If You’re Awful At Sleeping On Planes, These 26 Things Might Help You Catch Some Z’s
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Some people can fall asleep anywhere — middle seat, cabin lights on, baby crying two rows back. I am not one of those people, and if you are not either, this list is for you.
Sleeping on a plane comes down to four problems: your head falling forward, the noise, the light, and the discomfort of sitting upright for hours. Every item below tackles at least one of them. Pick the pieces that match your worst in-flight problem. And if comfort is your main priority when you travel, you will also like these 35 products for comfortable travel.
1. The Seat-Back Sleep Sling That Holds You Upright
The hardest part of sleeping on a plane is staying upright once you finally drift off. Your head tips forward, your neck jerks, and suddenly you are wide awake again. This clever fabric sling attaches to the seat back and wraps gently around your upper body, holding you in place like a soft swaddle, so there is no slow lean to one side and no sudden head-bob to wake you up.
One thing to check first: it works best on seats with an adjustable headrest, since the sling anchors there. If your seat has one, this could be the single best thing in your sleep kit.
Price: $19.99+
2. A Pair of Soft Joggers Made for Long Flights
Trying to sleep in stiff, pinchy trousers is a losing battle. These relaxed-fit joggers have a stretchy waistband, a soft feel, and pockets — everything you want when you are settling in for hours. They come in women’s sizes S to 3X and in plenty of colours, so you can pick a pair that looks like a proper outfit rather than pyjamas.
Wear them with a decent top and trainers and you will look put-together at the gate and feel comfortable at cruising altitude. Wear them onto the plane rather than packing them.
Price: $14.99+
3. A Head-Bob-Preventing Travel Mask
This one looks like an eye mask, but it does a second job: it holds your head upright while you sleep. A strap wraps around the seat’s headrest and supports your head, so it cannot flop forward the moment you relax. Pair it with a neck pillow and you have a surprisingly solid setup.
It is small, light, and easy to pack, and it works on planes, trains, and in the car too. It needs a seat with a separate headrest to attach to.
Price: $24.99
4. Loop Quiet 2 Earplugs That Practically Disappear
Engine hum, chatty neighbours, the person watching a film without headphones — plane noise is constant, and it is one of the biggest reasons we cannot switch off. These reusable silicone earplugs sit almost flush in your ear, so they stay comfortable even if you lean your head against the seat or a pillow.
They reduce noise by up to 24 decibels, which takes the edge off the cabin drone without leaving you completely cut off from announcements. Four ear-tip sizes are included, and the little travel case fits in your pocket.
Price: $24.95
5. A Travel Blanket, Pillow, and Poncho in One
Planes are cold, airline blankets are thin, and carrying a separate blanket, pillow, and jumper takes up half your bag. This clever combination piece does all three jobs: wear it as a poncho, spread it out as a blanket, or fold it into a pillow when you want to rest your head.
The wide sleeves keep your arms warm while your hands stay free, and the whole thing packs down small for your carry-on. If you always feel cold on planes, start here — warm and covered is half the battle when it comes to falling asleep.
Price: $29.95
6. A Basic Oversized Hoodie for the Whole Flight
Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one. A soft, oversized hoodie is warm, cosy, and easy to sleep in — and the hood itself doubles as a little privacy shield when the cabin lights are on. Pull it up, lean back, and the world gets a bit quieter.
This one is a straightforward fleece pullover in a relaxed, oversized fit, so nothing digs in when you curl up in your seat. It layers easily over a T-shirt and under a jacket.
Price: $32.99
7. A 3D Eye Mask and Travel Pillow Combo
Light is the enemy of sleep, and on a plane you cannot exactly turn the cabin off. This combination pairs a contoured 3D eye mask with a travel pillow that clips to your seat’s headrest, giving you darkness and head support in one compact piece.
The wraparound design holds your head steady from all sides, so no more waking up with your chin on your chest. The mask’s contoured cups sit away from your eyes, so there is no pressure on your eyelids. It folds down small enough to live in your carry-on permanently.
Price: $20.99
8. A Little Shelf for Your Window Seat
This one does not help you sleep directly — it helps you get settled, which is the first step. The BevLedge is a slim shelf that tucks into the window frame and gives you a place for your drink, your phone, and your earbuds, so nothing is balanced on the tray table or rolling around on the floor.
