red-eye flights used to invoke strong reactions of fear and loathing from me, as i am completely unable to sleep sitting up. the entire point of the red-eye is that you travel overnight, thus arriving first thing in the morning and reducing any hotel costs for the first night. clearly these are good ideas, but i needed to find a way to actually sleep on the red-eye to reduce my general grumpiness on day 1 of my trips. my recent trip to barcelona – which required a departure time of 8pm and an arrival time in london of 10am, proved the perfect time to experiment, and to much success! read below for some of my tips on arriving fresh and well-rested (and please leave me any of your tips, as well!):

• sleep! – if you have any trouble at all sleeping on flights, i highly recommend an over-the-counter sleeping aid. i purchased the target version, and was out like a light for most of the trip. though i woke several times, i was so sleepy that i would return to sleep immediately, a large change (in the right direction) from my previous experiences. tip: do not take the sleeping aid until you have boarded your flight. i mistakenly took it in the gate prior to departure for a new york red-eye from LAX. my flight was delayed and it took everything out of me (and a strong cup of coffee) to stay awake for flight updates – lesson learned!. i have also found that a good eye mask will keep out any unwanted light from neighboring laptops or seat screens that keep me awake.
• get comfortable – most flights will provide a blanket and pillow, but often these are not perfect for everyone. i am fine with the free pillow, but my husband prefers the neck pillow to prevent his head from dropping while he sleeps. these come in inflatable versions, as well, if you are worried about space in your carry-on (always an issue for me!). i also have ridiculously cold feet, so i pack a pair of socks to slip on during the flight.
• hydrate and circulate – drink lots of water and stand up to stretch your legs every now and then. it’s all fun and games until someone gets a blood clot.
• take out your contacts – sleeping in contacts causes my eyes to dry out and gives me actual red eyes, which are not so great. i try to not wear mascara, as well, as that proves problematic when i put in my contacts again.
• bring a “freshen-up kit” for landing – i like to include hand and face wipes, powder, lip gloss, a brush, and breath mints/ mouth wash. nothing fancy, but it makes me feel more like someone ready to explore a new place and less like the grumpy frazzled morning person i usually am!

1. the reflect kanteen, $29.95 2. inflight comfort kit from flight 001, $22 3. zebra print socks from madewell 4. chic and chilly eye mask from henri bendel, $16.80 5. west 57th contact lens case from henri bendel 6. f1 seat pak in mint from flight 001, $28