5) Gear up to Sleep

My own philosophy is — no sleeping pills. I have this theory that you need to be in charge of tricking your body. If you turn that power over to a drug, you’ve given up control. Besides, what if an emergency occurs and you need to be at your best. (For example, what if someone tries to hijack the plane? Have you ever seen Jack Bauer take sleeping pills? :-) ) But you *do* need a tool kit. Don’t wait ’til the night before. Here’s what you’ll need:
*** Eye screen — I know, they look kind of hokey. But you need one of those sleep visors that all the elderly people wear. Swallow the pride and pick one up at a travel or luggage store. You’ll be glad you did.
*** Ear plugs — I love kids. I just like them to be silent while I sleep… or pretend to. :-) Read the instructions. Have someone teach you how to insert them. There’s a trick to “rolling” them, pulling up on your ear with the opposite hand (from behind your head), then holding them in place while they expand.
*** Travel pillow — Choose the skrunchie kind that just compresses like a goose-down sleeping bag, or use the inflatable “u-shaped” pillow like I do. Either way, choose *something*. Airlines provide a flimsy excuse. I don’t like ’em. Just not quite enough meat there for my purposes. Today’s newest jets have moving “ears” that you can swivel out on your head rest. Those are helpful. But again, you need to convince your body that you’ve gone to sleep. For that to happen, get a real pillow.
*** Nab an extra blanket — If you can, grab an unused blanket from a nearby unoccuppied seat. If the plane turns cold, you’ll need it for some uncovered area of your freezing body.
*** Maneuver for empty seats — If you’re the type that needs to be horizontal, try to scout out a location with an empty adjacent seat so you can sprawl. As for me, I’ve trained myself to sleep in one reclined seat. It’s almost more trouble than it’s worth, to me, to try to lay down across the 3, 4 or 5 “middle” seats in a big jet. But I *do* try to get an aisle (so I’m not a victim to someone else’s sleeping patterns). For me, it just feels less constricted. Regardless, find something that works for you.
*** Pray for bad movies eastbound — You think I’m joking. :-) But the principle is, ignore the media. Oh… maybe you can catch part or all of a movie while eating. (What’s better than dinner and a movie at 35,000 feet? :-) ) But as soon as chow-time is over, lose the remote.
*** Floss & Brush — I’m not kidding. Remember, the trick is — convince your body that you’ve slept. That means going through your whole before-bedtime routine. And finally, …*** Put on your favorite house slippers — I’m not kidding. Bring your favorite pair of comfy, cozy slippers from home. Last thing, before you go to sleep, rest those tired dogs. Take off those wing-tips or heels; take off your dress socks. Put on a pair of comfy athletic socks (or whatever you like), your favorite slippers, and snooze!