11 tips for sleeping on planes

by Mike Barish on

I have been blessed with the gift of being able to sleep on virtually any moving vehicle. I’ve slept in large airplanes, small propeller planes, trucks on unsealed roads, cars, trains and boats. I sleep without the help of drugs, herbal supplements or any other gimmicks. I find my seat and my brain seems to decide, “Hey, this is going to be boring; let’s just skip it.” Several hours later, I wake up as my plane is on final approach.

My personal record for continuous sleep on a plane is 11.5 hours on a flight from Sydney to Los Angeles. Granted, that was in first class on V Australia, so the conditions were optimal. But my coach class record is 8.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep on a flight from Detroit to Tokyo. I followed that up with a 2.5 hour nap later in the flight. I would say that, on average, I spend 85% of my time on airplanes in an unconscious state. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

So, how do I do it? Well, if I could guarantee a solid slumber on a flight, I’d be hosting an infomercial right now selling the Mike Method for two easy payments of $49.95. Sadly, I think I am just lucky that I can sleep anywhere. However, there certainly are a few things that you can do to create an environment more conducive to sleeping on a plane (or any mode of transportation, really).1. Relax
Whether you’re on your way to an important meeting for work, visiting your in-laws or just going on vacation, the act of transporting yourself from one place to another can, in and of itself, be stressful. The same things that keep you awake at home – stress, anxiety, pressure – will keep you awake on the plane. Clear your mind and sleep is more likely to come.

2. Remove Contact Lenses
I always fly with my contacts out and my glasses on. Plane air is dry and sleeping with your contact lenses in is never fun. I’m much more apt to fall asleep if my contacts are out and my eyes are comfortable. In fact, when I’m ready to go to sleep, I take my glasses off and clip them on my shirt. They’re close by for when I wake up, but without them my body knows that it’s time power down.

3. Familiar Music
An iPod (or other portable music device) is a great way to block out the noise around you. But for optimal results, create a playlist purely for sleeping. Fill it with music that is soothing (for you) and, most importantly, very familiar to you. If you listen to music that is new to you, your brain will stay active trying to pay attention to the unfamiliar stimuli. Find some comfort music that you know backwards and forwards so that your brain can listen to it on autopilot. I have a playlist on my iPod entitled “Sleep.” I’ve listened to that 400+ song playlist on countless flights over the years. It has changed minimally and the moment it starts, my mind begins to shut off.

4. Earplugs/Noise-Canceling Headphones
If music isn’t your thing, simply block out the noise with good old-fashioned foam earplugs or new-fangled noise canceling headphones. Whatever you need to block out the crying babies, sniffling germ-carriers and endless announcements from the flight crew about how the in-flight entertainment system needs to be reset.

5. Dress Comfortably
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT SWEATPANTS IN PUBLIC ARE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE! However, packing a change of clothes for long flights can be very helpful. If you don’t want to carry around a pair of pajama pants, wear an outfit that is comfortable and breathable. Bring layers so that you can handle whatever the plane’s climate control system throws at you. And take off your shoes when nap time comes. But trust me, put them back on when you visit the toilet.

6. Have a Drink
Notice that I said a drink. Drink too much and you’ll only guarantee yourself numerous trips to the lavatory and some fitful half-sleep followed by dehydration and a headache. If one glass of wine makes you drowsy, don’t feel bad. Just don’t let that one drink turn into a party at 35,000 feet.

7. Travel Pillows
This is going to shock many of you, but I do not use a travel pillow. At least not on planes. But I know more than a few people who swear by them. If you’re one of those people, find one that works for you and stick with it. The more you make it a part of your routine, the more likely you are to get comfortable with it.

8. Sit With Friends
Every little creature comfort can help when you’re not used to sleeping on planes. Having friends around you rather than strangers may help you relax and get comfortable. Plus, you won’t feel bad if your snoring keeps your husband awake. He probably deserves it.

