Falling asleep on
moving objects has never been an issue for me. If I’m not the one in the driver’s seat it’s safe to say I’ll be out
cold until the final destination has been reached. Buses, trains, planes, you name it – sleeping on each has been
something I’ve trained myself to do. For the most part it keeps me from getting "are we there yet"
syndrome and makes time fly a whole lot faster. However, I have to admit snagging my zzz’s on planes can sometimes be a
little embarrassing. Let’s start with the strange gravitational pull that somehow keeps my mouth wide open like a
stuffed bass mounted on someone’s trophy wall. (I know I’m not the only one.) Neck pillow or no neck
pillow I always seem to become a real life bobble head and many times I find myself being nudged by the passenger next
to me to either wake up or get the hell off their shoulder. I don’t know how many times I’ve apologized in the past for
managing to sleep so well on planes at my poor neighbor’s expense, but such is my sleeping style.
Now all of
this brings me to a fine piece of ‘sleeping on plane how-to’ from Independent Traveler, who
better understands that not everyone can nap so well on board. The folks at the Independent title the time spent on
planes "a modern Purgatory for the living" and offer tips on how to close your eyes and make it all
go away. You know – crying babies, the bearded woman, or the poser pretending to chug along on his laptop for some very
important deadline. Yes, just make it go away! Here are some of their tips
with my own two cents.
- Get seat savvy. Learn which ones are the best and worst seats for getting
shut-eye on your red-eye. - Keep the carry-on luggage to a minimum since they take away from your
precious legroom. - Coffee? Are you kidding! Skip it.
- Fight for pillows and blankets if you
have to. Board early and to get yours from the overhead bin if it’s going to help you sleep in peace. - Turn
the neck pillow around for chin support. (Never thought of that one!) - If taking off your shoes, know the
rules. They’ve got the basics listed. - Give the bookworm beside you a nasty glare if they choose to use the
light. Make it known you’re trying to sleep.
Several others which include the use of drugs, headphones and
seat reclining etiquette are listed as well. Whether you have troubles sleeping on planes or not I encourage everyone
to check this piece out.
If you’ve got a moment share a tale from one of your flights. What’s your in-flight sleep style like?