Finding Your Zen on Noisy Flights

We’ve all been there — you settle in for a long-haul flight, exhausted and ready to relax so you can arrive at your destination rested when suddenly a baby starts crying, the person next to you decides they want to become your best friend for the next eight hours or a passenger in a nearby seat decides to watch a movie on their tablet without using headphones. If you haven’t had any of these experiences, you’ve undoubtedly heard the horror stories. Take the following tips into consideration the next time this happens to you so, no matter how noisy your flight is, you can find your Zen and arrive relaxed, rested and ready to go.

One of the most effective tools is a good set of noise-cancelling headphones. These bad boys take ambient chatter and plane noise and virtually eliminate them so your nerves are instantly soothed and you are primed to relax. They allow you the necessary quiet for sleep or the ability to focus on whatever movie or music makes you happy without the constant interruption of the noise around you.

Bring plenty of light snacks and keep yourself hydrated, but avoid overeating and drinking too much alcohol. A too-full stomach can make it difficult to sleep while alcohol, despite its ability to help you sleep, can leave you dehydrated and disoriented upon waking.

Bring along an eye mask, preferably one scented with lavender, which aids in restful sleep. Not only does an eye mask help block out the light of the airplane, allowing your brain to slow down and be more receptive to a restful sleep state, it sends a message to those around you that you are trying to rest and don’t want to be bothered.