9. Sleep Masks
Again, this one isn’t in my toolkit, but it may work for you if you are easily distracted or are a very light sleeper. Sure, you’re going to look like a moron, but if you need to block out everything in order to sleep, then you need to make sensory deprivation your top priority. What’s more important to you: Looking cool in front of people you will never see again or arriving at your destination well-rested?

10. Pack Snacks
Many people eschew sleep out of fear that they will miss the in-flight meal. While microwaved chicken is pretty underwhelming, it is often the only substantial meal you’ll receive on a long-haul flight. Pack a few filling snacks (ie, trail mix, dried fruit, a sandwich or Handi-Snacks) and you can eat whenever you stomach desires. Once you’re not held hostage by the flight’s feeding schedule, you’ll be able to relax, sleep and wake up to a treat of your own choosing.

11. Sleeping Pills
Call me a purist, but I consider sleeping pills and herbal supplements to be cheating. However, if you genuinely cannot fall asleep naturally and truly need to sleep on a flight, then I suppose I can understand going the pill-popping route. But I will put an asterisk next to your name in the record books.

It’s not rocket science, but falling asleep on planes can be challenging for some people. Hopefully these tips help you drift off to your happy place rather than enduring the mundanity of air travel. Your mileage may vary, and I can’t guarantee that you’ll be a plane sleeping machine like me, but utilizing some or all of these suggestions should help you get comfortable and sleep through almost any flight.

Do you have your own method for falling asleep on planes? Any tricks worth sharing? Drop us a line in the comments.

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Stay overnight at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater

by Katie Hammel on

Architecture buffs and fans of Frank Lloyd Wright have long enjoyed a visit to the architect’s Fallingwater house, near Pittsburgh, and soon, true fanatics can pay a premium to spend two days and two nights on the famous property. The new overnight program will debut on weekends, welcoming up to 8 guests at a time, either this December or in early March of next year.

Guests won’t actually sleep in the house – they’ll retire at night to a newer four-bedroom home built on the grounds. They’ll take an in-depth tour one night and be treated to a dinner party with a special guest and the house curators the next. Days are free to spend at leisure, enjoying Fallingwater as the house’s director says it was meant to be. Guests can stroll the grounds, explore different rooms of the house, or simply relax as though the home was their own.

The going rate to sleep in an architectural masterpiece? $1,195 per person for double occupancy.

Gadlinks for Wednesday 9.16.09

by Brenda Yun on


Happy Hump Day, Gadlingers! I’m happy to report that the weather here in Chico, otherwise known as college party town USA, couldn’t be better. My 1.5 year-old nephew is running circles around me and blabbering in adorable baby talk. There are travel reads aplenty this Wednesday, so let’s get started!

  • Have you ever considered slacklining? I have, but I think I’ll stick to a line just one or two feet from the ground. [via Been-Seen]
  • There is an art to sleeping on planes that many of us — and I, for one — have yet to master. This helpful article gives us a few tips on what is often for me the most tedious part of traveling. [via Jaunted]
  • Everyone is insisting that summer is over, but I can’t really tell. Everywhere I’ve been the sunshine has been abundant and my skin remains summer-bronzed. But if you’re craving the endless summer, head to these sunny destinations. [via Open Travel]
  • Last but not least, my cousin and his new wife are safe and sound in Nairobi, Kenya, ready for a year-long trip of a lifetime. There will be travel stories aplenty should you feel so inclined to subscribe to their blog. [via No Hurry Curry]

‘Til tomorrow, have a great evening!

More Gadlinks HERE.

SkyMall Monday: Night Sweat Alarm

by Mike Barish on

I love sleeping. After a long night of testing fabulous SkyMall products, I like to retire to the SkyMall Monday domestic headquarters, curl up with the catalog and fall asleep with my best buddy. I sleep like a log. But, not everyone is so lucky. Some people are startled awake every night by an awful sensation. It happens involuntarily. It’s embarrassing. It’s damp. They wet the bed…with their sweat. Night sweats are no laughing matter. Every year, zero people die of night sweats. Together, we can reduce that number.* In order to survive night sweats, the victim must be made aware of this dangerous situation before it’s too late. Now, thanks to one very special invention, people can be made aware the moment that night sweats strike. Now, we have the Night Sweat Alarm.

