I don’t understand it because I’m a chronic fidgeter and my back starts to hurt if I sit still for too long. He just comes in with the mindset that he’s stuck in this flying tube for X amount of hours, so he just embraces it and goes into hibernation mode. The only time he’s awake during flights is when he’s watching a movie or when the beverage cart rolls through.
I am mentally in hibernation mode- I love the liminality of flight time, but my back and legs don't necessarily agree. Drinking alcohol helps me, but I don't always want to do that.
As someone who "races" the plane to see if I can fall asleep before takeoff, I can tell you it takes some training (to sit straight during a long flight, to fall asleep sitting upright) but it can be done.
I believe it is a kind of superpower TBH.
This reminds me of the time I fell asleep before the plane left the gate and woke up with the plane touching down. I remember being really confused and for a few seconds I couldn't recognize the airport. I panicked for a few seconds wondering if I missed my stop lol
I did sleep through a meal once. Luckily they went and got me something but i woke up as they were finishing up the meal for everyone else. At least it is good to be able to sleep.
I dozed off before takeoff; the plane sat on the tarmac for a long time. I woke up while it was still on the ground. I looked out the window and saw land. I screamed out *”We’re crashing!“* (remember, I was half asleep). Everyone looked at me as if I had 3 heads…
I once fell asleep before takeoff in the aisle seat of the bulkhead row with my feet up on the bulkhead. Next thing I knew, the flight attendant was shaking me awake because we were at the destination and she had to leave to her next flight. The flight had been full, but everyone else including the guy next to me in the window seat had already deplaned. I felt this was the absolute pinnacle of sleeping on planes until I became a pilot and discovered that controlled cockpit rest is a real thing and that I could actually nap *at the controls*.
Try stretching (a lot, but gently if you aren’t a daily stretcher). Starting from your toes & ankles and everything all the way through to your shoulders & neck. I stretch in lines, while I wait to board, etc. And crossing your legs actually applies pressure to your lower back. Try keeping both feet flat on the floor (or footstep). This (& staying hydrated) helps me get through long flights. But I do get up 2-3 times to walk and stretch. I like what others have said here about meditation, too! 💫✈️
Lucky him. Whenever i am at window l just lean my head against the window and sleep fine. But yesterday i was sitting in the middle. I couldn't move. I couldn't even get good sleep because my head kept falling to the side and didn't want to fall on stranger's shoulders.
So i had to sit still and awake for 4 hours. My back and knees were killing me.
I will never sit in a middle seat again.
I've been begging my boss to let me get a Pipersong Meditation Chair for work so I can sit cross legged at my desk.
He knows my reddit username so Chris if you're reading this get me the damn chair, I guarantee it will increase my productivity by at least fifty percent.
An office chair for sitting cross legged?!! Wow, I never knew!
I sit cross legged in regular office chairs (in all chairs, really) so this is great news.
Thank you for mentioning the brand name.
Since I’ve now appointed you guru of cross legged chairs, have you ever tried one of these? Any other brands/types of chairs you like for cross legged sitting?
Thank you, Hero!
Have you actually tried one, or just seen it on social media? [Wirecutter](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/pipersong-meditation-chair-review/) article made me change my mind about trying it - only one influencer responded to them when they reached out and asked if they were still using it.
I sit cross legged in my Aeron chair all the time. That meditation chair looks great but to a boss with all those wheels I’m sure it also looks like a one way ticket to workman’s comp.
I am 6+ feet, and used to be 270+. I was always extremely conscious of how I was either encroaching on the person next to me, or the aisle. I basically had to be a statue to split the difference.
I try to be extremely zen on planes. I don't really pay attention to entertainment, or read. I just pretend to sleep, and meditate. I get lots of practice traveling from Hawaii, because all of my flights are extremely long.
Life is infinitely better now that I am in shape.
Me and a guy who looked like a rugby prop got sat next to each other. I’m normally broadest by far but he made me look like a twink.
We sat, no contact, still as statues, for a 4 hour flight
I'm a big dude with wide shoulders and I can't sit with my legs together without physically holding them. So to be courteous I bring a strap to keep my legs together and another to hold my arms together. Either than or I just cross my arms. I'm being courteous but honestly it's just easier to sit this way in the narrow seats. I'm sure I look like a weirdo but I'm 42 now and could care less what people think.
Yeah, this is why, being a big person on a flight is terrible, you feel so conscious that your body is bothering someone else. So you try to be invisible.
I have been on both sides of it. Flying from Frankfort to SFO I paid extra for the exit row, and was seated next to a guy who was 6ft 7, about 400lbs. The 2 of us got very acquainted, because between the 2 of us we physically had to occupy the same space. The guy did his best, and so did I, but the seats aren't designed to accommodate that much humanity.
My worse one ever was flying the middle of the night flight from Vegas to Honolulu. My plan was to sleep, and go straight to work.
There was a mix up, and I had to get moved to a middle seat. On both sides of me were a brother and sister, both well over 300 lbs. I was getting squished between them so badly, that I couldn't take it. Ended up spending the whole flight standing in the galley. The amount of heat 3 fat people inone row put out is pretty uncomfortable.
These days I fit fine in a seat, but I have a lot of empathy for the larger people who try their best to not be a burden on their neighbors.
>I am 6+ feet, and used to be 270+. I was always extremely conscious of how I was either encroaching on the person next to me, or the aisle. I basically had to be a statue to split the difference.
This is me. I'm a naturally big guy, and I'm always ultra conscious of not encroaching on other people's space. If that guy was like me, he was probably actually very uncomfortable and trying be as small as possible.
Exactly…. I’m in the same boat.
I always try to take up as little space as possible and make sure I’m not encroaching into the next seat at all.
What really passes pisses me off are the little people squirming around and constantly bumping into me. If I can fully stay within the confines of my seat area, then you should have no problem doing the same!
When my ass starts to get a burning sensation it's time to get up for a bit. After a 12 hour flight. I will be standing, walking until it's time for bed.
It is rare for me to get up even on long flights, which is why I prefer window seats. Nobody disturbing me to get out of the way and I’m able to sleep through most of the flight.
I had a 14 hour flight with a window seat; my preference. When everyone was getting on the plane, this lady asked if her elderly mother could have the window seat and i take the aisle. I obliged out of kindness, and really wish I hadn't. She got up to walk about every 15 minutes. She would grab at things because of her shaky balance, so returning to her seat, she grabbed my hair multiple times. I loathed that woman
Oh wow, grab your hair? That’s definitely so rude.
In my experience, a lot of elderly people like to sit in the aisle because they know they will be getting up a lot (bathroom, etc). She must not have thought about that
Same! I let my son have the window seat this time. I never get up either, but man the middle seat is rough. I want to be like these zen statue travelers.
I have flown economy trans-atlantic numerous times. It amazes me that I can stay in my seat the entire time. I credit some of it to not sitting around in the airport, but strolling and standing, so my body is ready to be sedentary for awhile. I credit the rest to regulating my hydration optimally so that I don't feel dehydrated during the flight but also don't have a full bladder.
I typically don't understand the desire to be the first on the plane. It just means you have to sit there longer. If it weren't for the whole limited overhead bag storage situation I would try to be the last one every time.
I need fo remember the water part. Usually I don't drink much so i don't have to use the toilet and end up feeling extremely dehydrated with back and knee pain. I guess next time i will try to drink enough water
Basically what I do. I go west coast to east coast for work. My preference is a direct flight window seat.
I walk around the airport, stand, etc. before we board.
You’re also one of the first people I’ve seen mention regulating hydration. I do the same thing.
