Flight attendant reveals the best way to sleep on planes and avoid jet lag – but it takes a strong will
Flight attendant Kara Mudler has revealed her tips for both getting to sleep on flights
FLIGHTS aren’t always the easiest place to sleep, thanks to everything from turbulence to screaming kids and interruptions from cabin crew at meal times.
But there is a knack to it – so long as you are strong willed.
Flight attendant Kara Mudler has revealed her tips for both getting to sleep on flights and avoiding jetlag on her blog .
Her top tip is for every passenger to set their watch and phone to the time of the place they are flying to, as soon as they get on the plane.
She said: “Fall into a local time routine with eating and sleeping.
“Do not go to sleep at 1pm – wait to fall asleep at a regular time. Your body will quickly readjust.”
That is a lot tougher than it sounds though.
To adjust to your new location’s time schedule properly, that also means turning down any food or booze if it’s not the right time for it at your destination.
Kara said: “If the snack and meal service is not served on the your eating schedule, go ahead and pass on the food.
“Pack your own healthy granola bars, trail mix, dried fruit, etc.
“Also, be careful and avoid foods that cause gastrointestinal distress and be careful not to overeat.”
While Kara’s advice comes from years of flying experience, there are also some other solutions that can help with sleep on a plane.
You might also want to check the angle that your seat is reclining when you try to sleep.
Andrew Lawrence, president of the Chiropractors Association of Australia, says the most conducive position for snoozing in economy is only “slightly reclined”.
Passengers should then put a cushion at the base of the spine to help maintain the lumbar curve and reduce pressure at the junction of lower back and pelvis.
Andrew said: “As far as the skeleton is concerned, the pelvis – specifically the ischia or the hard bony things we sit on – and the area where the spine and pelvis meet are under the greatest pressure when we’re sitting upright and awake.
“But when we sleep the neck takes the biggest pressure.”
“The best position for reclining is about halfway, which gives assistance with holding the head in place but doesn’t put too much backward pressure on the hips.”
The chair incline isn’t the only game changer when it comes to getting rest on planes – it turns out that the vast majority of passengers are also wearing their travel pillows wrong too.
Dr Michael Breus – or The Sleep Doctor as he’s known to US television audiences — is one of the world’s leading sleep experts and a pro when it comes to sleeping in transit.
He said that we should really be turning those pillows upside down.
He said: “And one thing I tell my clients is that if you have a U-shaped neck pillow, turn it around so the bottom of the U is under your chin.
“That’s because your head tends to bob which will wake you up, and by rotating the pillow it stops your head from bobbing.”