Help! Can’t get to sleep J & F

[juddles]

Wow-you're a better man than me.....

I am against traditional medicines or fancy drugs. I do a 15 hour flight about twice a month (everything else is shorthaul - 2 to 10 hours). For a 15 hr flight, which invariably involves lounge before, I am using the system (given my previously disclosed problems):

In lounge have something to eat, with champagne.

One hour before the flight change to hard spirits. Self-pour. (Always change from the SYD flounge to the J lounge so I can do this. Have about 8-12 shots of liquor prior to boarding. If I max this out I survive the interminable period between take-off champas and the drinks cart arriving....

Have an ample amount of wine with the inevitable post-takeoff meal.

When the crew start their routine before their naps, I switch from wine to spirits again. And ask for large ones.

Hopefully after about 4 hrs aboard, my body collapses and I sleep for 4-8 hrs. Then spend the last few hours watching documentaries and sipping tea, to get into a state to navigate the next airport stopover and repeat....

 

[amp-qld]

Here's a different approach - don't fly overnight. We're retired so we're in no rush and we can fly practically anywhere on daytime flights by breaking up the journey and having a couple of nights on the ground between each leg - it helps with jet lag as well.

 

[juddles]

Here's a different approach - don't fly overnight. We're retired so we're in no rush and we can fly practically anywhere on daytime flights by breaking up the journey and having a couple of nights on the ground between each leg - it helps with jet lag as well.

please explain how I can get from BNE to BOG on daytime flights?

 

[amp-qld]

please explain how I can get from BNE to BOG on daytime flights?

I did say "practically anywhere". It could take several steps and lots of planning but first step would be somewhere in the Pacific such as NAN or HNL.

 

[coco50]

Have travelled business and first the last few overseas flights. The best sleep I have ever had on an aircraft was from LAX - SYD in 2015. We were in business in the upstairs cabin of a QF 747. Had a nice meal, a few wines and a sleeping tablet, lay down and the next thing we were woken for breakfast. This year flew SYD - LAX in first class on a QF A380. I didn't fare as well although I used the same method mentioned above.

 

[daft009]

i don't think any of you have young kids anymore

On my last flight to Germany in J, I had pretty much the best sleep ever!
had a 3hr nanna nap on the lunchtime flight ex Syd to Singapore.
and then slept a full 8hrs on the overnight Singapore to Munich flight.

full day of sightseeing in Munich upon arrival and went to bed at 10pm.
at the office the next morning at 7.30am for a full week of work.

the return to sydney was also very similar.

no meds, 1 alcoholic drink per leg

 

[Gazza129]

On our last disaster J flight from LAX-MEL on VA during the recent catering crisis, we had virtually inedible food.........so we didn't eat.........and we didn't get jet lagged for the first time EVER.
Perhaps it was the anger? Don't know for sure but the difference was noticeable. The other difference was that the flight was a mid evening one rather than the usual one at midnight.

 

[VPS]

I'm a side sleeper and can't have my in ear headphones in while sleeping - any suggestions?

 

[cutz]

I normally don't take any tablets, but at Mrs Cutz suggestion took some Restavit (I think it that's what it was) on a quick trip to USA recently and slept really well both on the plane and in the USA. Took two tablets on the Frankfurt - Singapore leg which was in synch with sleep time at home (Perth) and slept like a baby. SO they worked relaly well for me this time.

 

[flybynight]

Wow! I’m amazed by how many people are willing to take drugs to sleep!!
If my body and mind doesn’t want to sleep with the help of a little alcohol then so be it.

 

[get me outta here]

Perhaps a a neck donut that is snapped closed at the thin end and so will stay as a circle. Then the headphone on the sleeping side fits in the hole. Won’t suit big headphones though.

I'm a side sleeper and can't have my in ear headphones in while sleeping - any suggestions?

 

[Cryptarcadian]

General tips I've found help:

• Always have a bottle of water on hand you can reach without having to get up, so you can have a few sips and go straight back to sleep
• Find out when meal services are on the flight, so you can plan your eating, ideally in destination time -- obviously much easier when dine-on-demand is offered (but order in advance so you don't go to sleep with FOMO)
• Fly an LCC -- no joke, I had a much better sleep on a recent AirAsia X angled flat SYD-KUL than the SIN-SIN return on an SQ A380, purely because there was nothing better to do than sleep

I'm a side sleeper and can't have my in ear headphones in while sleeping - any suggestions?

I'm a side sleep sleeper like you VPS, and some things I've tried, with varying degrees of success:

• Squishy earplug in one ear, earphone in the other
  
• Grab a spare pillow and put it over your head (if anybody laughs, you can't see them laughing from under a pillow anyway)
• Wear over-ear headphones, but lie on two pillows next to each other so one of the headphone cups rests in the gap between two pillows
  
• Accept I'm not going to have a deep regular snooze, recline rather than full flat, and wear over-ear noise-cancelling headphones... then discover a while later that I've dozed off anyway
• As above, but wear earplugs and then over-ear noise-cancelling headphones on top

Things I've thought about, but not dared to try yet:

• Use the seat in reverse, stick head in the foot cubby and be able to stretch legs/feet out in any desired way
• Drink less alcohol

 

[cgichard]

See also this thread in the Your Questions forum: Headphones you can sleep in?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm a side sleeper and can't have my in ear headphones in while sleeping - any suggestions?

Some seats allow you to move the headrest upwards in bed mode creating a gap that is just deep enough for headphones. But otherwise I haven't found a solution. I just use earplugs.

 

[downtheback]

I sleep easily in Y, J and F. Are you someone who falls asleep easily sitting up late at night? Are you easily woken? Do you worry about what each noise you hear on the airplane is?

My general routine starts the day before my flight, depending on what work needs to be done. If I have a flight to Asia, I will wake up at 4am. Go for a run, a swim, a bike ride, then get on with my day as usual. Head to the Airport, couple of glasses of Red, listen to some Music and fall asleep. For me, never had an issue, as long as I'm tired when I board. That is the key thing here. For flights to Doha/Dubai/Abu Dhabi, I don't need to wake up any earlier than 6, stay awake for the meal, wait til you've flown past Singapore then hit the sack.

 

[Rebekkap]

I'm a side sleeper and can't have my in ear headphones in while sleeping - any suggestions?

I use these: SleepPhones SC6UM-US Classic - Medium - Breeze Fabric - Galaxy Blue | In-Ear Headphones |

They're not amazing quality, and not noise cancelling but I can wear them to sleep in, which being a side sleeper also is important!

I also just discovered cheap generic version on ebay - Soft Sleeping Headphone Sports Mask Headband Headphone Headset For Cell Phone TM | eBay

 

[get me outta here]

Interesting, but I find that I need the convex eye area to avoid the unpleasant pressing on the eyelids experience.

I use these: SleepPhones SC6UM-US Classic - Medium - Breeze Fabric - Galaxy Blue | In-Ear Headphones |

They're not amazing quality, and not noise cancelling but I can wear them to sleep in, which being a side sleeper also is important!

I also just discovered cheap generic version on ebay - Soft Sleeping Headphone Sports Mask Headband Headphone Headset For Cell Phone TM | eBay

 

[Rebekkap]

Interesting, but I find that I need the convex eye area to avoid the unpleasant pressing on the eyelids experience.

I use them purely as headphones, never tried putting them over my eyes! I also have the convex eye mask

 

[clipped_wings]

I bring my 14 year old son's algebra homework with me. After the first meal, I attempt to complete it.

My brain, indignant at the notion that I am asking it to work overtime - immediately goes numb.

And I fall asleep.