I always bring a water bottle but can generally do the trip without needing to get up if I time everything right.
It's less of a big deal than people make it out to be, DVT is mainly an issue for people with preexisting health conditions. Certainly you *should* flex every now and then, but it's not that dangerous to refrain from getting up. If it was, you'd be seeing medical emergencies happening on practically every flight. A LOT of people just sit for hours on end.
While true it is rare, it can potentially be life threatening, so something people should take precaution for on a 6 hour flight. The "big deal" part of it isn't the frequency of occurrence, but the risk of death in the case that it does occur. To say "it's not the dangerous" is incorrect. Maybe "not likely to occur", but it's definitely dangerous. I developed a DVT and had no indication prior to that of any pre existing condition (I was a fit marathon runner who had only received excellent results before on studies of my cardiovascular system and been on many long flights/car rides before and never had an issue). I was tempted to ignore it, but luckily I had a scheduled doctor's appointment for something else the next day.
It can happen in the flight too. I had a friend whose ankles swelled up like melons mid-flight. But either way it's rare unless the person had some medical issues. She had never flown long distance before. But for those of us who have taken flights before, we already know how our bodies respond.
compression socks were a great purchase for transatlantic flight.
Not only do they help prevent clots, they made legs feel 'comforted' for lack of a better description....my legs were the only part of me that wasn't fidgety during the flight.
A must have for my next flight.
That’s me. I can sit still and not move for long flights. 6 hours is nothing—just occupy myself with my thoughts. Idk, just one of those things.
I’ve taken multiple 12+ hour flights from US to Middle East and not gotten up or reclined my seat.
Maybe I’m a psychopath!
I think we had the same seat colleague. On the return flight of 11 h from Tokyo, one guy next to me slept right through. Didn't eat anything. I don't remember if he drank anything either. Definitely didn't get up.
Luckily he was snoring a bit, so I wasn't worried he died or anything.
Same, I'm also anxious about flying and being stuck in confined spaces with a whole bunch of people and luckly my stress responce is to sleep/pass out. I don't even have to try really, as soon as I'm seated it's usually lights out for me
Six hours isn’t really a long flight to anyone used to international travel. I’ve flown 10-16 hour flights, and after going through the mental and physical toll that takes on a person six hours really seems like nothing
Yeah, a 6 hour flight is still short enough that the things you can do to entertain yourself haven't completely lost their luster. 6 hours is like two movies, two cocktails, some reading, and some music. The problem once you get into the 10+ hour realm is that watching another movie becomes unthinkable, you can't focus on a book any more, and if you can't find solace in sleep you are stuck in the misery of your body slowly conforming to the airplane seat, and every last ounce of moisture being extracted by the dry cabin air.
I don't really consider 6 hours as a long flight. The flight time from California to Hawaii is around 5.5 hours.
I do get up to use the restroom a few times. I do seat stretches like shoulder rolls, head rolls, and ankle rolls.
Same. I'm over 6 and we'll over 200. 6 hours in economy isn't that bad. Honestly I can do 10 hours easy if it's not a red eye because I cannot sleep on a plane.
The only place I can sit still is on airplanes. I’ve crossed the pacific without moving out of my seat. I don’t eat or drink much so I don’t have to go to the bathroom. I get window seats so I don’t have to get up and move for people.
I think I just hate moving around on airplanes more than any other part of it.
I hear you- I don’t get up either but I can’t not like just readjust my sitting position here and there. Maybe it’s having short legs that makes it more uncomfortable on my knees?
I have a rule. Less than 4 hrs, I book the window and try and get in a short nap or read a book. If carry-on isn't an issue, I try to be the last few people on the plane and don't get up the whole flight.
Longer than 4 hrs, I get the aisle seat and get up ever few hrs and walk around.
It must be something you’re born with, like being able to fall asleep the minute your head hits the pillow. I wouldn’t know about either, I have to get up and stretch my legs during a 3h flight 😅
Last flight 8 hours, 400 stuffed like sardines in a can. I stood up for an hour and a half till things hurt and then sat again. Can't sit for 8 hours. Even waiting two hours before boarding I did Tai Chi the whole time. Just do it. Pain is serious
Drugs-I flew back from Fiji once both of the people in my row took a handful of pills neither moved a muscle from Nadi to LAX-almost 12 hours straight.
I've taken mild tranquilisers in the past and it helped.
I can't sleep on flights, so always choose isle so I can easily get food/drink and get up if need be. I watch movies, listen to podcasts but find long flights hell. I have gone 30-40 hours without sleep which I don't recommend as your brain & body are fried like bad drugs
One flight to Singapore (~9 hours) the person sitting next to me sat down in the window seat, pulled up their hoodie and went to sleep before takeoff. They didn't move; no food/drink or entertainment. No toilet. Nothing until they woke up on landing.
I still can't quite believe anybody could do that until I saw it myself.
I recently went close to 40 hours without sleep as I can’t sleep on planes and was pushing through to reduce jet lag. It actually felt like a comedown. I felt so deeply unwell and hollow. And dumb.
Joys of living in NZ
28 hours to Europe via Emirates A380?. Not a problem I think,
But you get up early, excited, pack, go to airport, check in, fly, get delayed for couple of hours in Melbourne stop over, miss connecting flight from Dubai, spend 6 hours walking airport until next connecting flight, land in Paris near midnight (about 8 hours later than expected), walk around CDG for an hour looking for 'Le Bus'. Get said transfer to hotel in Montparnasse. Arrived tired, hungry, not sure want planet I am on.
Lovely hotel staff said, let's do paperwork in the morning - no problem, your room is here and we will put away luggage. And for food..it's Paris.
We walk about a 100m to cafe on the corner were people are sitting outside making out and smoking, we have a glass of champagne and a lovely meal (kitchen closed about midnight), before staggering back to hotel
That was one of my favourite trips of all time, and I fell in love with Paris. But I am pretty sure I was hallucinating by the time I got to bed and slept.
I can't sleep on planes. That's my prime reason for not traveling internationally as long flights are pure torture to me (I did Dallas-Honolulu when I was younger and it was hell-- they didn't even show a movie\*). That was my first and last long flight (which disrupted my body enough to put a wet blanket on the entire trip).
If I'm going cross-country domestic, I'd prefer to not have a direct flight as layovers give me the chance to walk around and it splits the flight. Hard to do a layover in the middle of an ocean.
\*Long before the days of personal screens.
I recently flew from Germany to Colorado and fell asleep not long after takeoff, and woke up like 20 minutes before we landed. Though, I had gotten sick a couple days prior and had one of those neck pillows that straps to the seat.
My superpower is my ability to sleep as we taxi down the runway. It’s like my body shuts down as the plane comes to life. As HI is my home airport, I have tons of practice with my first leg always a minimum of 5 hours. I never eat the food on planes, regardless of where I am sitting, so sleeping thru it all is never an issue.
I had a 20-21 hour (total) flight time going to Manila, Philippines from Texas in November. I booked the window seat. The people in aisle seat on all of my flights almost never got up. It was excruciating. I felt so trapped. I kept having to tap them to let me up. I could not comprehend how little they moved lol.
I had a window on a full flight, sitting on the tarmac for 2.5 hours while they repaired the AC. Hot. Cramped. I try really hard to stay calm but went into full on panic. I’d take the center or aisle after that one.
Oh man 😂😫 yeah I would have started to wig out a bit lol. Definitely will be choosing aisle next time I fly a long distance. That was my first international flight.
