Try it at home: 10 tips for a good night's sleep from JAL flight attendants

Controlling sleep time is an essential skill for flight attendants

Ayumi Sato: "Especially when I'm working late-night flights, my sleep schedule tends to be irregular. I try to work backwards to figure out how much sleep I'll get depending on my shifts that day. Even when I'm working late-night flights, I try to get an average of 7-9 hours of sleep."

Marin Yamamoto: "On long-distance flights to the US and Europe, we have a two-hour break during our shifts, but the quality of the sleep is more like a nap than a deep sleep."

These are the words of two flight attendants who work on JAL's international routes. Currently, JAL has fixed flight routes for each area on long-distance routes such as the Americas, Europe, and Oceania. This makes it easier to adjust sleep times compared to before, but there is a time difference between Japan and each of the destinations.

Yamamoto: For example, the flight time to the US mainland is about 12 hours. Even if it is night in Japan, you will arrive in the US between morning and noon. Even if you are physically tired, if you sleep soundly, you will not be able to sleep at night, and if your sleep rhythm is disrupted, it may affect your work on the return flight. Therefore, I try to limit my nap after arriving to about two hours. It is difficult to wake up, but by enduring it for a little while, you will be able to sleep soundly at night and adjust your internal clock to the local settings. On average, I sleep eight hours, but sometimes it can be as long as 12 hours.

In this way, controlling the timing and duration of sleep is an essential skill for flight attendants. There are many methods that each flight attendant has devised. Here are five that you can start using right now.

Sleep Techniques (1)
Caffeine intake is limited to 3 p.m. local time.

Yamamoto: "I love coffee, tea and energy drinks, but I'm sensitive to caffeine, so I often can't sleep when I drink it. I try to avoid drinking it after the evening. My family and friends say they can sleep even if they drink it before going to bed. I think it depends on the individual, so I think it's best to be aware of the appropriate amount and timing that suits your constitution."

Sleep techniques (2)
Have a hot drink before going to bed

Sato: "Drinking a hot drink warms the body before going to sleep and is very calming. I make sure to drink a hot drink before taking a break on the plane. I choose something that doesn't contain caffeine. I recommend hot water or hot milk. Especially when I'm traveling and can't prepare milk, I try to drink hot water, which is easy to prepare."

Sleep techniques (3)
Turn down the brightness of your smartphone and computer screens about an hour before you go to bed.

Yamamoto: "It's said that it's good not to look at your smartphone or PC for about an hour before you go to sleep in order to avoid overexciting your brain, but I found it difficult to do this. When I tried at least dimming the brightness of the screen, I felt like the strain on my eyes was reduced, and I was able to get into bed and fall asleep faster. Also, even after trying this, if my cell phone was within reach when I went to sleep, I would still end up touching it. It's also important to keep your cell phone in a place where you can't reach it unless you stand up."

Sleep techniques (4)
Create a relaxing atmosphere with relaxing music

Sato: "I think it's important to create a sleeping environment similar to that of your own home. If you play sleep music on a regular basis, listening to it before you go to sleep will help put your mind into "sleep mode." I think spending some time relaxing before bed in a way that suits you will lead to better quality sleep."

Sleep techniques (5)
If you still can't sleep, just give up

Yamamoto: "Even with all these techniques, if I can't sleep, I can't sleep. But even if I can't sleep, I try to think positively, saying, "I slept for XX hours," rather than, "I only slept XX hours." I think this helps prevent the spiral of forcing yourself to "have to sleep," which leads to you being unable to sleep."

Well, in order to get a better night's sleep, there are many cases where flight attendants use their own special items. Next, we will introduce some items that you can easily take with you on your trip and that you can easily prepare at home.

Sleeping items (1)
Comfortable long sleeve and long pants pajamas

Yamamoto: "The sheets and duvet covers at your accommodation may be too stiff or thin, and may not fit your body well. Also, it can be difficult to adjust the air conditioning when traveling, so I always wear long sleeves and long trousers. If you wear them normally, they will feel natural against your skin when you travel, so it's a good idea to get into the habit of wearing them."

Sleeping items (2)
Body cream or fragrance in your favorite scent

Sato: "Having your favorite scent in the air will release tension in your body and help you fall asleep in a relaxed state. I recommend room fragrances and body creams. It's fun to imagine what kind of scents relax you and search for your favorite scent."

Sleeping items (3)
A towel long enough to be worn over the shoulder

Yamamoto: "When I sleep with a towel that has been treated with my favorite fabric softener draped around my neck, I feel as if I'm sleeping in my own bed at home, and it helps me relax. It's also a great way to keep warm, and it's very convenient. I heard a close colleague of mine did this, so I tried it, and it was extremely effective. At home, if you wash your sheets with your favorite fabric softener, which you find relaxing, you may find that your quality of sleep improves."

Sleeping items (4)
A hot eye mask that emits steam to keep your eyes warm

Sato: "Hot eye masks that gently warm the eye area are very effective. I particularly like the types that emit steam. They're great for tired eyes and are very calming. Also, in foreign countries where the air is often drier than in Japan, items that provide moisture are very useful."

Sleep items (5)
Soft earplugs that fit your ears perfectly

Yamamoto: "When I'm staying at a hotel, there are times when I want to sleep and I hear people talking in the hallway, or I end up in a room where it's easy to hear noise, so earplugs are a necessity for me. Personally, I use the soft type. I've had unfortunate experiences with plastic ones falling out while I was sleeping and waking me up. You can also use them for naps at home, so I think it's handy to have them on hand at all times."

Recommended items for resting during the flight

These methods can be used at your accommodation or at home, but they are also effective when you are resting on the plane, for example on a long-distance international flight.

Yamamoto: "We always pay attention to the cabin temperature so that our customers can have a comfortable flight, but the temperature we feel varies from person to person. Even we sometimes feel cold when we take a break. Cabin attendants take their breaks in their uniforms, but we always bring a thin down jacket with us and put it on. Cardigans are a little cold, and thick down jackets are too hot, so an inner-type down jacket that can be worn under a jacket is perfect. We can adjust the temperature by rolling up our sleeves. When not in use, it can also be used as a cushion, so it is useful for private travel as well."

The quality of your sleep at your destination or on the plane is an important factor in enjoying a worry-free trip. However, it will be a while before we can travel freely by plane. For now, please use these methods to relax at home and have a comfortable "sleep trip" while dreaming of the day when you can travel again.