The secret trick to sleeping well on long-haul flights
In a Q&A on Quora, Arianna Huffington, co-founder of the Huffington Post, shared her tips to getting a decent rest while on a plane.
Arianna’s schedule demands a lot of travelling and she pins her successful sleep schedule to routine and organisation.
“Before you even set foot on the plane, you can create a schedule that better suits your sleep needs,” she said.
“My advice, based on what has worked for me through my many travels across multiple time zones, comes down to arranging my schedule so that I have plenty of time for sleep — even if it means building in an extra day for travel.
“I’ve talked to many executives who fly around the world and go into meetings exhausted, unable to stay awake; they often end up offending people who may have worked for weeks getting presentations ready for that meeting.”
Arianna said one trick to sleeping on a flight is mirroring your bedtime routine at home, so your body knows it’s time to sleep.
“I’m actually a little bit obsessed with trying to do everything I can to make my flights more sleep-friendly. That’s because I travel so much, and I’ve learned over time that a little preparation goes a long way,” she said.
“I have my sleeping gear permanently packed in my carry-on: an eye mask, noise-cancelling headphones, earplugs, herbal teas (including lavender and licorice), and my favourite neck pillow.”
“I always like to dress comfortably, even if it is a short flight, and I wear only flat shoes when I travel.”