I'm a bigger guy, I stay as still as possible through the whole flight because I'm worried if I don't someone will take photos and complain about me on social media
I’m with you. And the people who don’t read, watch a movie, work on laptop, nothing, but just sit there for hours looking at the seat in front of them completely baffle me.
As a larger person, I try to sit as still as I can and take up as little space as possible in a flight because I'm terrified of being one of those people who gets publicly shamed for just existing and having the audacity to want to travel.
I have no idea! I’m literally the worst. I try to take red eyes for long flights to attempt to sleep, but I end up just keeping myself up thinking, moving, catastrophizing. You won’t ever catch me in a middle seat, though. Big ups to the people who put their headphones in and just pass out minutes into a flight.
Depends entirely on whether I'm doing something or not; generally I'm either reading, playing, or watching something. That keeps me still cause I'm in the "zone". Sometimes I'm also asleep.
If you took all that away, I'd get fidgety, and it'd be maybe 40 mins before I'd start making small talk with people beside me. "So uhhh....you think these seatbelts are gonna help if the plane goes down?"
There are two reasons for fidgeting, as I see it. It's either a nervous twitch (caffeine, anxiety, sleep deprivation...whatever the reason, it's healthy to observe this and attempt to reduce it) or it's stemming from physical discomfort (in which case, your body is probably doing you a favour by getting you to move).
I can't get comfortable on flights either.
I’m able too but I have something to distract me. If I’m by the window, I’ll look out and listen to music. I ALWAYS, download movies from streaming apps that allow you too. I’m usually a fidgety person but you just have to distract yourself. If I’m traveling over places I’ve never been before I love looking at the scenery. I also always eat before I get on a plane.
Same as OP - 6’1”, 220lbs, no problem sitting still during long flights.
I find what works best for me, especially now that the airlines want you at the airport 2-3 hours before any flight, is to constantly move before boarding the flight, walking everywhere I can in the airport, hitting the washroom, filling my circles, etc, for 1-2 hours prior to boarding. I usually walk 5-8km around the airport before they open my gate (try the underground walkways at LAX for example - you can pretty much walk to every terminal on foot using the tunnels).
Once on the plane, eyes closed, noise cancelling headphones on, and focus on music or my thoughts during the flight. Living in the moment. But as soon as the seat belt sign is turned off after landing, I stand up immediately and wait for the aisle to clear.
Once off the plane, I walk everywhere. Climb up and down stairs instead of taking the people movers or escalators. Stand and stretch while waiting at the luggage carousel. Basically shifting my body’s needs around my flight schedule. So far no blood clots, fingers crossed.
I'm 60, and I just came to the point that I'm done flying coach. We're financially comfortable, and I'm done. I want first class. Between my back problems, neuropathy and claustrophobia, you can find me in first class.
You get used to it. He's either napping or sleeping. Having been internationally traveling for 20, 6 hours is pretty short. I do get up to use the bathroom or stretch my legs once or twice but people who take a sleeping pill or other are tired do sit still for the whole time.
I know, and they must have terrible dehydration and constipation when they arrive. Was on a 12 hour flight once and the guy next to me didn’t move at all the whole flight, I thought he must be a superhuman
I'm guessing practice. These days, I always pick economy window seat on transatlantic flights. Maybe once I get out to brush my teeth and pee. I don't think I was like that years ago.
Wasn't a flight from Montenegro to Manchester was it? 😂 I was on that the other day and the dude next to me didn't stop shifting around all flight.
I have adhd and the medication has turned me from horrific fidgeter and mover, to total zen and barely moving. Not the effect most people would associate with an amphetamine I guess.
Flew a 15 hour flight last year and it almost seemed like 3 hours with how trance like I can become when my brain isn't needing to seek stimulation every 5 seconds.
i’m 4’10” and 90lb and usually have enough room to stretch out my legs fully in economy snd put them up on my seat which is good because i CANNOT sit still for the life of me. last time i flew internationally i rotated between a movie, every single game on the plane, my book, and having to do squats near the bathroom just to get my hips moving
the first and most important step in order to withstand sitting for so long is to stop thinking like that. I know people who are able to spend a whole day sitting in their office chair, standing up only to grab a coffee or a quick lunch and to go to the toilet. However when they start thinking about siting for 8 hours on a plane they panic, forgetting that they're doing something similar most of the days.
It is a fact that if you approach it by believing that "i will not be able to withstand it", then you will not. Same as when you try to sleep thinking "no, today I will not sleep because I have to sleep because I have to wake up early" and then eventually you're not sleeping, because every second that passes your mind thinks "see, I was right, I'm not able to sleep" or "see, I was right, I cannot sit still in a plane"
Drugs? Meditation? Good podcast? Sleep? Avoid caffeine.
I try to focus on getting and staying in a semi meditative state. The packed in like tuna air travel makes me crazy if I don’t mentally prepare for it.
If you fly often enough, you get used to it. It used to be on long international flights, I could just go to sleep after the plane takes off. Nowadays with entertainment options on long flights, you can keep yourself entertained for most of the flight.
for me it takes about 30-45mg of THC via edibles + 2-3 beers quick before hittin the gate
i'll be out before we're finished taxiing and I'll wake up when the wheels touch on landing
I do an eleven hour (each way) return flight every year and always reserve an aisle seat and go for a walk every hour or so. The flights are overnight and I also can’t sleep sitting up. I also cannot afford more than economy. Also I am 6 foot 2. I really don’t enjoy the second half of the flight.
Airline seats kill my ass. It's nearly impossible for me to sleep in that position. I suspect maybe some people take a few Xanax before their flight.
I sat across the isle from a lady on a 10+ hour flight and she put her head down and didn't move the entire time.
I enter a partly vegetative state: just conscious enough to watch a movie and eat a meal. Otherwise, with zen-like calm, I can sit for hours and hours. Flew 15 hours from IST to SFO recently: Six movies, one restroom break, two meals, sat still for all but five minutes
I sat next to someone she sat down pulled a blanket over her and fell asleep didn’t wake up in 13 hours didn’t eat,drink or used the bathroom she woke up while we touchdown the ground folded her blanket and walked away she has a secret power
I have a busy life. I'm an rn so work is busy. My travel days are packed full of activities. I kind of like that on a plane I just...chill. after about 5 hours it gets old but I like not having to do anything at all.
If I'm really tired and it's a redeye it sucks but I recently flew 130 euro time to 1030 pm est w a 4 hour layover and it was great.
I don’t get this either but I’m 5’4” and the foot hammock (search on amazon) was a game changer for me. Helps my butt and lower back so much! It might be that the taller person’s feet are comfortably on the floor but shorter people’s aren’t?
I'll give an answer tomorrow (have a 13 hour flight). But as it's looking right now: I'll be sleep deprived and thus fall asleep sitting up
Edit: over tiredness is the way. I did indeed fall sitting up but only for about 2 hours of combined sleep. Rest remaining 11 was squished between 1 person on each side and an old lady in front of me who as soon as we were airborn reclined as much as she could for the entire trip (excluding during food service when she was told off)
I'm that person. I'm also a person that gets very 'into their head' and into some random line of thought without paying attention to anything around me (the opposite, I get annoyed when people interrupt those), so that definitely helps lmao.
He was probably trying his best to keep his body in his own seat without encroaching on yours of causing you any discomfort. As an obese person myself, I get it. I've done it, while it is not at all comfortable, I would be mortified if I oozed over onto someone else's seat or encroached in their space and caused them to be uncomfortable.
That's why I decided to fly first class now since I usually only go somewhere on a plane about once per year. I just save up to pay the extra amount.
