Sleeping on a Plane
I first read about the Lights Out Sleep Mask on Inflight HQ.
I didn’t give it a second thought at the time, because it didn’t seem particularly different, or even interesting. Over the years, I’ve seen all sorts of sleep masks: simple, tasteful black ones, vibrantly colored and patterned designer ones, and everything in between.
Although I have a simple sleep mask, I’ve never used it. It seems that I can sleep under most any conditions. But those people who require darkness to sleep absolutely swear by a sleep mask and always travel with one.
On a recent flight I saw someone using a sort of unusual looking sleep mask. Although it was much smaller, and lighter weight, it almost gave the appearance of a divers mask. When the passenger woke up, I asked him about them. Turns out it was Lights Out.
He said that he had an important meeting, and needed to get some rest and quiet time, although not necessarily sleep. When he first put them on, the molded nature of the mask took a bit of getting used to, but he said that within minutes he didn’t remember a thing ““ having lapsed into a nice little nap. His comments were enough to make me check them out.
Turns out that the Light Out Sleep Mask was designed to promote REM (Rapid Eye Movement), the necessary part of the deep sleep cycle. They sell for $9.95, and you can check them out here. And, of course, they can be used many other places besides on an airplane.
I don’t know that I’m ready to spring for a pair, but if I was traveling to a time zone with more than a 4-5 hours difference, I might consider it.
Tags: airlines, Car Trips, flight+attendants, Hotels, napping, sleeping, travel, vacationRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Air Travel, Shopping, Travel Tips
5 opinions for Sleeping on a Plane
Hsien Lei
May 22, 2006 at 4:10 pm
Ooooh. I want!! I prefer to sleep in darkness whenever possible and never feel rested if there’s a light on even if it’s very dim and barely noticeable to other people.
Mary Jo Manzanares
May 22, 2006 at 6:36 pm
You’re not alone in needing absolute darkness. Many flight attendants struggle with this issue at hotels. Those rooms never seem to get dark enough.
Me? I sleep with only the privacy drapes closed, and leave the room darkening ones open.
I can sleep pretty much anywhere.
Cotton-Pickin’ Days » 2006 » June » 10
Jun 10, 2006 at 8:22 am
[…] How’s a girl supposed to get her beauty sleep on this clock? Maybe I should try the Lights Out Sleep Mask that Mary Jo mentioned at Fly Away Cafe. […]
Fly Away Cafe - Where Travel is a way of life - Ease the Stress of Flying With a Soothing Eye Pillow
Jan 30, 2007 at 11:15 am
[…] One tool that a lot of travelers use to make sleep come a little easier is a sleep mask. I’ve written before about the “high tech†version of a sleep mask, and recently I saw this “ah cute†version: cuddly animal eye pillows. […]
Joe
Dec 17, 2007 at 10:06 am
As regular sleep masks go the ‘Lights Out’ looks like a good choice because it is formed to keep the mask away from the eyeballs and eyelashes.
A serious traveler will want to look at the Dreamhelmet, however. The Dreamhelmet not only blocks light, but also sound, and provides a pillow for sleep in any situation. You also get secret closable pockets containing foam earplugs as well as a special alarm watch that fits inside one of the secret pockets. At present, this whole package costs only $29.95 and is only available on the Internet.
Happy landings!
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