Sleeping on long flights - What's the secret?

(I assume you're speaking of commercial flights, not GA aircraft with
yourself at the controls!)

In the days when this was important to me, I followed this routine: I
ate lightly at the airport, eschewing coffee. I made sure I had a
window seat and that I was among the first to board, so that I could
be sure of snagging a blanket and two pillows. I swallowed a Dalmane
tablet. I put one pillow against the window and the other behind my
back, and I leaned the seat back to max estension as soon as the
smoking lamp was lit.

(Indeed, smoking was as much a part of the thinking as was the need
for sleep. I sat in non-smoking so that I wouldn't feel wrecked in the
morning.)

I was asleep before drinks came around, and I stayed asleep till
coffee arrived in the morning. It wasn't ideal, but it kept me
operating next day.

Now I don't smoke, don't take sleep aids, and don't work next day
after an overnight flight. For their part, the airlines don't provide
pillows!

all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
the blog www.danford.net

But somehow, I can't seem to get comfortable enough
to get to sleep. I'm 6'3" 280 lbs, and the tiny
seats are -very- uncomfortable after a few hours.
(can't afford 1st class)

There is simply no way a 6' 3" guy is going to be able to sleep for more
than 30 minutes on a modern airliner. They are not designed for comfort,
and you will cripple yourself trying.

Even if you take a sedative, or a few stiff drinks, you will awaken with
such a crick in your neck that you'll wish you hadn't slept at all.

It's a sad fact of modern airlines, but they're just not interested in your
comfort.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

But somehow, I can't seem to get comfortable enough
to get to sleep. I'm 6'3" 280 lbs, and the tiny
seats are -very- uncomfortable after a few hours.
(can't afford 1st class)


There is simply no way a 6' 3" guy is going to be able to sleep for more
than 30 minutes on a modern airliner. They are not designed for comfort,
and you will cripple yourself trying.

That a fact? I'm 6'5" and got at least six hours each way between
Auckland and LAX not long ago without benefit of sedatives or alcohol.

That a fact? I'm 6'5" and got at least six hours each way between Auckland
and LAX not long ago without benefit of sedatives or alcohol.

You, sir, must be a contortionist!

;-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

Jay Honeck wrote:

That a fact? I'm 6'5" and got at least six hours each way between Auckland
and LAX not long ago without benefit of sedatives or alcohol.

You, sir, must be a contortionist!

If Rich had any sense he got here early and got a seat with legroom.

Or he has the bucks to pay for business or first.


Graham

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:5mlod.445307$D%.42028@attbi_s51...

There is simply no way a 6' 3" guy is going to be able to sleep

I thought the 280 lbs may have been more of a restriction than the height!

That's 20 stone in English!!


--

J B

Not entirely true, Jay. Airlines work very hard to make sure their seats
are as comfortable as possible. That's how they differentiate from the
competition. But there are limits to what you can do. Airlines have to
make a buck and economy passengers aren't interested in paying one dollar
more than they have to to get where they're going. If they were, they'd be
flying in Business Class, or Premium Economy, which typically has more leg
room and a wider seat. It's not all the mean old airlines. Much of what
the airlines do is driven by passenger purchasing behaviour.

Shawn

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
news:5mlod.445307$D%.42028@attbi_s51...
But somehow, I can't seem to get comfortable enough
to get to sleep. I'm 6'3" 280 lbs, and the tiny
seats are -very- uncomfortable after a few hours.
(can't afford 1st class)

There is simply no way a 6' 3" guy is going to be able to sleep for more
than 30 minutes on a modern airliner. They are not designed for comfort,
and you will cripple yourself trying.

Even if you take a sedative, or a few stiff drinks, you will awaken with
such a crick in your neck that you'll wish you hadn't slept at all.

It's a sad fact of modern airlines, but they're just not interested in
your comfort.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
...
Not entirely true, Jay. Airlines work very hard to make sure their seats
are as comfortable as possible. That's how they differentiate from the
competition. But there are limits to what you can do. Airlines have to
make a buck and economy passengers aren't interested in paying one dollar
more than they have to to get where they're going.

I used to fly between the US and Germany regularly on business. Every time I
bought my tickets I'd check prices in both business and coach. In coach I
only once paid more than $800 for a roundtrip, and business class was
usually around $5000. Coach always had discounts available while business
was usually sold full-fare only. I can see paying a bit more, double even,
but six times as much?

The problem is that there is no "intermediate" offering much of the time.
You can have a 39-cent cheeseburger at McDonald's, or a $50 steak at Smith &
Wollensky's. This is true of domestic first class in the US as well, but
that's very accessible to those who travel regularly and get into the elite
programs.

-cwk.

Which is exactly why several airlines have introduced a Premium Economy, to
provide more service and greater comfort for people willing to pay more than
economy but not as much as Business class. Working quite well for a couple
of them.

Shawn
"C Kingsbury" wrote in message
ink.net...

"ShawnD2112" wrote in message
...
Not entirely true, Jay. Airlines work very hard to make sure their seats
are as comfortable as possible. That's how they differentiate from the
competition. But there are limits to what you can do. Airlines have to
make a buck and economy passengers aren't interested in paying one dollar
more than they have to to get where they're going.

I used to fly between the US and Germany regularly on business. Every time
I
bought my tickets I'd check prices in both business and coach. In coach I
only once paid more than $800 for a roundtrip, and business class was
usually around $5000. Coach always had discounts available while business
was usually sold full-fare only. I can see paying a bit more, double even,
but six times as much?

The problem is that there is no "intermediate" offering much of the time.
You can have a 39-cent cheeseburger at McDonald's, or a $50 steak at Smith
&
Wollensky's. This is true of domestic first class in the US as well, but
that's very accessible to those who travel regularly and get into the
elite
programs.

-cwk.

dont sleep the night before your flight. by the time you get on plane and
your so tired you'd just fall aslep


"C. Osbourne" wrote in message
news:f_iod.134853$R05.103574@attbi_s53...

Hi,

I'm going on some long flights soon, and would
really like to do some sleeping during the flights.

But somehow, I can't seem to get comfortable enough
to get to sleep. I'm 6'3" 280 lbs, and the tiny
seats are -very- uncomfortable after a few hours.
(can't afford 1st class)

Can anyone suggest a method or even proper drugs
I can use to get to sleep so the flights don't seem
so long?

Thanks for answering here...