Getting Enough Sleep in Economy Class. Mission: Impossible

by Paula Wu

Only few people can afford the luxury of flying first or business class. Most of us have only given this “mansion” a furtive glance while walking past it to the economy class that we’re so well accustomed to. But don’t get discouraged just yet – you can find an opportunity to rest even in such a seemingly cramped place (no, not on your seat neighbor’s shoulder).

1. Choose an Airplane Seat Beforehand

It is better to choose a seat in the front of an aircraft because vibration caused by a turbulence flow is mostly felt in the tail section. If the first five rows of seats are already occupied, it’s no trouble. Select seats over the wings, which may be pretty comfortable as well. When choosing a seat in the tail section, you risk becoming an involuntary traffic controller for an impatient queue to the aircraft toilet.

And attention! Avoid the middle seat of an airplane. No matter how hard you try, you will not find any advantages to it. For instance, the aisle seat is suitable for those who frequently need to take something from their luggage in the overhead bin because they forget things. And the window seat makes it possible for you to lean against the wall and feel a bit of privacy. And the window in the middle? Nothing.

2. Watch the Temperature

If you feel like your eyelids are getting heavy, and the duty free catalog of “much-needed” products slowly falls out of your hands, set a comfortable temperature right away. Don’t be lazy! Achieve the desired temperature with an air conditioning system, wrap yourself in a blanket, and take a nap. If you ignore this tip, you may suffer from interrupted sleep. Take care of your convenience.

3. It Never Hurts to Have Some Accessories

  • A night eye mask: every time the pilot reports news, he turns on the light, so sleeping without an eye mask will be more of sleeping at the disco with the strobes turned on.
  • A neck pillow: to get a restful sleep, you need to make sure your neck muscles don’t need to hold your tired head, which is practically impossible in airplane seats without fixators. Therefore, it’s either a fixator or making close friends with your neighbor and resting your head on his/her shoulder. But we warn you: not everybody is ready to be the shoulder when they first meet you.
  • Earplugs: kids will not stop crying, don’t even hope so. They can’t be drowned out by the sound of music either. The best solution is definitely to use earplugs.
    Sleep tight!