<p>I have two transatlantic trips (all involve at least one 12+ hour flight) in the next two months and I am wondering if there are things I should be doing that I don’t know about. My longest previous flights have been about 7 - 8 hours, so I am wondering how much worse 13 hours will be. Plus, one trip I am by myself and one trip I am with a colleague–usually when I am on long flights it is with my H and D.</p>
<p>This is what I know: drink a lot of water, and don’t sit too long without getting up and stretching. I am loading up the ipod and kindle. Any other tips?</p>
<p>Will you be riding in the front? If so, you’ll be very well entertained and plenty of room to stretch out. If not, I would bring your own food. I like to bring my own cashmere shawl instead of using airline blanket. I pack extra batteries for earphone, bring all chargers with me. I make sure I am no where need a bathroom. If I can, I’ll eat beforehand and go to sleep as soon as I get on the plane, especially if I am sitting in the back, I just want it to be over as soon as possible.</p>
<p>I’m not the best at falling asleep on flights, but on those 12 hr flights you really need to sleep so you can be refreshed but also to pass the time. For me what works is to plan my “bedtime”, after a meal or snack and a movie/reading, I prepare for sleep, I bring along a loose sweatshirt (change in the bathroom, and even take my bra off) slip on those furry socks, take either a benadryl or a xanax and voila, several hours have passed. upon waking treat it like it’s morning, get coffee once it’s served and ready for the new day.</p>
<p>A face mask was helpful - made it easier for me to fall asleep.</p>
<p>I would recommend NOT sitting in the back of the plane. For some reason, people congregated back there and had long conversations, oblivious to everyone trying to sleep! I will never sit in the back again.</p>
<p>I thought the time went by pretty quickly. I watched a couple of movies when I couldn’t sleep. I also liked looking at the map of the world that showed the location of our plane. We were flying from London to Johannesburg.</p>
<p>Second bringing a blanket. And a pillow of sorts if possible. Also try to get aisle seats because your legs are going to cramp. The thing I hated most about the long flights was the leg pain and the discomfort because of cold. Snacks are good too. Don’t assume they will do anything to help you be comfortable. That way you will be prepared for the worst. Anything they DO will be frosting.</p>
<p>I’ve never been able to sleep on planes. The last long flight I took (to Japan from NY 13 hours non-stop) I watched all the movies, played lots of card games with the kids, read books, and ate every meal. As I recall there were plenty of blankets and we had winter coats anyway. Personally I like windows better than aisles. No one climbs over you and you can lean your head against the window.</p>
<p>Noise canceling headphones are a must so you can avoid that annoying droning sound created by the engines. I like to create a relaxing playlist on my IPod and listen to it to help me fall asleep. Also, there are all-natural sleep inducers you can get at the local CVS or Walgreens that help you fall asleep. They don’t flat out knock you out haha. I’ve used this advice on flights to Israel and Italy. I’ve always found sleeping is the best way to deal with a long flight. Good luck!</p>
<p>I fly internationally 8-10 times a year - so have had lots of practice.</p>
<p>For me, the key resetting my body clock as quickly as possible - so I work backwards from the time zone I am flying to.</p>
<p>Let’s say I am on a flight from San Francisco to London. London time is 8 hours ahead. So if the flight is taking off at 2PM then it is 10 PM in London. So I want to get to sleep as soon as possible when I get on the flight. Basically try to fall asleep based on destination time.</p>
<p>The night before the flight I will pull as close to an all nighter as I can manage. 3 hours sleep max. I get to the airport already tired, curl up in my window seat and go to sleep. Make sure you tell the flight attendant and the people around you that you want to sleep.</p>
<p>This technique worked best last year when I got on the 2PM flight, fell asleep before takeoff and woke up on wheels down at Heathrow. 9 hours sleep and totally refreshed!!!</p>
<p>I have legs, but if I stick them in the aisle people trip over them. I find it’s better not to have so much carryon stuff that you can’t get your feet under the seat in front of you. On the Japan flight I was lucky that I was next to my 8 year old and could impinge on his space. (I wear a 32" inseam in jeans for what it’s worth.) :)</p>
<p>mm, I have rls, and can’t sit for that long at one time. Our longest flights were to and from Hawaii and too and from Alaska. I thought my legs would have to be amputated after that and I’m 5’-9"! I was just in a lot of pain, and hope to find a better solution the next time I have to fly that far.</p>
