcements can also disturb your sleep. Even the seat you choose can make a difference in how loud or quiet your surroundings are.

• Loud Noise Makes It Harder to Rest: The FAA’s National Sleep Study found that loud airplane noise doesn’t just disrupt sleep, it can also reduce how well your body recovers during rest. People exposed to high levels of aircraft noise tend to wake up more often and feel more disturbed during the night.

• Earplugs and Headphones Can Help Block Out Noise: To sleep better on a plane, blocking out noise is crucial. Noise-canceling headphones or earplugs are effective solutions to minimize unwanted sounds and improve the quality of your sleep.

• Bright Lights Disrupt Your Sleep Cycle: The bright cabin lights can interfere with your body’s sleep cycle, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

• Announcements Wake You Up at the Wrong Time: Flight announcements often come at inconvenient times, disturbing passengers who are trying to rest.

• Use an Eye Mask to Block Out Light: Choose an eye mask with a contoured design that fits snugly around your eyes and nose, helping to block out unwanted light.

• Adjustable Straps Keep Light from Sneaking In: An adjustable head strap on your eye mask ensures that no light slips in, creating a dark environment for better rest.

The discomfort of airplane seating is a major reason why people struggle to sleep.

Cramped legroom can make it difficult to stretch out or change positions, leading to discomfort over time. 

On long flights, even a small increase in seat pitch can mean more legroom and better comfort, which really helps when you're trying to rest. 

In economy class, seats are often designed more for capacity than comfort , which can make sleep even harder.

• The air pressure in the cabin makes it harder to relax: Cabin pressure can affect your body in several ways, including causing discomfort that makes sleep difficult. The lower oxygen levels at high altitudes can leave you feeling tired and restless.

• Dry air in the plane can mess with your nose and throat: The dry air inside the plane can also dry out your throat and nasal passages, making it harder to breathe and sleep.

• Adding moisture around you makes it easier to sleep: On longer flights, using a small portable humidifier can add much-needed moisture to the air around your seat. Staying hydrated and using a moisturizing spray can help ease some of these challenges.

• You can’t sleep well when your legs have nowhere to stretch: Finding a comfortable position to sleep in on a plane is tricky. The lack of space means you can't fully stretch out, and there’s no support for your body like you would have in a bed. This makes it hard for your body to relax properly, leading to broken or poor sleep.

• Leaning forward or sideways becomes your only option: For many people, the most workable sleeping positions on a flight are either leaning slightly forward or resting to one side. These aren't perfect, but they offer some relief compared to sitting upright the entire time.

• A neck pillow or jacket can make a big difference: Using a neck pillow gives your head some support so it doesn’t fall forward or to the side uncomfortably. A rolled-up jacket or small pillow behind your lower back can help your spine stay in a more natural position, reducing the strain of sitting for hours.

• Feeling anxious makes it hard to fall asleep on a plane: Travel anxiety can keep your mind too active to relax. Worries about flying or the trip itself often prevent your body from winding down enough to sleep.

• The plane’s noise and space make your body feel restless: Unfamiliar sounds, limited legroom, and bright cabin lights can make it difficult to get comfortable, leading to a restless feeling that keeps you awake.

• Too many stops during travel can break your sleep rhythm: Flights with layovers or plane changes add more stress and interruptions, giving your body less time to settle into rest. Direct flights make it easier to stay relaxed and sleep longer.

• Window seats give you something to lean on for better sleep: Leaning against the window helps you rest more comfortably and keeps your space to yourself.

• Aisle seats let you move and stretch your legs easily: If you need to get up or stretch often, an aisle seat makes it easier without disturbing others.

• Exit row and bulkhead seats provide extra legroom but can be noisy or less comfortable: These seats give you more space, but watch out for limited recline and nearby noise from bathrooms or crew areas.

• Sitting near the wings reduces turbulence and the front is usually quieter: Choose seats near the wings to feel less bumpiness and sit towards the front if you want a calmer environment.

Leaning forward with a pillow can provide surprisingly good sleep on a plane, especially if you're in a cramped seat. 

The best pillow for this position is a neck pillow or travel pillow that supports your head while resting on the tray table. 

It helps reduce back pain and neck strain . Be mindful of your posture to avoid lower back pressure .

Sitting cross-legged on a plane may seem awkward, but it can be quite relaxing. Adjust your seat slightly upright to avoid cramping, and use a small cushion to support your lower back . 

This position improves relaxation, but be careful about circulation . Flexibility helps, but you don’t need to be a yoga expert.

When reclining your seat, proper neck support is key for restful sleep. Using a travel pillow that wraps around your neck will help keep your head from jerking forward.

A slight recline (around 30 degrees) is typically best for reducing neck and shoulder pressure. Combining neck and lumbar support provides a more holistic approach to comfort.

A body pillow is perfect for keeping your body aligned while resting on your side. The right body pillow for a plane should be compact enough to fit in your seat while offering full-body support. 

It can reduce hip pressure and prevent numbness in your arms, improving your chances of uninterrupted sleep. 

