There are two types of people in this world—those who can sleep on flights， and those who can’t. The former spring out of their seat upon arrival at their destination， fresh-faced， clear-eyed and ready to throw themselves into the ways of a new country and culture.
　　The latter drag themselves sluggishly down the aisle， struggling to perform even the simplest of tasks， such as using the passport machine at security or articulating whether they’re here for “business or pleasure.”1
　　If you happen to be one of these unfortunate souls， the start of any long-haul trip can quickly unravel as， both sleep-deprived and jet-lagged， you’re barely able to function for at least 72 hours.2 But fear not—there are ways and means of securing a bit more shuteye3. Here are our top tips for dropping off4 on board.

Grab a row

　　We all know the Holy Grail of sleep is managing to lie prostrate to create the illusion of being in a bed.5 Obviously you can guarantee this by stumping up for business class， but if you’re consigned to economy， give yourself a fighting chance by choosing a middle seat when booking.6 Couples and families are unlikely to go either side of you， preferring to stick together， and if it’s not a full flight you’ll have a greater chance of getting a row to yourself. Pick one towards the middle or back of the plane， rather than at the more popular front end of the cabin.

這个世界上有两种人，能在飞机上睡着的人和不能在飞机上睡着的人。前者往往在到达目的地之后容光焕发，迫不及待地想冲出去玩耍；后者下飞机时腰酸背痛，两眼无神，可能好长时间都缓不过来。如果你不幸是后者，那不妨试试本文中的几个小妙招。

　　Should this fail， have a look around early on—can you spot any empty rows？ If so， ask a member of cabin crew as soon as possible if it’s OK for you to switch and bag7 yourself some extra leg room.
　　Top tip： Once you’re lying comfortably， make sure you put on your seat belt so it’s visible over the blanket. There’s nothing worse than being woken up by a flight attendant during turbulence8 to check you’re belted up.

Stick to your routine

　　It might seem silly， but preparing for “bed” the way you would at home means you’re more psychologically ready for sleep. Changing into pyjamas， brushing your teeth and removing your make-up/washing your face can all get you in the right mindset. If you normally always read before bed， do it now too—signal to your brain that the “being awake” portion of the day is officially over.

Get the right sleeping mask9

　　As fetching as a faux-satin number with fun patterns might be， this is a practical item with only one real purpose—to block out the light so you can drift off.10 Plump instead for a functional black mask， with a soft lining and raised edges to create a truly dark interior.11

Put in earplugs12

　　Just like a sleeping mask， the right earplugs can be a game changer； for many people it’s the constant noise of the engine that makes it so hard to sleep on planes. It’s worth trying out a few different kinds beforehand to see whether you prefer the mouldable wax or foam variety13—everyone’s ears are different， after all.

Take your own pillow

　　In the event that you have to sleep sitting up， one of those nerdy looking horse shoe-shaped neck cushions is actually very helpful—a lot more comfortable than trying to fashion the flat-as-a-pancake pillow provided into something remotely sleepworthy.14

Switch off15

　　Overstimulation16 is the enemy of sleep. As much fun as it is to catch up on all the films you missed at the cinema or play a game on your phone， using devices just before bed means your brain is all lit up like a Christmas tree. Plan when you ideally want to hit the hay and half an hour beforehand shut down the electronics—instead， do a bit of reading or， better yet， indulge in a 20-minute meditation to really calm the neurons.17

Embrace booze18

　　If you drink， having a glass of red wine， whisky， or whatever your chosen tipple may be in the hour before sleep can have a soporific effect.19 However， don’t overdo it—alcohol can feel like it affects you more at altitude and if you slip over into drunken territory， it won’t lead to the best night’s sleep. Plus having a hangover20 on a plane is far from ideal…

Scent yourself

　　The power of smell is more potent than you think. Using hand cream or essential oils which have sleep-inducing properties can help you relax and unwind.21 Scents that have a strong link with aiding sleep include lavender， vetiver， chamomile， ylang ylang， bergamot and sandalwood.22 Rub some on the back of your neck and dab a touch on your pulse points for some inner calm.23

No pressure

　　It’s easier said than done， but stressing about not being able to sleep is a sure-fire24 way of not being able to sleep. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself—instead just see it as a chance to rest your eyes for a bit. Get comfortable and relaxed， and remind yourself that it’s not the end of the world if you fail to get some shuteye. If you do， it’s a bonus. If you don’t… well， just hope they’ll accept your answer of “bleisure”25 as you stumble through security.

　　1. sluggishly： 行动缓慢地，呆滞地；aisle：（席位间的）通道；articulate： 清楚地表达。
　　2. 如果你恰好是这些不幸的家伙中的一个，那么你所有长途旅行的伊始都会糟糕透顶，因为你既缺觉又有时差反应，可能在未来的至少三天内都没法正常行动。long-haul：（飞机）长途飞行的；unravel：（计划等）失败，瓦解；jet-lagged： 有时差反应的。
　　3. shuteye： 睡眠。
　　4. drop off： 睡着。
　　5. Holy Grail： 指众人追求的最高目标；prostrate： 俯卧的，平卧的。
　　6. stump up： 勉强支付一笔钱；business class： 商务舱；consign to： 使陷于；economy： 经济舱（economy class之略写）；fighting chance： 可能而不易得到的机会。
　　7. bag： v. 占据，抢占。
　　8. turbulence：（由风造成的空气或水的）湍流，不稳定的强气流。
　　9. sleeping mask： 眼罩。
　　10. 缀有有趣图案的仿缎眼罩可能会很迷人，不过它其实就是个很实用的东西，只有一个真正的用处——遮挡光线，让你不知不觉地睡去。fetching： 迷人的，吸引人的；faux-satin： 仿缎料；number：（群体中）突出的一件，有吸引力的事物；drift off：迷迷糊糊地睡着。
　　11. plump for：（在难以定夺的情况下）选择；lining： 衬里，里子；raised edge： 卷边，翻边。
　　12. earplug： 耳塞（常用復数）。
　　13. beforehand： 事先；mouldable：可模制的；wax： 蜡；foam： 泡沫材料。
　　14. 如果你必须坐着睡觉，那看起来傻乎乎的U型枕其实非常有帮助——比起试图将飞机上提供的扁如煎饼般的枕头改造得适于长距离睡觉，用U型枕要舒服得多。fashion： 制作，把……塑造成。
　　15. switch off： 切断电源。
　　16. overstimulation： 过度刺激。
　　17. hit the hay： 睡觉；indulge：（使自己）沉湎于；meditation： 冥想；neuron： 神经元，神经细胞。
　　18. booze： 酒。
　　19. tipple： 酒；soporific： 催眠的，令人昏昏欲睡的。
　　20. hangover： 宿醉。
　　21. essential oil： 精油；sleep-inducing：催眠的；property： 特性，特质；unwind： 放松。
　　22. 很有助眠效果的香料有熏衣草、香根草、洋甘菊、依兰、佛手柑和檀香。
　　23. dab： 轻涂，轻抹；pulse point： 脉搏点。
　　24. sure-fire： 一定能成功的。
　　25. bleisure： 是business和pleasure的混成词，原指商务休闲旅游，此处用以呼应文中第二段结尾，表示在飞机上没能入睡的人无法清楚回答海关官员关于“此行目的是商务（business）还是休闲旅游（pleasure）”的问题。