When everything has a place, you can actually relax instead of juggling your things every time you shift position. It is light and flat, and it packs down small in your carry-on. A small thing, but window-seat travellers swear by it.
Price: $21.95
9. Sea-Bands for Queasy Flyers
If queasiness is what keeps you awake, no amount of pillows will help. These knitted wristbands use gentle pressure on the inside of your wrist — the P6 acupressure point — to help ease motion sickness and nausea, with no drugs and no drowsiness.
They are drug-free, reusable, and washable, and they work for adults and children. Slip one onto each wrist before takeoff and leave them on for the flight. They are small enough to keep in your bag at all times.
Price: $8.53
10. Ginger Lozenges for Your Travel Kit
Ginger has been the go-to for unsettled stomachs for a very long time, and these little lozenges make it easy to carry with you. They are individually wrapped, so you can toss a few into your bag, your jacket pocket, or the seat-back pocket in front of you.
Pop one before takeoff or whenever your stomach starts to complain, and let it dissolve slowly. No water needed, no fuss. Keep a bag in your carry-on.
Price: $14.99
11. AirFly: Your Wireless Earbuds Meet the Seatback Screen
Here is the problem: your wireless earbuds are brilliant, but the seatback screen only has a headphone jack. The AirFly is a tiny Bluetooth transmitter that plugs into that jack and sends the sound to your own earbuds, so you can watch films with the headphones you actually like.
It has a battery that lasts around 20 hours, which covers even the longest flights, and it works with any 3.5mm audio jack — planes, gym machines, hotel TVs. Pair it once and it is ready every time you fly.
Price: $34.95+
12. The Trtl Neck Pillow (Not Your Usual U-Pillow)
Most travel pillows are U-shaped cushions that your head slides off anyway. The Trtl is different: it is a soft fleece wrap with a firm internal support that holds your head upright while you sleep. You wrap it around your neck, lean into the support, and your head stays where you put it.
It weighs just a few ounces and is machine washable. Try it at home first to find your position — then it is a game-changer for middle-seat naps.
Price: $59.99
13. EarPlanes for Takeoff and Landing
If your ears hurt when the cabin pressure changes, you know how miserable takeoff and landing can be — and ear pain is a sure way to stay awake. EarPlanes are soft silicone earplugs with a small ceramic filter that slows down pressure changes in your ear, easing the popping and the pain.
You put them in before takeoff, take them out at cruising altitude, and pop them back in before descent. They are cheap and tiny, and they also take the edge off cabin noise. If you fly with a cold, these are a must-pack.
Price: $8.49
14. A Portable Safe for Your Valuables
One underrated reason people cannot sleep on a plane is worry. Where is my phone? Is my bag safe while I nap? A small portable safe gives you a simple answer: lock your phone, keys, and earbuds inside, set your own combination, and cable it to something solid.
This one is compact enough to slip into your bag and sturdy enough to put your mind at ease. Use it on the plane, in the hotel room, or at the beach. Peace of mind is a sleep aid in its own right.
Price: $19.97
15. An Airplane Foot Hammock
When your feet dangle for hours, your legs ache, your ankles swell, and sleep feels impossible. This little foot hammock hangs from the tray table in front of you and gives your feet a place to rest, raised off the floor and gently supported.
The strap adjusts so you can find the height that suits you, and the padded sling is wide enough for both feet. It folds down small when you are done. Do check your airline’s rules first, as a few carriers do not allow them.
Price: $14.95
16. A Compressible Pillow That Packs Down Small
Sometimes you just want a proper pillow — not a U-shape, not a wrap, just something soft to lean on. This small memory-foam pillow compresses down for packing and springs back into shape when you need it, and it works on planes, in cars, and at the hotel.
It doubles as lumbar support if your lower back is the problem.
Price: $20.99+
17. Compression Socks for Long-Haul Legs
Sitting still for hours is hard on your legs. Compression socks use gentle, graduated pressure to help your circulation, which can mean less swelling, less aching, and less of that heavy-legs feeling when you finally stand up.
These are a well-known pair with a 20–30 mmHg graduated fit, made for running, nursing, and travel, in sizes for men and women. Put them on before you board.
