Foolproof Ways to Help You Survive Long Haul Flight to Malaysia

I love to travel and have tried many ways to survive a long haul flight to beat jet-lag exhaustion.

For most of us, we love to travel by the thoughts of spending an entire day of our lives cruising altitude – long-haul flights are a necessary evil.

My reason trip to the USA took a whopping 24-hour haul (excluding layovers). So for my American friends flying in, just hang in there.

Malaysia is a gorgeous, beautiful country; the long haul flight is worth the flying.

The fact is, a long haul flight is as inescapable. If the feeling of being trapped in a confined space overnight makes you anxious, you’re not alone.

I know many people who fear long flights, cramped seats, loud snoring passengers and crying babies.

Here are a few tried and tested foolproof hacks that I used to stay sane, hydrated, and survive a long haul flight with an epic cold!

What do we consider as a long haul flight?

Short-haul is a flight – anywhere from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
Medium-haul lasts between 3-6 hours.
Yet, long-haul flights extend beyond 6 hours.

How to survive a 15-hour long haul flight?

Here’s a list of clever maneuvers to help you survive a long haul flight. So that all those hours on a plane don’t have to be a waste of time!

• Book a good seat. Upgrade your seats.
• Set your watch to the local time after boarding.
• Keep a normal schedule.
• Pack a small carry on with airport security-friendly hygiene essentials.
• Bring your snacks.
• Stay hydrated. Don’t drink alcohol or soda, stick to water.
• Moisturize your skin every 3 hours.
• Move around on the plane.
• Relax. Wear comfortable clothing that you’ll be happy to wear after ten hours on a plane.
• Prepare yourself for sleep and wear a good neck pillow.

Here are some long-haul flight tips and tricks that you will find handy.

Buy your ticket as early as possible.

If you’re already in the frame of mind to visit Malaysia, plan your holiday early and buy your ticket as early as possible.

Buying early gives you peace of mind as it gives you the option to pick where you want to sit.

For me, I always prefer an aisle seat for quick, easy access to the washroom. This way, I get to stay hydrated and make quick washroom breaks throughout the a long haul flight.

If you are tall, you may want a seat next to the emergency exit or the bulkhead to stretch your legs.

Set your watch to the local time immediately. Photo: David Preston on Unsplash

Tips for Sleeping on Planes for Long Haul Flight Passengers

It is possible to get comfortable and score some shuteye in those tiny seats if you plan.

• Choose an evening flight.
• Sleeping during a day flight will fight your internal body clock.
• Choose Your Seat Wisely.
• Consider the Upgrade.
• Eat a healthy meal before flying.
• Skip the Alcohol and Caffeine. Sip Water.
• Cut Down on Your Carry-Ons.
• Try Sleep Aid. I take a Melatonin Sleep Aid Supplement.
• Stake Your Claim on Blankets and Pillows—or Bring Your Neck Pillow.
• Use Headphones with Discretion.
• Recline Your Seat—But Be Courteous.

Last, if you take a Melatonin Sleep Aid Supplement, you can cuddle up to a window and miss the inflight food.

Get Comfy on a Long Haul Flight – Wear your most comfortable outfit

If you can, wear your pajamas. Trust me, after sitting and attempting to sleep for up to 15 hours at a stretch, you will want to wear loose-fitting layers you can move around in.

So leave the fashionista behind. You will look at that fitted top, skin-tight pair of jeans and knee-high boots again.

For a long distance travel, choose a “comfy-chic” colorful maxi dress that you can wear leggings under.

If you feel cold, layer up with a plush fleece jacket.

Invest in a good travel pillow, wooly socks, slippers, earplugs, and a sleep mask

If you can only choose one item to bring onboard, please wear a quality memory foam neck pillow.

The inflatable ones just don’t work. I had one instantly deflate on me after all that huffing and puffing to keep it plump!

A good neck pillow will help keep your spine aligned, so you don’t wake up with a crick in your neck.

Good quality products are the little conveniences that live up to their true potential. So, to invest in the right pair of moldable plugs that will stay in your ears.

Wear the woolen socks and keep your shoes in a cloth bag.

The best sleep is using a silky sleep mask.

Pack your headphones.

This is a must. You want to watch a movie, but the complimentary headphones provided in your seat-back pocket don’t work.

It has happened to me before on a full flight, so there was no spare on board.

Solution: Bring your white noise-canceling headphones.

Listen to a podcast during a long-haul flight

An engaging podcast or motivational tape or books will keep your mind occupied and drown out all the other noises.

This is a relaxing way to kill time during a flight and learn something new.

Pack your headphones to watch a few inflight movies. Photo: Ethan Hu on Unsplash

Learn a new language

Before you land in Malaysia, you can brush up on your foreign language skills. Even though Malaysians speak English fluently, knowing a few common expressions in their language will immerse you further into their culture.

You can go beyond learning basic language phrases in Malay when you download the best language learning mobile apps.

“Selamat Pagi” (Good Morning)

“Apa Khabar?” (How are you?)

“Di mana tandas?” (Where is the toilet?)

You could learn a new language or just let the stories and conversations float over you as you slowly nod off to sleep.

Catch up on reading

Think of your long-haul flight as an opportunity to catch up on your neglected reading list. So fire up your Kindle or whip out a Tony Robbins book in the absence of better entertainment options on the plane.

