Long-haul flights are often, let’s be honest, really quite boring. You’re stuck in a metal tube travelling thousands of feet in the air and if you’re lucky and there’s no drama from the plane or fellow passengers, there’s just a lot of sitting. Waiting. Yawning. Trying to drop off for a nap.
Usually, this is where the in-flight meal comes in. Breaks some boredom, kills some time and often isn’t too bad on the taste buds, either.
Apparently, though, according to one flight attendant, this is exactly where we fall short when it comes to trying to have a restful sleep on our flights.
Why you should avoid the in-flight meal if you’re hoping to sleep
Kris Major, a flight attendant with 24 years’ experience spoke to CNN Travel about how to make your long-haul trips as refreshing and comfortable as possible and when it comes to food, he suggests not opting for the meal.
Major said: “If you’re exhausted, you’re better off sleeping than forcing yourself to eat dinner at the equivalent of 3 a.m.
“Most airlines don’t particularly plan their [food] service around the passenger and acclimatisation and time zones crossing.”
Basically, if the time you’ll spend eating is time that would be better spent sleeping, it’s better to sleep through that time than have a sleep disrupted by a meal service that you won’t even feel the benefits of.
You could even take your own snacks onto the flight from the airport if you know you’ll be peckish!
How to feel fresh again after sleeping on a plane
If you have managed to sleep, waking up on a plane can leave you feeling stale and disoriented. Major recommends waking yourself up by brushing your teeth saying: “Cleaning your teeth is always the one that freshens everybody up the most.”
He also added that flight attendants will always have between five and 10 minutes to freshen up before they’re back on duty.
I mean, if anyone knows best, it’s professionals who are used to sleeping on flights, right?