Price: $19.20+
18. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (The Splurge)
Let us be honest: this is the big spend on the list. But if you fly often, a great pair of noise-cancelling headphones is the closest thing to a mute button for the world. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra wraps you in quiet, with spatial audio and up to 24 hours of battery life.
They fold into a compact case and are comfortable for hours. Not everyone needs the top of the range — the earplugs and earbuds on this list do a fine job for less. But if you want the best sleep you can buy on a plane, this is it.
Price: $324.99+
19. AirPods Pro for the Flight
If you already live in the Apple world, AirPods Pro are the easy choice for a flight. The active noise cancellation takes the cabin drone down, they are small enough to wear under a hood or against a pillow, and the case slips into any pocket.
They pair instantly with your phone and last through a long flight with top-ups from the case. For sleeping, their small size is the real advantage — nothing bulky pressing against your ear when you lean on the headrest.
Price: $263.86
20. A Seat Cushion for Hours of Sitting
Airplane seats are not built for comfort, and after a few hours your back and hips will tell you all about it. A memory-foam seat cushion adds a layer of softness exactly where you need it, and it can make the difference between dozing off and shifting around for six hours.
This one is contoured, non-slip, and made from memory foam. It also works in cars and at your desk. If your back is the reason you cannot sleep on planes, start with the seat itself.
Price: $37.44+
21. A Stuffable Neck Pillow That Doubles as Extra Luggage
This is one of the cleverest ideas on the list. It is a long tubular pillow shell that you stuff with your own clothes — a jumper, a scarf, a spare top — and suddenly you have a neck pillow and a bit of extra luggage space in one. It is a neat little packing trick.
When it is empty it folds down to almost nothing. Stuff it before you board and wear it onto the plane.
Price: $23.98
22. A Molded Sleep Mask That Blocks Everything Out
A flat eye mask lets light in around the edges and presses on your eyelids. A molded mask is different: deep contoured cups sit over your eyes with space to blink, and the shaped nose bridge blocks the light that usually sneaks in from below.
This one is a popular design with an adjustable strap and a soft, breathable feel. It blocks light properly without pressing on your eyes, which means you can actually relax behind it.
Price: $15.99+
23. A Twistable Pillow You Can Bend Any Way You Like
Some of us never find a normal travel pillow comfortable, because our heads do not sit the way the pillow expects. This long memory-foam roll has a flexible rod inside, so you can twist it into whatever shape you need — a U around your neck, a cushion against the window, a support under your chin, or a bolster for your lower back.
It packs down small for carrying. If you have tried travel pillows before and given up, this bendable one is worth a second chance.
Price: $29.99
24. Mack’s Soft Silicone Earplugs (12 Pairs)
Not everyone gets on with earplugs that go deep into the ear canal. These soft silicone putty earplugs work differently: you warm a little ball of putty in your hands, press it gently over the ear opening, and it moulds itself into a comfortable seal. No pushing, no pressure, no sore ears.
They reduce noise by 22 decibels, they are reusable for several uses each, and they are handy for sleeping, swimming, studying, and concerts as well as flights.
Price: $12.99
25. An Inflatable Footrest for Tired Feet
Here is a simple truth about sleeping upright: it is much easier when your feet are up. This inflatable footrest sits on the floor between the seats and gives your feet and legs a raised, supported place to rest. It has two air valves and three height settings, so you can adjust it to fit your seat and your legs.
It is popular with parents, because it lets kids stretch out and sleep, but it works just as well for adults. Deflated, it folds down small and weighs almost nothing.
Price: $21.99+
26. EverSnug: A Blanket That Packs Into a Pillow
We end with a favourite. This soft, fuzzy travel blanket unfolds to a generous 65 by 40 inches, and when you are done, it folds back into its own carry case, which doubles as a pillow. The case has a luggage sleeve, so it rides on your suitcase instead of taking up space inside it.
The soft fleece is warm without being heavy, and it is the kind of blanket that lives in your carry-on permanently.
Price: $29.95
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Sleeping on a plane will probably never feel like sleeping in your own bed. But with the right combination — something for your head, something for the noise, something for the light, and something warm — you can get a lot closer than you think. Pick the pieces that match your worst in-flight problem, pack them where you can reach them, and give yourself the best chance of landing rested and ready for whatever is waiting for you.