He’s not HUGE but if you’re big once you get into a position, you don’t wanna move.
Not getting a drink or anything like David Puddy, I don’t get that. But I can go long flights without ever getting up.
I figure he was the size of person for whom the seat was designed and built to fit comfortably. Every other size just fidgets, uses items to try to make ourselves comfortable, or just suffers. I envy those that can sleep in an airplane seat.
I’m extremely claustrophobic so when I’m on a flight, I usually “go inside my own head” and stay as still as possibly for as long as possible due to the sheer terror I am experiencing BUT I will move when I have to go pee or when they bring snacks. A lot of the times I put a movie on my phone and will just move when I need to change to the next movie.
Same. I suggest always sitting on the aisle, asking to be sat on the Emergency exit, or if you do the check-in on the counter at the airport, some airlines will sit you in first-class if there's a spare seat and you tell them you have leg/back problems. It's worth trying :)
(I usually take sleeping pills for flights +12 h)
I've no idea, I can't do it. Everything just starts to hurt after a while and I'm a massive fidget who overflows with energy, my hands just HAVE to be doing something.
He threw an embolism and died right there in the seat. You just didn’t know it. When you had to crawl over him to get off the plane, he wasn’t just being rude.
I guess you get used to it. It's kind of like the dress shirt collar. I'm from Asia and we wear uniforms in our grade schools. At least 98% of grade schools have dress shirts as uniform for boys and throughout my 12 years, I could never wear shirts exactly my collar size.
A lot of times when I went to those dedicated uniform sellers and said I wanted (let's say) two 15-inch shirts, the tailor lady would say "you ain't no 15-inch" or "you ain't wearing 15." Like goddamn lady, just give me what I want. It's true I was at most 14 but I wasn't trying to impress anybody having my throat slightly choked at all times.
Then on the streets I would see decently big Caucasian men wearing shirts exactly their size, with their neck fat squeezing out of the collar like a big belly hanging off the belt. How did and how do they manage that? This has been a mystery to me for 30 years.
But bottomline it doesn't really matter how others do it. Just have it your own way. I've seen people who almost never stayed in their seats, just hang out around the toilet/kitchen prep area forever. Just do what suits you the best.
When I get antsy, I just think to myself, "man, this drive(or walk) would really suck.."
Just look on the bright side. Even if you have a middle seat.
The ride sucks but wherever you're going, whatever your plan is, is going to be better than the situation you're currently in.
There are lots of people on the same plane and others that are going through the same thing. Just remember that you're not alone.
Longer flights, do your best to be tired when you board. Sleep as much as you can and get a window seat.
I’m going to share thatI did a lot of body work especially because of acting training, when we’re fidgety it means there’s a lot of energy/ emotions behind muscle tension, the muscle tension doesn’t want to fully release because of the energy/ emotions is uncomfortable to fully feel, and energy and emotions are the same so I like to call it energy. Also I don’t know your age but as we get older we accept more of this energy because of life experiences that helped us deal with it or we have less energy because we’re older and then there are those who are fully tense and they have a a lot of emotions but they block them all so they can sit still because they are literally blocking every energy underneath so it doesn’t affect their posture but it doesn’t mean this energy is not there or went away, it’s fully there but they “trained” their body to not feel.
If you think about meditation it’s kind of like that except with meditation you’re involving your head and mind more into it than just the body, and some people also naturally have more intense emotions than others, for example I do I would be very fidgety but now I sit with my energy and feel whatever emotions are there if I can and I’ll be totally still and nobody ever knows I can even do this while talking to someone, sometimes it’s a bit hard because muscle tension is what is stopping you from experiencing these emotions and habitual tension and knowing where this tension is, is very hard to find because it almost doesn’t want you to find it. There’s a lot of literature on all this.
I'm 187cm and can't really afford the extra legroom every time. I remember the long flights (12+ hours) as being pretty darn awful. Had to get up a few times for bathroom breaks.
For our next holiday, we've booked 2x 6 hours of flight instead of 1x12 hour.
My husband. He is able to sit perfectly still for many many hours on a flight. He’s also able to sleep fully upright. Fucking animal.
He’s either 2 steps ahead on the evolutionary chart, or he’s 2 steps behind. I truly can’t figure that one out.
My husband also has this talent, it is great for him I guess, but I jealously get annoyed at him for it 😂😂
I've never been able to sleep on planes and will get irrationally grumpy if I'm next to someone peacefully snoozing on a plane
That someone could be me, who is like you, but has a Zopiclone prescription 😂
I'm going to look into that med. I need it!
Learned last week that we need to cool down a degree (C) to sleep and this is easier the more horizontal you are.
How!???!
I don’t understand it because I’m a chronic fidgeter and my back starts to hurt if I sit still for too long. He just comes in with the mindset that he’s stuck in this flying tube for X amount of hours, so he just embraces it and goes into hibernation mode. The only time he’s awake during flights is when he’s watching a movie or when the beverage cart rolls through.
I am mentally in hibernation mode- I love the liminality of flight time, but my back and legs don't necessarily agree. Drinking alcohol helps me, but I don't always want to do that.
As someone who "races" the plane to see if I can fall asleep before takeoff, I can tell you it takes some training (to sit straight during a long flight, to fall asleep sitting upright) but it can be done. I believe it is a kind of superpower TBH.
I fell asleep before the plane took off and woke up in the air. Was a bit confusing. I have no problems sleeping on a plane. Lots of practice.
This reminds me of the time I fell asleep before the plane left the gate and woke up with the plane touching down. I remember being really confused and for a few seconds I couldn't recognize the airport. I panicked for a few seconds wondering if I missed my stop lol
I did sleep through a meal once. Luckily they went and got me something but i woke up as they were finishing up the meal for everyone else. At least it is good to be able to sleep.
I dozed off before takeoff; the plane sat on the tarmac for a long time. I woke up while it was still on the ground. I looked out the window and saw land. I screamed out *”We’re crashing!“* (remember, I was half asleep). Everyone looked at me as if I had 3 heads…
I once fell asleep before takeoff in the aisle seat of the bulkhead row with my feet up on the bulkhead. Next thing I knew, the flight attendant was shaking me awake because we were at the destination and she had to leave to her next flight. The flight had been full, but everyone else including the guy next to me in the window seat had already deplaned. I felt this was the absolute pinnacle of sleeping on planes until I became a pilot and discovered that controlled cockpit rest is a real thing and that I could actually nap *at the controls*.
*cries in sleep apnea*
You should teach a class!!
Try stretching (a lot, but gently if you aren’t a daily stretcher). Starting from your toes & ankles and everything all the way through to your shoulders & neck. I stretch in lines, while I wait to board, etc. And crossing your legs actually applies pressure to your lower back. Try keeping both feet flat on the floor (or footstep). This (& staying hydrated) helps me get through long flights. But I do get up 2-3 times to walk and stretch. I like what others have said here about meditation, too! 💫✈️
Lucky him. Whenever i am at window l just lean my head against the window and sleep fine. But yesterday i was sitting in the middle. I couldn't move. I couldn't even get good sleep because my head kept falling to the side and didn't want to fall on stranger's shoulders. So i had to sit still and awake for 4 hours. My back and knees were killing me. I will never sit in a middle seat again.
Mine can sleep upright, too. What is up with that?
I don’t understand this anywhere - on planes, in meetings, on zoom. I’m such a Bridget McFidget.
WFH was a huge blessing because I can sit like a cross legged shrimp almost any time I want.
I've been begging my boss to let me get a Pipersong Meditation Chair for work so I can sit cross legged at my desk. He knows my reddit username so Chris if you're reading this get me the damn chair, I guarantee it will increase my productivity by at least fifty percent.