The Night Sweat Alarm detects persperation and wakes you up so that you can deal with your night sweats immediately instead of in the morning when you would be making the bed and perhaps doing laundry. This way, you’ll pay less attention to your night sweats as you focus, instead, on how tired you are. Your spouse or hooker will also be awakened by your movements and will be there to help you deal with your night sweats.** Now, rather than waking up naturally in the morning and throwing the damp sheets in the wash, you can discuss your problems with your mate at two o’clock in the morning. What great bonding time!
As always, we refer to the product description to hammer the point home:

If you’re bothered by night sweats, try this monitor. When it senses perspiration, it vibrates and sounds an alarm so that you can wake up and remove blankets or take other corrective action. Saves you time and trouble changing moist sheets and sleepwear.

Imagine the time you’ll save when you wake up in the middle of the night, remove the blanket from the bed and explain to your spouse why you’re up at some ungodly hour. You’ll be so glad that you’re awake when your lover turns to you, carresses your cheek and says, “Why is your sleepwear moist?” “It’s my night sweats,” you’ll respond. “I have to take corrective action.” Surely, your husband or wife will smile, assist you in changing the sheets and lovingly laugh at the misunderstanding. They will love this extra time that you spend together early in the morning, two-to-three hour before the alarm clock goes off. And they’ll enjoy doing activities that easily could be done during waking hours.

So, if you wet the bed through your pours and not your crotch, get yourself the Night Sweat Alarm. You and your partner will be glad that you did.***

* That’s statistically impossible.
** He will probably roll over, go back to sleep and mutter something unflattering under his breath.
*** Your partner will be perusing the Casual Encounters section of Craigslist while you wash your moist sheets.

Check out all of the previous SkyMall Monday posts HERE.

Life Nomadic: Traveling without Planning

by Tynan on

Ahh, and we’re back. After a semi-hiatus of a few months, Todd and I are back to the full nomad lifestyle. I say semi-hiatus because within those four months we both spent a good amount of our time traveling around the US, Mexico, and Canada. And even when I was in Austin, where my family and most friends are, I lived in a 21′ RV on the side of the road.

Once a nomad, always a nomad?

Our trip this year is going to be very different from last year, but our first stop is the same as last year’s first stop: Panama.

I’m not sure why exactly we chose Panama last year, but this year we chose it because we’d fallen in love with the country. The people are universally friendly and warm, as is the weather, the food is dirt cheap and amazing, and there’s no shortage of adventure to be found.

Not to mention that Todd and I are both nearing fluency in Spanish and Panamanian Spanish is actually known for being very clear.

One hallmark of our trips is that we usually don’t plan much. We often go to a city with no place to stay and no plans, assuming we’ll figure it out once we get there. That’s probably where our mantra, “everything always works out” comes in.
When our flight landed in Panama, it was two in the morning. We have a few friends in Panama from last year, but imposing on them to sleep on their couches at 3am seemed a bit cruel. Getting a hotel was an option, too, but it doesn’t make much sense to pay for a hotel you’re going to be in for just eight hours, even at Panama’s bargain rates.

And so we chose the third, less obvious option. In our backpacks we cram in luxury-lite cots, giving us the ability to sleep in perfect comfort just about anywhere.

(side note: if you have the foresight, check www.sleepinginairports.net before deciding to sleep in an airport. They have a good database, though most of the complaints people register are negated with a luxury-lite.)

We headed upstairs to the waiting lounge, where a dozen or so fellow travelers were awkwardly sleeping on the hard tile floor or slumped over in chairs. I hate to admit it, but I felt pretty smug knowing we were about to rest in perfect comfort in an otherwise inhospitable environment.

And we did. A security guard gently woke us up at 7am, we packed up our cots, and headed in to one of our favorite cities in the world with no plans or accommodations to speak of.