Last Updated on February 27, 2020 by Tia
Long Haul Flight Tips. In this article, I am covering all the tips to prevent the most horrible side effect of long haul flights…Jet Lag! I have heard tales of people suffering for 3+ days from jet lag…totally ruining their holiday!
An essential part of traveling like a pro is learning how to kick jet lags butt right to the curve.
For the ones who have ventured outside of Europe, I’m sure you feel my pain.
Do you too begin your journey looking (and feeling) like a million bucks, but in the 19 (or so) hours journey..something happens… and you end up looking like you’ve been attacked by wild cats?
Do you arrive at your chosen paradise destination with a foggy brain, not having a clue of the day or the time?
Are you also cranky, sweaty and bitchy and would love nothing more than to weep into a jar of Nutella?
Welcome to the jet lag world kids.
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But not all hope is lost!! Below I have made a list of the best long haul flight tips o kick jet lags butt right to the gutter where it belongs!
Follow them and begin your travel experience feeling – and looking- like a million bucks (or at least not like you’ve been dragged through the bushes)
Table of Contents
1. Long Haul Flight Tips – Invest in a travel pillow.
J Pillow
Now I can not stress this enough!!
A quality travel pillow is the holy grail of all travels. No one sleeps well on planes anyway (unless you are an alien) so we need all the help we can get.
Also, landing in paradise with a crooked neck is really not cute at all now, is it?
A travel pillow will provide comfort to your neck and will aid you to sleep a million times better.
My absolute favorite is the J Pillow, and that’s because it is specially made to support the chin, keep the head from falling forward, and provide the ultimate neck support by filling the gap between head and shoulders. For anyone wanting a good sleep, or suffering from stiff neck and back, there really is nothing better than the J Pillow!
Editors Note: The J Pillow has traveled with me to 22 countries and has not failed me once.
2. Long Haul Flight Tips – Sleep Mask and Ear Plugs.
Personally, I am a very light sleeper; a complete curse when traveling. And unfortunately for me, the plane is no quiet place! There’s screaming children, unnecessarily chatty people, plane announcements, cabin lights, etc.. This is where a soft sleep mask can come in super handy, by eliminating movements and lights. The earplugs mute the sound, so you can drift off to Neverland in no time! #yesplease
3. Sleep Aids.
Now if your flight is any shorter than 7 hours I do not recommend taking sleeping aids. You will most likely wake up groggy, disorientated and feel worse than if you had no sleep at all.
Anything longer than that though, and I definitely recommend. I always choose herbal sleep aids and avoid any heavy-duty stuff- they kick in after about 20 minutes.
Also, if you suffer from anxiety caused by fear of flying they are a great way to help you relax whilst on board.
4. Time your Sleep and Choose good connecting flights.
Timing your connecting flights and sleep is crucial. Ideally, your longest flight should be during night time.
For example, I traveled to China via Moscow. Moscow was a short 4-5 hours flight, so I kept myself busy with movies and travel planning and made sure I tired myself out.
Meanwhile, my travel agency made sure my connecting flight had only a 2-3 hour layover and arrived in Moscow in the early morning (China Time.)
By the time I boarded my ”long flight” to China (9 hours), I slept like a baby! I slept naturally too, as for me it was ”nighttime”.
5. Long Haul Flight Tips – Avoid alcohol
Free booze onboard? hell yeah!!.. just kidding.
As partial as I am to the odd cosmopolitan and a good glass of wine, drinking in flight is on my list of no-nos.
Alcohol completely dehydrates your skin and system and brings a nasty hangover to boot.
It should also be noted that at high altitude, alcohol becomes more potent- therefore you get drunk much quicker and essentially destroys the sleep architecture.
I am forever amused by the number of drunken passengers acting silly on flights- no one wants to be that drunken brute!
6. Choose your seat wisely
Now, I like to travel well. But I also like to travel often. Therefore for most of the time, a First Class seat is out of the question.
If your budget can stretch it, however, nothing beats a long haul flight in First Class. Spacious seats that recline into a bed, privacy, and legroom for days!
However, the economy class also offers various options that could affect your jet lag and ability to rest.
How to choose a seat
- Take legroom: if your airline has a premium economy section, on long haul flights it’s worth the extra charge so you can stretch your legs to a plank and mimic a sleep position.
- Which seat: Unless you like to get up and stretch or frequently use the bathroom, avoid the aisle seat. Its the seat with the most traffic! Instead, book a window seat, and use the window as a resting place for your head.
- Avoid Seats in heavy traffic areas. By that I mean the seats next to the WC- all the noise will keep you up!
7. Long Haul Flight Tips – Stretch
3 things will get you through the hold haul flights: Sleep, eat and stretch.
Why is stretching important? Because flying for more than 4 hours puts you at risk for blood clots. Blood clots can lead to pulmonary embolisms which are often fatal.
There are many factors that play a key part in your risk factor- such as weight, height, age, general health, frequency of flying, alcohol consumption, etc.
Simple things like a 5-minute walk up and down the cabin along with flexing and stretching your feet every 2-3 hours can seriously lower your chances of forming blood clots.
8. Listen to your body and be prepared.
Long haul flights have weird effects on the body.
I suffer from IBS and colic and flights affect me the worst. I take activated charcoal tablets 20 minutes before I board and it is a lifesaver.
Other people get headaches, and others may get horrible earaches from on-air pressure.
Always pack a little kit of essentials! Nuforen for pain, chewing gum for earaches, your pillow, mask and healthy snacks like fruit and nuts to help with your layover hunger pans.
9. Long Haul Flight Tips – Pretend
Yeap, you heard me. Pretend! Aka, fake it till you make it.
A positive mindset has a huge impact on the body.
- As soon as you land in a country, change all times on phones, cameras, and watches to the local time.
- Take a moment to soak up your new surroundings. Realize how blessed you are! You finally made it to heaven!
- Brush your teeth, take a long shower and drink a large glass of water.
- Then set about your day as if you haven’t just traveled for the better part of 24 hours. On your first day there, take it easy and don’t plan too much in the day.
- Sleep when its night time, eat when its meal times and your body will follow through! Tried and tested!
Long Haul Flight Tips – Final Tips
- Wear loose and comfortable clothing
- Use the iPhone’s Sleep App – the best app invented EVER. Hundreds of soothing and even downright bizarre sounds to provide utter sleep bliss.
- Hydrate and eat small frequent meals!
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Above all.. relax.. enjoy.. and open your eyes to paradise!
Feel free to comment below with your own long haul flight tips!
Tia
xoxo