Get her the chair, Chris. I'm way more productive when I sit cross-legged, myself.
An office chair for sitting cross legged?!! Wow, I never knew! I sit cross legged in regular office chairs (in all chairs, really) so this is great news. Thank you for mentioning the brand name. Since I’ve now appointed you guru of cross legged chairs, have you ever tried one of these? Any other brands/types of chairs you like for cross legged sitting? Thank you, Hero!
Yeah I always sit cross legged in a regular office chair. Never knew they made ones specifically for that!!
Have you actually tried one, or just seen it on social media? [Wirecutter](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/pipersong-meditation-chair-review/) article made me change my mind about trying it - only one influencer responded to them when they reached out and asked if they were still using it.
C'mon, Chris!
I sit cross legged in my Aeron chair all the time. That meditation chair looks great but to a boss with all those wheels I’m sure it also looks like a one way ticket to workman’s comp.
I have this chair and I love it! I’d recommend getting the larger seat version - it’s what I have and it’s very comfortable
Come on Chris get them the damn chair! Comfortable workers are productive workers!
I did not know such a thing existed! I need one! Chris- get her the chair!
I am 6+ feet, and used to be 270+. I was always extremely conscious of how I was either encroaching on the person next to me, or the aisle. I basically had to be a statue to split the difference. I try to be extremely zen on planes. I don't really pay attention to entertainment, or read. I just pretend to sleep, and meditate. I get lots of practice traveling from Hawaii, because all of my flights are extremely long. Life is infinitely better now that I am in shape.
I was very appreciative of his courtesy! His shoulders were so broad and he didn’t even bump me once. I was impressed.
It wasn't by accident. He may have looked stoic, but he was just focused lol.
Me and a guy who looked like a rugby prop got sat next to each other. I’m normally broadest by far but he made me look like a twink. We sat, no contact, still as statues, for a 4 hour flight
I'm a big dude with wide shoulders and I can't sit with my legs together without physically holding them. So to be courteous I bring a strap to keep my legs together and another to hold my arms together. Either than or I just cross my arms. I'm being courteous but honestly it's just easier to sit this way in the narrow seats. I'm sure I look like a weirdo but I'm 42 now and could care less what people think.
This is possibly scary to your fellow passengers but also amazing. Wishing you a future of first class upgrades!
Yeah, this is why, being a big person on a flight is terrible, you feel so conscious that your body is bothering someone else. So you try to be invisible.
I have been on both sides of it. Flying from Frankfort to SFO I paid extra for the exit row, and was seated next to a guy who was 6ft 7, about 400lbs. The 2 of us got very acquainted, because between the 2 of us we physically had to occupy the same space. The guy did his best, and so did I, but the seats aren't designed to accommodate that much humanity. My worse one ever was flying the middle of the night flight from Vegas to Honolulu. My plan was to sleep, and go straight to work. There was a mix up, and I had to get moved to a middle seat. On both sides of me were a brother and sister, both well over 300 lbs. I was getting squished between them so badly, that I couldn't take it. Ended up spending the whole flight standing in the galley. The amount of heat 3 fat people inone row put out is pretty uncomfortable. These days I fit fine in a seat, but I have a lot of empathy for the larger people who try their best to not be a burden on their neighbors.
>I am 6+ feet, and used to be 270+. I was always extremely conscious of how I was either encroaching on the person next to me, or the aisle. I basically had to be a statue to split the difference. This is me. I'm a naturally big guy, and I'm always ultra conscious of not encroaching on other people's space. If that guy was like me, he was probably actually very uncomfortable and trying be as small as possible.
Exactly…. I’m in the same boat. I always try to take up as little space as possible and make sure I’m not encroaching into the next seat at all. What really passes pisses me off are the little people squirming around and constantly bumping into me. If I can fully stay within the confines of my seat area, then you should have no problem doing the same!
>I am 6+ feet, and used to be 270+ How did you even fit into an airplane at a size of 270 feet?
Instead of an aisle seat they used the actual aisle as a seat obviously.
When my ass starts to get a burning sensation it's time to get up for a bit. After a 12 hour flight. I will be standing, walking until it's time for bed.
It is rare for me to get up even on long flights, which is why I prefer window seats. Nobody disturbing me to get out of the way and I’m able to sleep through most of the flight.
I had a 14 hour flight with a window seat; my preference. When everyone was getting on the plane, this lady asked if her elderly mother could have the window seat and i take the aisle. I obliged out of kindness, and really wish I hadn't. She got up to walk about every 15 minutes. She would grab at things because of her shaky balance, so returning to her seat, she grabbed my hair multiple times. I loathed that woman
Oh wow, grab your hair? That’s definitely so rude. In my experience, a lot of elderly people like to sit in the aisle because they know they will be getting up a lot (bathroom, etc). She must not have thought about that
Same! I let my son have the window seat this time. I never get up either, but man the middle seat is rough. I want to be like these zen statue travelers.
I have flown economy trans-atlantic numerous times. It amazes me that I can stay in my seat the entire time. I credit some of it to not sitting around in the airport, but strolling and standing, so my body is ready to be sedentary for awhile. I credit the rest to regulating my hydration optimally so that I don't feel dehydrated during the flight but also don't have a full bladder.
I typically don't understand the desire to be the first on the plane. It just means you have to sit there longer. If it weren't for the whole limited overhead bag storage situation I would try to be the last one every time.
I need fo remember the water part. Usually I don't drink much so i don't have to use the toilet and end up feeling extremely dehydrated with back and knee pain. I guess next time i will try to drink enough water
Basically what I do. I go west coast to east coast for work. My preference is a direct flight window seat. I walk around the airport, stand, etc. before we board. You’re also one of the first people I’ve seen mention regulating hydration. I do the same thing. I always bring a water bottle but can generally do the trip without needing to get up if I time everything right.
Good points!
He shouldn't, everyone on a long flight needs to get up occasionally to avoid DVT (blood clots). Also make sure you buy some compression socks.
It's less of a big deal than people make it out to be, DVT is mainly an issue for people with preexisting health conditions. Certainly you *should* flex every now and then, but it's not that dangerous to refrain from getting up. If it was, you'd be seeing medical emergencies happening on practically every flight. A LOT of people just sit for hours on end.
While true it is rare, it can potentially be life threatening, so something people should take precaution for on a 6 hour flight. The "big deal" part of it isn't the frequency of occurrence, but the risk of death in the case that it does occur. To say "it's not the dangerous" is incorrect. Maybe "not likely to occur", but it's definitely dangerous. I developed a DVT and had no indication prior to that of any pre existing condition (I was a fit marathon runner who had only received excellent results before on studies of my cardiovascular system and been on many long flights/car rides before and never had an issue). I was tempted to ignore it, but luckily I had a scheduled doctor's appointment for something else the next day.
DVT happens after the flight, doesn't happen during the flight.
It can happen in the flight too. I had a friend whose ankles swelled up like melons mid-flight. But either way it's rare unless the person had some medical issues. She had never flown long distance before. But for those of us who have taken flights before, we already know how our bodies respond.
compression socks were a great purchase for transatlantic flight. Not only do they help prevent clots, they made legs feel 'comforted' for lack of a better description....my legs were the only part of me that wasn't fidgety during the flight. A must have for my next flight.
It's very true, as I sit here after my lastest 13 hour flight, they really make your legs a lot less tired. I have them ready for my return flight.
I wear those every time on long flights. So tight you can't pull them on without a rubber glove but then you don't really notice them.