• Keeping your legs a bit raised helps you sleep better: When your legs are slightly elevated, blood flows better, and you avoid that numb or heavy feeling. A footrest or a pillow under your knees does the trick.

• Compression socks keep your legs from getting tired: Wearing compression socks during the flight keeps your blood moving and helps prevent swelling or aching, which can interrupt your sleep.

• Moving your legs now and then keeps them from getting stiff: If you stay in one position too long, your legs can swell or feel tight. Just stretching or moving them a little makes a big difference.

• Using magnesium makes it easier to relax and fall asleep: Rubbing magnesium cream or spraying it on your legs can calm your muscles and help with restless legs, making sleep on the plane much more comfortable.

For the most restful sleep, opt for a window seat . This gives you something to lean against and minimizes disturbances from other passengers . 

If legroom is important, try booking an aisle or exit row seat . Keep in mind that exit row seats may have limited reclining options , which could affect comfort during sleep.

• Using a neck pillow keeps your neck from hurting while you sleep: A neck pillow is a must if you want to avoid neck pain while sleeping on a plane. It stops your head from falling into uncomfortable positions and helps you wake up feeling better.

• Memory foam or latex pillows give better support to your neck: Pillows made of memory foam or latex adjust to the shape of your neck and head. This gentle support is especially helpful if you usually sleep on your back or side.

• A small travel pillow is easy to carry and still supports your neck: Even a compact pillow can give your neck the support it needs. It fits easily into your bag and helps you stay relaxed and free from neck stiffness during the flight.

Wearing loose, comfortable clothing on a plane is key to making your flight more enjoyable. 

Tight clothes can restrict blood flow and prevent you from relaxing fully, making it harder to sleep. 

Fabrics like cotton or soft blends are ideal because they’re breathable and allow freedom of movement. 

Noise-canceling headphones are one of the best ways to block out the sounds of a plane and get some peaceful sleep. 

They can cancel out the drone of the engine, chatter from other passengers, and even the sound of crying babies . 

A good pair of noise-canceling headphones will create a quieter environment, helping you fall asleep more easily .

• Wearing an eye mask helps block out disturbing light: An eye mask can work wonders when it comes to improving sleep quality on a plane. Blocking out light, whether it’s day or night, is essential for good rest. A thick, soft mask will create total darkness, allowing you to sleep without being disturbed by cabin lights.

• A snug eye mask stays in place throughout the flight: To stay comfortable and ensure the mask stays in place all flight long, look for adjustable straps like Velcro or stretchy elastic bands that fit your head snugly. A well-fitted mask won’t slip off while you move or shift during sleep.

• A small sleep kit makes flying much more relaxing: To make your flight even more comfortable, create a simple DIY sleep kit with earplugs, an eye mask, and a few drops of lavender oil. This little kit can help you relax faster and stay asleep longer, even in a bright or noisy cabin.

• Drinking Water Often Helps Prevent Restlessness: Dehydration can leave you feeling restless and uncomfortable, making it difficult to sleep on a plane. To stay properly hydrated, try to sip about 240 ml (8 ounces) of water every hour during your flight to replace the moisture your body loses. Drinking water regularly keeps you feeling relaxed and ready to rest.

• Eating Fruits and Vegetables Keeps You Hydrated: Including water-rich fruits and vegetables like berries, melons, and lettuce as snacks can boost your hydration even more. These help add moisture to your body and make it easier to stay comfortable during your flight.

• Avoiding Caffeine Stops You From Feeling Awake: Caffeine can make you feel more awake and disrupt your sleep cycle. Avoiding caffeinated drinks helps your body stay calm and ready for sleep on the plane.

• Herbal Teas Help Calm Your Mind for Sleep: If the airline doesn’t offer sleep-friendly drinks, bring your own herbal teas. They can soothe your mind and make it easier to relax and fall asleep while flying.

• Timing Meals to Aid Sleep and Digestion: It’s best to eat a couple of hours before the flight so you have time to digest before trying to sleep,” says Dr. Virginia Skiba, a specialist in Sleep Medicine and Neurology. This timing helps your body prepare for rest and complements sleep aids like melatonin.

• Using Melatonin for Better Sleep Onset and Adjustment: Melatonin, a natural sleep aid, can be especially helpful on flights, particularly when adjusting to new time zones. Taking melatonin about thirty minutes to an hour before departure helps your body adapt and promotes restful sleep.

• Balanced Diet Enhances Melatonin’s Effectiveness: Being mindful of what you eat is important, studies show that high-calorie diets can make it harder for your body to adjust, potentially worsening jet lag. Combining melatonin with a balanced diet and proper meal timing significantly improves your ability to rest and recover during travel.

• Evidence Supports Melatonin for Faster Jet Lag Recovery: According to a Cochrane review, melatonin taken close to local bedtime at the destination helped travelers sleep better and adjust faster after long flights crossing multiple time zones. It worked best when used short-term at night, reducing daytime fatigue and improving sleep quality and rhythm recovery.