I Spent $107 Trying to Sleep in Economy and Failed Miserably

I’ve been going to the Disney parks for over 25 years now, so I know a thing or two when it comes to planning those trips. But international travel? I’m a novice!

I just went on my honeymoon to Italy, and while I felt pretty confident about the trip itself (I can’t help but obsessively research like I do for Disney World), I knew the nine-hour flight would be ROUGH. I usually can’t sleep in the car, on a plane, or even on relaxing train rides, but I was determined and spent $107 in the process. Let’s just say, I learned the hard way that money can’t buy sleep…

This was an overnight flight on American Airlines that left the U.S. at 8:15 PM and landed in Italy at 1:30 PM the next day. I woke up early on the day that we left, just so exhaustion would kick in when we boarded the plane. After a quick meal around 9:30 PM, it was time to try out all of my gadgets. Here are my honest thoughts about each and why they did or did not work for me!

Loop Earplugs

I actually bought the Loop Earplugs because my friend JP raved about them! After reading her review of these in Disney World, I knew I had to try them out to block out noise on the plane. Our seats were right by the restrooms as well, so we knew there would be some disruptions to deal with.

First, I tested these out at home while sleeping, especially since I live in a big city. These are no joke! It was SO quiet and I slept like a baby.

For the flight itself, this was the best thing I bought. Other factors led to my failure to sleep, but when I finally got a nap in, the Loop Earplugs were to thank for that.

Shop the Loop Earplugs here

trtl Neck Pillow

Not gonna lie — I was SO excited to try out the trtl Neck Pillow. Quincy is a huge fan of it and has flown on extremely long flights to Hong Kong and Tokyo, so my hopes were high. Unfortunately, in economy, this was not a win for me.

That’s because the seats barely reclined, and I learned that I need to lie down a tad more than these seats allowed to get comfortable. The pillow itself is soft and cozy, so I get the appeal. However, on an aisle seat, I couldn’t stay upright if I wanted to sleep. The pillow provides neck support, but apparently, I needed an entire back brace. The curses of being a sensitive sleeper!

I almost bought the eye mask that also has a strap to attach to the seat’s headrest, but opted for this so I wouldn’t look “silly”. The joke is on me, because in hindsight, that was probably the best option for me to sleep while sitting up! You live and you learn.

Shop on Amazon

Eye Mask

I’m typically not a fan of things touching my face, but this eye mask was buttery soft. You can adjust the strap in the back to fit your head just right, and the eyes are concave, so nothing is pushing on your eyelid. The plane’s lights were off for most of the flight, but it added a sense of privacy and made it pitch-black.

On top of that, I also tend to sleep with my eyes open. It was a win for my eyeballs to have true darkness, and it was a win for everyone else who may have passed me on the plane (nobody wants to see creepy, half-open, sleepy eyes!).

Shop on Amazon

Melatonin

Melatonin is my favorite cure for insomnia at home, so I figured it was worth a try for this flight. I was already tired from being up early, but I also had the adrenaline from going on vacation! Let’s just say the adrenaline and the melatonin were having a full-blown battle in my body, which also helped result in my failure to snooze.

Shop on Amazon

Pillow and Blanket (Free)

You can bring your own pillow and blanket, but since American Airlines noted they would provide some, I decided against it (mostly for the packing space). Check with your airline ahead of time! The blanket was pretty thin for how cold it was on the plane, so either way, it’s a good idea to pack layers in your personal bag under the seat.

Sleep Acquired: 2.5 Hours

Initially, the hope was for at least five hours of sleep…but as you can see, I did not achieve that goal. But that’s okay! When planning the trip, I made sure the first day and a half were not filled with activities, so there was plenty of time to rest and get used to the new time zone. I highly recommend others to do the same, even if you would have slept the whole nine hours!

Ultimately, the biggest issue was how little the seats reclined. Economy seats recline up to four inches, but since we had a wall behind us, it was probably more like three inches. However, my most expensive purchase, the trtl Neck Pillow, also didn’t help me. Quincy is a huge fan of the pillow, and I’ve heard many other rave reviews, so I was surprised it didn’t work out!

Have you ever taken a long-haul flight? Do you have any tips or tricks for getting some sleep? Help me out in the comments! Stay tuned to AllEars for more.

I Sleep With My Eyes Open and This $10 Amazon Item Is a Game Changer

 

Post a Comment