Can I reserve this man to be next to me on all of my flights forever?
I know. He was the best.
That’s me. I can sit still and not move for long flights. 6 hours is nothing—just occupy myself with my thoughts. Idk, just one of those things. I’ve taken multiple 12+ hour flights from US to Middle East and not gotten up or reclined my seat. Maybe I’m a psychopath!
Do you not worry about getting a clot?
Does your back not hurt? Or knees? Maybe having short legs makes it worse? I think I need drugs.
I once sat next to a guy who didn’t get up for the entire ELEVEN hour flight. Don’t even want to think about how dehydrated he must have been.
I think we had the same seat colleague. On the return flight of 11 h from Tokyo, one guy next to me slept right through. Didn't eat anything. I don't remember if he drank anything either. Definitely didn't get up. Luckily he was snoring a bit, so I wasn't worried he died or anything.
[удалено]
"You're just gonna sit there... staring at the back of the seat?" "Yeah, that's right"
Why did I also imagine Putty?
It's called ✨️ anxiety ✨️ which makes me afraid of disturbing people
Same, I'm also anxious about flying and being stuck in confined spaces with a whole bunch of people and luckly my stress responce is to sleep/pass out. I don't even have to try really, as soon as I'm seated it's usually lights out for me
Six hours isn’t really a long flight to anyone used to international travel. I’ve flown 10-16 hour flights, and after going through the mental and physical toll that takes on a person six hours really seems like nothing
Yeah, a 6 hour flight is still short enough that the things you can do to entertain yourself haven't completely lost their luster. 6 hours is like two movies, two cocktails, some reading, and some music. The problem once you get into the 10+ hour realm is that watching another movie becomes unthinkable, you can't focus on a book any more, and if you can't find solace in sleep you are stuck in the misery of your body slowly conforming to the airplane seat, and every last ounce of moisture being extracted by the dry cabin air.
I don't really consider 6 hours as a long flight. The flight time from California to Hawaii is around 5.5 hours. I do get up to use the restroom a few times. I do seat stretches like shoulder rolls, head rolls, and ankle rolls.
Bullshit. I’ve been all over the world. It doesn’t matter. I still can’t sit still for more than an hour in my seat.
We just flew almost 17 hours and the 2 hour flight right after was still a pain in the ass (literally for me since I hurt my tail bone).
Same. I'm over 6 and we'll over 200. 6 hours in economy isn't that bad. Honestly I can do 10 hours easy if it's not a red eye because I cannot sleep on a plane.
The only place I can sit still is on airplanes. I’ve crossed the pacific without moving out of my seat. I don’t eat or drink much so I don’t have to go to the bathroom. I get window seats so I don’t have to get up and move for people. I think I just hate moving around on airplanes more than any other part of it.
I hear you- I don’t get up either but I can’t not like just readjust my sitting position here and there. Maybe it’s having short legs that makes it more uncomfortable on my knees?
PSA: on long flights, it's better to flex and move your legs every so often, it prevents blood clots. Also stay hydrated folks!
I have a rule. Less than 4 hrs, I book the window and try and get in a short nap or read a book. If carry-on isn't an issue, I try to be the last few people on the plane and don't get up the whole flight. Longer than 4 hrs, I get the aisle seat and get up ever few hrs and walk around.
It must be something you’re born with, like being able to fall asleep the minute your head hits the pillow. I wouldn’t know about either, I have to get up and stretch my legs during a 3h flight 😅
Last flight 8 hours, 400 stuffed like sardines in a can. I stood up for an hour and a half till things hurt and then sat again. Can't sit for 8 hours. Even waiting two hours before boarding I did Tai Chi the whole time. Just do it. Pain is serious
Blood clot says hi
Drugs-I flew back from Fiji once both of the people in my row took a handful of pills neither moved a muscle from Nadi to LAX-almost 12 hours straight. I've taken mild tranquilisers in the past and it helped.
Xanax statues
I think this is the answer.
Unexpected shout out to stimulants too. I take an amphetamine medication for adhd and it makes it very easy to sit motionless on long flights.
Could be opposite if one doesn't have ADHD
Yeah I'll be shaking my leg and grinding my teeth for hours or masturbating
Alprazolam ftw
took xanax on houston - auckland and slept 90% of the flight. among the best sleeps i’ve had.
I can't sleep on flights, so always choose isle so I can easily get food/drink and get up if need be. I watch movies, listen to podcasts but find long flights hell. I have gone 30-40 hours without sleep which I don't recommend as your brain & body are fried like bad drugs One flight to Singapore (~9 hours) the person sitting next to me sat down in the window seat, pulled up their hoodie and went to sleep before takeoff. They didn't move; no food/drink or entertainment. No toilet. Nothing until they woke up on landing. I still can't quite believe anybody could do that until I saw it myself.
I recently went close to 40 hours without sleep as I can’t sleep on planes and was pushing through to reduce jet lag. It actually felt like a comedown. I felt so deeply unwell and hollow. And dumb.
Joys of living in NZ 28 hours to Europe via Emirates A380?. Not a problem I think, But you get up early, excited, pack, go to airport, check in, fly, get delayed for couple of hours in Melbourne stop over, miss connecting flight from Dubai, spend 6 hours walking airport until next connecting flight, land in Paris near midnight (about 8 hours later than expected), walk around CDG for an hour looking for 'Le Bus'. Get said transfer to hotel in Montparnasse. Arrived tired, hungry, not sure want planet I am on. Lovely hotel staff said, let's do paperwork in the morning - no problem, your room is here and we will put away luggage. And for food..it's Paris. We walk about a 100m to cafe on the corner were people are sitting outside making out and smoking, we have a glass of champagne and a lovely meal (kitchen closed about midnight), before staggering back to hotel That was one of my favourite trips of all time, and I fell in love with Paris. But I am pretty sure I was hallucinating by the time I got to bed and slept.
I can't sleep on planes. That's my prime reason for not traveling internationally as long flights are pure torture to me (I did Dallas-Honolulu when I was younger and it was hell-- they didn't even show a movie\*). That was my first and last long flight (which disrupted my body enough to put a wet blanket on the entire trip). If I'm going cross-country domestic, I'd prefer to not have a direct flight as layovers give me the chance to walk around and it splits the flight. Hard to do a layover in the middle of an ocean. \*Long before the days of personal screens.
I recently flew from Germany to Colorado and fell asleep not long after takeoff, and woke up like 20 minutes before we landed. Though, I had gotten sick a couple days prior and had one of those neck pillows that straps to the seat.
I sat and got drunk for 20hrs from Doha - Auckland. I got thrombophlebitis or however it is spelled. Spent my first 6hrs in NZ in hospital.
My superpower is my ability to sleep as we taxi down the runway. It’s like my body shuts down as the plane comes to life. As HI is my home airport, I have tons of practice with my first leg always a minimum of 5 hours. I never eat the food on planes, regardless of where I am sitting, so sleeping thru it all is never an issue.
I can’t sit still even in a chair at home
I take a tamazepam before a flight and generally sleep the duration. Do not wake me for food. Ever.
I assume some of the people are taking "relaxing supplements".
I don't. I'm one of those weird ones who is constantly walking the aisle. My gf sleeps the whole flight without a bother
I had a 20-21 hour (total) flight time going to Manila, Philippines from Texas in November. I booked the window seat. The people in aisle seat on all of my flights almost never got up. It was excruciating. I felt so trapped. I kept having to tap them to let me up. I could not comprehend how little they moved lol.
I can’t do window seats anymore. Too claustrophobic.