By the time the plane touches down, you could have completed a book, cover to cover!

You might even start writing if you have your laptop with you.

So fire up your Kindle or read a book. Photo: Max Kukurudziak on Unsplash

Edit your travel photos

Before your trip, you will want to earmark all the wonderful sights you want to explore.
At the end of a successful trip, you want to remember all the fun and exhilarating times you had.

If you can’t sleep or have already set your watch to home time, you can start organizing your travel photos.

Flicking through your photographs during a long-haul flight is a therapeutic way to relive those moments.

Before you know it, you are ready to post the photos when you land.

Take the smallest personal item you can

When you are seated in the same seat for hours on end, every inch of legroom is precious. Bring the smallest personal item bag possible. Opt for one that is washable, versatile and soft, so you can squash and stow under the seat in front of you.

Bring your snacks, or buy some before boarding your long haul flight

Munch on your snacks if you dislike airplane food.

Not everyone likes the two full meals and a mid-flight snack the airline serves. For vegan and vegetarian, it is harder to get a full meal. For religious reasons, food preparation may not be kosher.

You can always bring along your favorite snacks to keep your hunger at bay.

Bring a few snacks, some protein bars or nibble on light treats such as granola bars, dried fruit, and nuts.

Have some crisps if your body craves for something salty. Just be sure to drink lots of water between bites, so you don’t get dehydrated during the flight!

You would want to avoid greasy foods like pizza, burgers that you bought in a last-minute sprint to the gate.

Too much greasy food makes your stomach bloat and you may end up battling a massive headache for the last stretch of your journey.

Tips: Don’t drink soda. Drink water. Bring a large empty water bottle through security, then fill it up before you get on the plane.

You can also bring a small wide brim metal cup for drinks to reduce plastic waste.

I ask for tomato juice and water during flights. The low humidity on airplanes dulls the body’s sense of taste and smell, making sweet and salty flavors hard to detect.

Bring out that reusable enamel mug to reduce plastic waste. Photo: Luke Porter on Unsplash

Be friendly to and respectful of your seatmate.

Learn to be nice. That stranger who is your seatmate next to you and behind you is in for the long haul flight too.

Learn the rules of the air. Be courteous especially during long hauls. If you’re on the aisle seat, your seatmate will need to use the lavatory at least a few times.

Before reclining your chair, glance back to make sure it won’t disrupt anyone.

Whatever you do, please don’t recline your seat during meal service.

DON’T wear makeup; Moisturize

The dry cabin air decreased blood flow. At 30,000 feet in the air, only the air-stewardess looks good. For me, my skin just flares up.

• Apply a serum and moisturizer to keep your skin aglow.
• Eye drops to counteract irritation.
• ChapStick before your lips dries out.

Tip: I use simple Vaseline on my nostrils to prevent chapping when I blow my nose. Remember that the products you bring on board must be less than 100ml and can pass through security. This includes toothpaste.

Choose your in-flight food (and drinks) carefully.

Having heavy meals is more difficult to digest and keep you awake.

If you can, avoid alcohol and caffeine. Stay away from foods and drinks high on sugar and salt as it can be extremely dehydrating.

Dehydration on a long haul flight is real!

According to research, it says it deprives your body of up to 1.5 liters of water on a three-hour flight.

As the humidity levels are as low as the mucous membranes of your nose, mouth, and throat to dry out.

A light meal with fluids is better for your digestion when you’re on a long haul flight. Photo: Toni Osmundson on Unsplash

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

As the airplanes are constantly replenishing cabin air with fresh air outside, the levels of humidity inside plane cabins are bone dry.

Extreme dehydration leads to worsened jet lag. According to some experts, It’s vital to drink plenty of water—approximately 8 ounces per hour.

Apply a sheet mask

Start your long-haul flight with a Korean hydrating sheet mask that will keep your face glossy and smooth. The right mask can prevent breakouts and nourish sensitive skin.

If you didn’t pack one ready, try buying it on the flight, and ask the flight attendants for recommendations.

Time to reach for that body lotion and moisturizer. Photo: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Brush your teeth

Our bodies are used to patterns. One way to get your body’s sleep clock to adjust to new time zones is to brush your teeth before nodding off.

These simple but effective habits help trick your body into thinking it’s sleep time.

Gargle and wash your face.

Get up every few hours to keep the blood flowing – Your survival depends on this tip.

In a pressurized cabin, there is less oxygen for passengers and, over periods of time, this may lead to dehydration, headaches, swollen limbs and fatigue.

The importance of moving around during long-distance flights highlighted by a new report from the World Health Organization is important to know.

It shows that travelers who take such flights face a two- to three-fold increase in the risk of developing a blood clot called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

The longer you are immobile, the greater is your risk of developing a blood clot.

What is the best solution? Get up and stretch. Walk up and down the aisle to boost blood flow and practice some non-intrusive exercises in your seat, enjoy rolling your shoulders and rotating your ankles.

In conclusion, getting on a long-haul flight can be a wonderful experience for alone time. It doesn’t have to be a dreadful experience if you don’t want to experience it that way.

If you’re exhausted from a jam-packed work schedule all you need to do is to block the world out with noise-canceling headphones.

Pull a sleeping mask over your eyes and prepare to snooze your way to touchdown!

Selamat Datang Ke Malaysia – Welcome to Malaysia!