11 Tips to Sleeping Soundly on an Airplane

With the holidays creeping up in the coming months, air travel is in the future for many of us. And traveling isn't fun for everyone either. Here's a few tips to travel better, and be able to sleep on the plane:

Change your clock to the new time zone. If you're crossing into a new time zone, plan ahead a few days and change your clocks to help avoid jet lag once you get to your destination.
Turn off any screens. Once on board the plane, turn off any devices that you have with you: your cell phone, laptop, etc., even turn off the in-seat monitor.
Gently massage your ears for one minute to reduce stress and help yourself to relax. This is a trick that you can use every day, not just on a plane, but every little bit helps when you want to fall asleep fast.
Wear cozy clothes and a pair of warm socks. Being comfortable is key to being able to relax on a plane and fall asleep.
Avoid crossing your legs. Try falling asleep with your feet flat on the floor. If you cross your legs, it'll cut off the blood flow to your lower legs and feet.
Eat a small snack. The worst thing that could keep you up while you're trying to fall asleep is a growling stomach.
Press the pressure point between your eyes. For one minute, breathe deeply and apply pressure between your eyes. It'll help you relax.
Wear your neck pillow backwards. This will help your head from leaning too far forward and waking you up, as well as avoiding possible serious neck pain!
Block out any light with an eye mask. Your brain will have a hard time shutting down and thinking that it is nighttime if light is still filtering in.
Block out any noise with a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. The best way to fall asleep quickly is without any distractions.
Stick to your nighttime routine. If you have a routine before bed (and you should!) then do your routine as best as you can before trying to fall asleep on the plane.