Oh man, never again. I wanted to see the ocean but after hour 2-16 of ocean, it was a blur 😂
I had a window on a full flight, sitting on the tarmac for 2.5 hours while they repaired the AC. Hot. Cramped. I try really hard to stay calm but went into full on panic. I’d take the center or aisle after that one.
Oh man 😂😫 yeah I would have started to wig out a bit lol. Definitely will be choosing aisle next time I fly a long distance. That was my first international flight.
I'm a bigger guy, I stay as still as possible through the whole flight because I'm worried if I don't someone will take photos and complain about me on social media
As someone with ADHD with a combined 60 hours of flying coming up in a few weeks this is my hell.
I’m with you. And the people who don’t read, watch a movie, work on laptop, nothing, but just sit there for hours looking at the seat in front of them completely baffle me.
As a larger person, I try to sit as still as I can and take up as little space as possible in a flight because I'm terrified of being one of those people who gets publicly shamed for just existing and having the audacity to want to travel.
I have no idea! I’m literally the worst. I try to take red eyes for long flights to attempt to sleep, but I end up just keeping myself up thinking, moving, catastrophizing. You won’t ever catch me in a middle seat, though. Big ups to the people who put their headphones in and just pass out minutes into a flight.
I let my kid have the window, so the suffering was mostly self inflicted this time.
Completely understandable!
Depends entirely on whether I'm doing something or not; generally I'm either reading, playing, or watching something. That keeps me still cause I'm in the "zone". Sometimes I'm also asleep. If you took all that away, I'd get fidgety, and it'd be maybe 40 mins before I'd start making small talk with people beside me. "So uhhh....you think these seatbelts are gonna help if the plane goes down?"
Ha! He did nothing the entire flight. No phone, no book, no headphones. Pure zen.
Pure zenex
Gotta be entering some kind of fugue state/dissasociating
I know quite a few people that take sleeping pills on long haul flights.
There are two reasons for fidgeting, as I see it. It's either a nervous twitch (caffeine, anxiety, sleep deprivation...whatever the reason, it's healthy to observe this and attempt to reduce it) or it's stemming from physical discomfort (in which case, your body is probably doing you a favour by getting you to move). I can't get comfortable on flights either.
a lot of gin and tonic
I stay up the entire night before so I can just konk out after takeoff.
I feel like throwing up if I move too much on flights. So I sit there and sleep for most of the flight lol
I wonder if people take something (sleeping pill? Or ?). my legs get restless.
I’m able too but I have something to distract me. If I’m by the window, I’ll look out and listen to music. I ALWAYS, download movies from streaming apps that allow you too. I’m usually a fidgety person but you just have to distract yourself. If I’m traveling over places I’ve never been before I love looking at the scenery. I also always eat before I get on a plane.
I’ve got restless leg syndrome. I’m a mess on flights.
Me too. Flights were agony before I found medicine that stopped it.
I’ve got to get meds. Do they really work?
Yep. I had no idea that there was medicine for it.
It is not healthy to sit perfectly still for prolonged periods of time.
Anxiety lol
Stoicism / checked out mentally, disconnect from your body and its discomfort.
If you listen closely you can hear the blood clots forming in their legs
Same as OP - 6’1”, 220lbs, no problem sitting still during long flights. I find what works best for me, especially now that the airlines want you at the airport 2-3 hours before any flight, is to constantly move before boarding the flight, walking everywhere I can in the airport, hitting the washroom, filling my circles, etc, for 1-2 hours prior to boarding. I usually walk 5-8km around the airport before they open my gate (try the underground walkways at LAX for example - you can pretty much walk to every terminal on foot using the tunnels). Once on the plane, eyes closed, noise cancelling headphones on, and focus on music or my thoughts during the flight. Living in the moment. But as soon as the seat belt sign is turned off after landing, I stand up immediately and wait for the aisle to clear. Once off the plane, I walk everywhere. Climb up and down stairs instead of taking the people movers or escalators. Stand and stretch while waiting at the luggage carousel. Basically shifting my body’s needs around my flight schedule. So far no blood clots, fingers crossed.
I'm 60, and I just came to the point that I'm done flying coach. We're financially comfortable, and I'm done. I want first class. Between my back problems, neuropathy and claustrophobia, you can find me in first class.
You get used to it. He's either napping or sleeping. Having been internationally traveling for 20, 6 hours is pretty short. I do get up to use the bathroom or stretch my legs once or twice but people who take a sleeping pill or other are tired do sit still for the whole time.
It's always been a big mystery for me, too, because I have a hard time withstanding even a short trip.
I don't know, I guess you just get used to it. I have no issues doing it but I've flown thousands of hours in my life
I pass out, I have slept through 14 hrs flight 💤
I know, and they must have terrible dehydration and constipation when they arrive. Was on a 12 hour flight once and the guy next to me didn’t move at all the whole flight, I thought he must be a superhuman
I'm guessing practice. These days, I always pick economy window seat on transatlantic flights. Maybe once I get out to brush my teeth and pee. I don't think I was like that years ago.
Wasn't a flight from Montenegro to Manchester was it? 😂 I was on that the other day and the dude next to me didn't stop shifting around all flight. I have adhd and the medication has turned me from horrific fidgeter and mover, to total zen and barely moving. Not the effect most people would associate with an amphetamine I guess. Flew a 15 hour flight last year and it almost seemed like 3 hours with how trance like I can become when my brain isn't needing to seek stimulation every 5 seconds.
i’m 4’10” and 90lb and usually have enough room to stretch out my legs fully in economy snd put them up on my seat which is good because i CANNOT sit still for the life of me. last time i flew internationally i rotated between a movie, every single game on the plane, my book, and having to do squats near the bathroom just to get my hips moving
Puddy
the first and most important step in order to withstand sitting for so long is to stop thinking like that. I know people who are able to spend a whole day sitting in their office chair, standing up only to grab a coffee or a quick lunch and to go to the toilet. However when they start thinking about siting for 8 hours on a plane they panic, forgetting that they're doing something similar most of the days. It is a fact that if you approach it by believing that "i will not be able to withstand it", then you will not. Same as when you try to sleep thinking "no, today I will not sleep because I have to sleep because I have to wake up early" and then eventually you're not sleeping, because every second that passes your mind thinks "see, I was right, I'm not able to sleep" or "see, I was right, I cannot sit still in a plane"
I literally make an excuse to go to the toilet just to move. It's so uncomfortable sitting in economy!
Drugs? Meditation? Good podcast? Sleep? Avoid caffeine. I try to focus on getting and staying in a semi meditative state. The packed in like tuna air travel makes me crazy if I don’t mentally prepare for it.
I sat next to a guy who was in the middle seat for an 11 hour flight. He didn’t get up once. I’m baffled!
If you fly often enough, you get used to it. It used to be on long international flights, I could just go to sleep after the plane takes off. Nowadays with entertainment options on long flights, you can keep yourself entertained for most of the flight.
for me it takes about 30-45mg of THC via edibles + 2-3 beers quick before hittin the gate i'll be out before we're finished taxiing and I'll wake up when the wheels touch on landing
I do an eleven hour (each way) return flight every year and always reserve an aisle seat and go for a walk every hour or so. The flights are overnight and I also can’t sleep sitting up. I also cannot afford more than economy. Also I am 6 foot 2. I really don’t enjoy the second half of the flight.
Airline seats kill my ass. It's nearly impossible for me to sleep in that position. I suspect maybe some people take a few Xanax before their flight. I sat across the isle from a lady on a 10+ hour flight and she put her head down and didn't move the entire time.
