As someone with family in a galaxy far, far away (or, as it's more usually called, "England"), I've spent a lot of the holidays on transatlantic flights — and if you don't get at least some sleep on these 12-hour monsters, you are dooming yourself to spend the first two days of your visit in a miserable jet-lagged haze.
Luckily, over the years I've developed a (personally) foolproof system for being an absolute champion sleeper on flights like this that enables me to wake up on the runway and waltz into London Heathrow Arrivals like a well-refreshed boss. And I'm sharing it here with you, dear reader.
You will need in your carry-on luggage:
- A big soft scarf (like, big)
- Noise-canceling headphones
- Pajamas
- Benadryl
- Face moisturizer
- Vicks VapoRub or generic equivalent
- Neck pillow
- Facial wipes
- Water bottle full of water from the Departure lounge