<p>I like to have my small carryon with me, esp. with snacks, books, etc. I prefer the window so I can rest my head against the side/window. As soon as you can after take off, simply move your carryon right in from of your seat, under your legs, so you have the room under the seat in front of you to stretch out your legs. I also stretch/move to as many positions as I can without disturbing the person in front of me or beside me.</p>
<p>Don’t wear any kind of knee-highs or socks that constrict at all. I did this recently on a long flight and I was sitting in bulkhead and could elevate my feet, but even with that, when I went to put my shoes on they were tight. I didn’t pay attention and when I got home and undressed, I saw that my ankles and lower legs and feet were swollen about twice their normal size. It really freaked me out. I think the elastic contributed to the swelling. It took about a day for the swelling to go down.</p>
<p>If you have trouble with swelling feet, you might want to look into “compression stockings”, although I’ve never had to use them so I can’t vouch for their effectiveness.</p>
<p>Definitely wear pants with some stretch in the fabric so you get more comfort and ease around your lower torso and upper thighs.</p>
<p>I always bring a face-sized towel (and a small plastic bag to store it in). I wet it with bottled water and continually dab my face and hold it against my nostrils so I can breathe in some moist air. When I’m ready to sleep, I wet the towel (not dripping, but quite wet) and lay it on my face. This keeps my face and orifices hydrated, and also acts as a “sleep mask”. Of course my makeup is shot by the end of the flight, so I do a touch-up when I brush my teeth before landing.</p>
<p>I like to use one of those neck pillows (if I’m in cattle-class and can’t recline all the way). I put it around the <em>front</em> of my neck (with the opening at the back of my neck). Then when my head lolls forward/sideways when I fall asleep, the pillow keeps my head in a “more” comfortable position. (I’ve seen people wear it on the back of their neck, but then their head falls forward until their chin is resting on their chest. That’s too uncomfortable for me!)</p>
<p>I carry thick face and hand creams and lip balm, and apply them liberally and often.</p>
<p>I like to stand up a hard-sided briefcase on the floor where my feet should naturally go. So when I need a change of position, I use it as a foot-stool; my knees are raised quite high and there is some relief of pressure in my butt and the backs of my thighs. When I don’t need it, I can slide it under the seat.</p>
<p>The older I get, the more I dread long-haul flights!!</p>
<ol>
<li>if you are in business class, don’t complain, its like a holiday in itself</li>
</ol>
<p>Otherwise my guidelines:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>try to at least get premium economy (United for example has low-cost upgrades if you don’t get it free)</p></li>
<li><p>choose an airline with decent economy class seats (I like Emirates and Air New Zealand). Some airlines (e.g. Air France) you can pay a little extra for an exit row seat.</p></li>
<li><p>don’t buy a ticket unless you can make online seat selections - use Seatguru.com to choose a good seat (aisle for me)</p></li>
<li><p>don’t eat the airline food, at all. Buy a couple of good sandwiches, a muffin, and some fruit in the airport to take on with you. Maybe fill up a flask with Starbucks coffee (after passing security). Try not to drink alcohol on the flight.</p></li>
<li><p>take valium or whatever you like with you, I find if I have it, I seldom need it.</p></li>
<li><p>take your own entertainment, Kindle, ipod, whatever. I can’t sleep at all on a flight.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>The moment you step on that plane, act as though it were the time at your final destination. I cannot emphasize this enough! If that means you eat at times different from what the airline serves you, so be it.</p>
<p>I’m one of the lucky ones though – I fall asleep on planes easily. Something about the rocking motion.</p>
<p>Oh – if weather permits, wear some kind of flip flop (and carry socks). I find that my feet swell and if I wear shoes and take them off, I’ll never get them back on.</p>
<p>Keep them coming people. I have a flight to Munich with 70 high-schoolers coming up, have never flown farther than Seattle. Economy all the way…</p>
<p>There’s a homeopathic product, Jet Zone, that I think has helped me with jet lag. Definitely wear loose shoes and take them off during the flight.</p>
<p>Hydrate several days in advance so you won’t have to get up to go to the bathroom too many times on the flight. </p>
<p>Bring a small pillow not just for sleeping but as back support. You can also put a rolled up sweater for lumbar support.</p>
<p>Bose headphones are wonderful on those long flights. Prefer over the ear rather than just covering the ear since it is easier to lay your head on a pillow without it slipping off. That sounds strange but there are two types and I think the larger kind is better.</p>