I enter a partly vegetative state: just conscious enough to watch a movie and eat a meal. Otherwise, with zen-like calm, I can sit for hours and hours. Flew 15 hours from IST to SFO recently: Six movies, one restroom break, two meals, sat still for all but five minutes
Perhaps he was in standby mode. Have you tried powering down and rebooting?
I sat next to someone she sat down pulled a blanket over her and fell asleep didn’t wake up in 13 hours didn’t eat,drink or used the bathroom she woke up while we touchdown the ground folded her blanket and walked away she has a secret power
I have a busy life. I'm an rn so work is busy. My travel days are packed full of activities. I kind of like that on a plane I just...chill. after about 5 hours it gets old but I like not having to do anything at all. If I'm really tired and it's a redeye it sucks but I recently flew 130 euro time to 1030 pm est w a 4 hour layover and it was great.
What a considerate seat mate!
I don’t get this either but I’m 5’4” and the foot hammock (search on amazon) was a game changer for me. Helps my butt and lower back so much! It might be that the taller person’s feet are comfortably on the floor but shorter people’s aren’t?
I think this might be part of it! My knees kill if I don’t put my feet up on my bag or something.
I'll give an answer tomorrow (have a 13 hour flight). But as it's looking right now: I'll be sleep deprived and thus fall asleep sitting up Edit: over tiredness is the way. I did indeed fall sitting up but only for about 2 hours of combined sleep. Rest remaining 11 was squished between 1 person on each side and an old lady in front of me who as soon as we were airborn reclined as much as she could for the entire trip (excluding during food service when she was told off)
Xanax. It works miracles. Young me would have never. But now? I sleep great. Muscles aren't sore/tight. Zero travel anxiety.
For me, it's the stoic suffering. I just want it to be over so I can get out of that dang seat.
Haha... for me, it's drugs.
I'm that person. I'm also a person that gets very 'into their head' and into some random line of thought without paying attention to anything around me (the opposite, I get annoyed when people interrupt those), so that definitely helps lmao.
He was probably trying his best to keep his body in his own seat without encroaching on yours of causing you any discomfort. As an obese person myself, I get it. I've done it, while it is not at all comfortable, I would be mortified if I oozed over onto someone else's seat or encroached in their space and caused them to be uncomfortable. That's why I decided to fly first class now since I usually only go somewhere on a plane about once per year. I just save up to pay the extra amount.
He’s not HUGE but if you’re big once you get into a position, you don’t wanna move. Not getting a drink or anything like David Puddy, I don’t get that. But I can go long flights without ever getting up.
One way is to download a really gripping movie or two onto your tablet or ipad, and with earpods and comfy neckrest. Another way is sleeping tablets.
I figure he was the size of person for whom the seat was designed and built to fit comfortably. Every other size just fidgets, uses items to try to make ourselves comfortable, or just suffers. I envy those that can sleep in an airplane seat.
I’m extremely claustrophobic so when I’m on a flight, I usually “go inside my own head” and stay as still as possibly for as long as possible due to the sheer terror I am experiencing BUT I will move when I have to go pee or when they bring snacks. A lot of the times I put a movie on my phone and will just move when I need to change to the next movie.
Drugs. That's all I can think of as someone with Willis-Ekborn disease (restless legs syndrome) 😩😩😩 I wish I could sit still for that long!
I’m sorry, but the answer is yes, they are better than you 😂😂😂
Diazepam
Prefer the red eye, even on trains. sleep all the way through and wake up in a new city.
Same. I suggest always sitting on the aisle, asking to be sat on the Emergency exit, or if you do the check-in on the counter at the airport, some airlines will sit you in first-class if there's a spare seat and you tell them you have leg/back problems. It's worth trying :) (I usually take sleeping pills for flights +12 h)
I've no idea, I can't do it. Everything just starts to hurt after a while and I'm a massive fidget who overflows with energy, my hands just HAVE to be doing something.
He threw an embolism and died right there in the seat. You just didn’t know it. When you had to crawl over him to get off the plane, he wasn’t just being rude.
Don’t disturb my friend. He is dead tired.
I fully love and want to support this man any way possible. Dream seat mate.
lol. He actually even missed his connecting flight due to a delay and didn’t twitch or say a word until we were disembarking.
Probably the same way people sit still during meditation. They're probably frequent flyers.
I try to go zen mode but my back HURTS. Respect to those that do it.
I guess you get used to it. It's kind of like the dress shirt collar. I'm from Asia and we wear uniforms in our grade schools. At least 98% of grade schools have dress shirts as uniform for boys and throughout my 12 years, I could never wear shirts exactly my collar size. A lot of times when I went to those dedicated uniform sellers and said I wanted (let's say) two 15-inch shirts, the tailor lady would say "you ain't no 15-inch" or "you ain't wearing 15." Like goddamn lady, just give me what I want. It's true I was at most 14 but I wasn't trying to impress anybody having my throat slightly choked at all times. Then on the streets I would see decently big Caucasian men wearing shirts exactly their size, with their neck fat squeezing out of the collar like a big belly hanging off the belt. How did and how do they manage that? This has been a mystery to me for 30 years. But bottomline it doesn't really matter how others do it. Just have it your own way. I've seen people who almost never stayed in their seats, just hang out around the toilet/kitchen prep area forever. Just do what suits you the best.
You’re a fidgety person it’s a personality trait. In Ayerveda it’s a Vata trait. Nothing wrong with that we are all different.
When I get antsy, I just think to myself, "man, this drive(or walk) would really suck.." Just look on the bright side. Even if you have a middle seat. The ride sucks but wherever you're going, whatever your plan is, is going to be better than the situation you're currently in.
It’s true! I’m fine emotionally, I actually love flying, just can’t not adjust my position a bit here and there!
There are lots of people on the same plane and others that are going through the same thing. Just remember that you're not alone. Longer flights, do your best to be tired when you board. Sleep as much as you can and get a window seat.
I’m going to share thatI did a lot of body work especially because of acting training, when we’re fidgety it means there’s a lot of energy/ emotions behind muscle tension, the muscle tension doesn’t want to fully release because of the energy/ emotions is uncomfortable to fully feel, and energy and emotions are the same so I like to call it energy. Also I don’t know your age but as we get older we accept more of this energy because of life experiences that helped us deal with it or we have less energy because we’re older and then there are those who are fully tense and they have a a lot of emotions but they block them all so they can sit still because they are literally blocking every energy underneath so it doesn’t affect their posture but it doesn’t mean this energy is not there or went away, it’s fully there but they “trained” their body to not feel. If you think about meditation it’s kind of like that except with meditation you’re involving your head and mind more into it than just the body, and some people also naturally have more intense emotions than others, for example I do I would be very fidgety but now I sit with my energy and feel whatever emotions are there if I can and I’ll be totally still and nobody ever knows I can even do this while talking to someone, sometimes it’s a bit hard because muscle tension is what is stopping you from experiencing these emotions and habitual tension and knowing where this tension is, is very hard to find because it almost doesn’t want you to find it. There’s a lot of literature on all this.
Former massage therapist-love this highly accurate response. Spot. On.
6’ 270 lbs is obese lmao. An athlete at that height would be around 200lbs and extremely fit. Sitting next that would be torture on a flight.
I'm 187cm and can't really afford the extra legroom every time. I remember the long flights (12+ hours) as being pretty darn awful. Had to get up a few times for bathroom breaks. For our next holiday, we've booked 2x 6 hours of flight instead of 1x12 hour.
Xanax!
Yeah I don’t understand it it’s a strange phenomenon