How to sleep on a plane: keeping your seat dark

On a red-eye the cabin lights go down, but it's rarely dark. Reading lights, seatback screens, the galley and a window shade someone opens at sunrise all reach your seat. Here's how to keep your seat dark, what to pack, and how to wear a mask sitting up.

Pick a seat that stays darker

• A window seat. You control the shade, you can lean against the wall, and nobody climbs over you.
• Away from the galley and lavatories. Those areas stay lit and busy all night.
• Not in the first row of a cabin. Bulkhead rows often face a lit wall or curtain, and the flight attendants pass right by.

What to keep in your personal item

• A sleep mask
• Earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones
• A warm layer, because cabins get cold once the lights go down
• A neck pillow, if you use one

Keep them under the seat in front of you, not in the overhead bin. Once the seatbelt sign is on, you can't get up to fetch them.

Wearing a mask sitting up

1. Mask first, then the neck pillow. Put the mask on with the strap just above your ears, then put the pillow on so it doesn't push the strap down.
2. Watch the headrest. If the headrest pushes the strap up when you lean back, move the strap a little lower on the back of your head.
3. Check the nose. Seatback screens and reading lights come from below and the side, so light shows up first beside your nose. Slide the mask a touch lower if you see it.
4. Keep the foam off your lids. If you're wearing mascara or lash extensions for the arrival, a mask with molded cups won't smudge them. See sleep masks and lash extensions.

The hotel when you land

Hotel rooms are rarely dark: a gap where the curtains meet, the TV standby light, the hallway light under the door. Push the curtains together and hold them with a clip from the closet hanger, and cover the small lights (our guide to covering LED lights has the details, including what not to cover). Your mask covers the rest.

The Contour Mask for travel

The Contour Mask weighs about 1.6 oz and has deep molded eye cups, a contoured foam nose bridge and an adjustable strap. Blackout Dots come as two thin sheets that fit in a carry-on. More answers are in the FAQ.