How to Survive a Red Eye Flight
Red eye flight popularly refers to airplane journeys of short duration usually towards eastern direction. The term 'red eye' became popular on account of fatigue felt by travelers on such journeys. Red eye flights are scheduled at nighttime or midnight, which can leave the passengers stressed due to lack of sleep. The flight usually reaches the destination early in the morning when the passengers feel drowsy and many of them end up having red eyes due to stress. However, red eye flights need not always be that bad, provided you follow some easy precautions and catch up on some good sleep even when you are in transit. Read below to get some useful tips.
Tips to Prevent Red Eye Flight Effects
Eating Healthy
One of the most important things to do before you board the flight is to eat your fill of food. Ideally eat light dry food that suffices your daily dinner requirements. Eating beforehand helps you sleep without any interruptions throughout the journey. Usually people who look forward to food served on the airplane, tend to stay awake till the food is served and finished. You can save some precious sleeping time by eating in advance. Similarly, eating light and dry food exempts the possibility of air sickness. Keep a water bottle with you throughout the journey instead of waiting for the airline crew to provide you with a glass of water each time you are thirsty.
Seat Selection
It is essential to choose a seat with ample leg space and a good leg rest. At the same time, the seat should be recliner so as to get into a proper sleeping position during the flight. Ideally, select a seat which is not too close to the two end exits. This is because, washrooms are located at these exits, which makes this area full of activity throughout the flight. Seats at the rear or near the emergency exits are usually non-recliner. So even these seats are not recommended. Choose a window seat towards the frontal part of the plane as it has ample leg space. A window seat offers you a chance of peaceful sleep as your neighbors will not disturb you for accessing the plane aisle. Similarly, window seats offer you a chance to recline your head on the plane's window for additional comfort.
Sleeping Well
Most of the passengers find it difficult to sleep peacefully on planes. At such times, the best option is to induce sleep by creating a good sleeping environment. Dress yourself in warm, comfortable and loose-fitting clothing that will help you sleep soundly. One of the most important things to do is to recline your seat at its full limit. This is because one can get best sleep in horizontal position only. Ask for a blanket to keep you warm throughout the airplane journey. Similarly, a cushion to support your head would help you sleep better. One ideal way to induce good sleep is to use an eye mask and a pair of cotton ear muffs. You can even carry some lavender-scented gel to sniff on as lavender is known to induce sleep as part of aroma therapy. Avoid listening to music or watching movies while on red eye flights as they eat away your precious relaxation time.
Tips to Recover from Red Eye Flight Effect
These were suggestions to help you avoid the red eye flight effects. But what to do in case you happen to be a victim of this problem and want to recover from it at the earliest? Here is what you can do:
- Drink a lot of water or fresh fruit juices. The basic idea here is to stay hydrated so that you will feel less exhausted.
- Your body will go on signaling throughout the day that it is tired but keep your mind alert. Steer clear of any temptation to hit the bed and go off to sleep. Instead, start the work that you had planned to do before you embarked on the flight.
- If there is no work schedule, then use the time to work out or go and explore the new city. Maybe, you can engage in activities like shopping or sight-seeing that are bound to keep you alert and awake.
