Flight attendant warns passengers that falling asleep on planes is a big mistake

When going on holiday many of us make plans for the plane journey as we won’t have any Wi-Fi or phone reception. For some, it’s a great time to read a book, watch a film or get some sleep – especially if you’re flying long-haul.

But, a flight attendant has revealed that sleep is the last thing he would do when heading off on a trip abroad. While sometimes cabin crew do get to use their own private room on-board to sleep this is when they are working and Bobbie Laurie claims that it’s different when he’s going on a holiday.

The flight attendant claims that staying awake through a long flight can help to beat jet lag when you land on the ground. According to the NHS, "Jet lag is when your normal sleep pattern is disturbed after a long flight. It usually improves within a few days as your body adjusts to the new time zone."

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However, during the meantime you can feel tired, groggy and even nauseous. Some Brits find their holiday is ruined because all they want to do is sleep. Speaking with Conde Nast Traveller, Bobbie said: "That nap after arrival, or overnight rest in some cases, instantly reset my internal clock. Try to stay awake on your flight – this will help you feel tired upon arrival. You can head straight to bed once you get to your accommodation."

He did add that if you arrive during the day and plan to take a nap you should set an alarm so that you don’t sleep for too long. That way you should hopefully still be tired enough at bedtime to fall asleep within the new time zone’s regular hours. He also recommends that you try and wake up at a normal time the next day instead of being tempted to sleep in. Otherwise you’re just putting off the adjustment to the new time zone.

An expert claims that the time you choose to land in your holiday destination is also important. Dr Deborah Lee, from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy said: "Jet lag is known to be worse for those travelling east than for those travelling west. This is thought to be because when you travel east, bedtime arrives earlier (for example 11pm in Paris is 5pm in Miami), and it's harder to go to sleep any earlier than your usual time."

She also advised you stay away from alcohol while flying or too much tea or coffee. Dr Deborah commented: "Alcohol suppresses the production of melatonin, so disturbing circadian rhythms. It may initially make you feel sleepy, but alcohol is broken down in the body into acetaldehyde, which is a stimulant."

Not only that, but "caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant. It induces wakefulness and is often used to fight sleep in those who need to stay awake". This means that both substances can affect your sleep cycle and your ability to fall asleep making them a bad idea for consumption when risking jet lag.

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