The Psychologist-Approved Hack To Fall Asleep On A Plane With Ease

You're on a trip you've been looking forward to for months, perhaps even years. You've spent weeks meticulously planning, booking, and emptying your bank account. After employing some tips for surviving a long-haul flight, you're finally at the destination you've been fantasizing about. You step out of the airport and breathe fresh air full of possibilities. What will you do first after dropping your belongings off at your choice of lodging? Maybe you'll go shopping, head out in search of a local food joint, or meet up with family or friends. Whatever it is, you can't wait to hit the ground running.

Then boom: You're struck with a wave of jet lag. As soon as you check into your accommodation, you find the comfiest mattress and pass out. Before you know it, the day is gone. Precious hours during which you could have been exploring have slipped away. The one solace you have is knowing that we've all been there.

One well-known hack to beat jet lag is to sleep on the flight over. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if the time zone you're traveling to has more than a 3-hour difference from your home base, you should match your sleeping hours with that of your destination. This is easier said than done. While there are plenty of tricks for sleeping on planes, there is one psychologist-approved hack to help you fall asleep on plane with ease. And it involves closing your eyes and counting.

Psychologist and mental well-being educator Erica Terblanche recently shared an Instagram post explaining a simple hack to help passengers fall asleep on planes. She calls it "going over the Alpha Bridge." This hack is broken down into a few easy steps. Step one begins with getting comfortable in your seat, whether it's lying down or sitting up. Once you're situated, close your eyes and count to 30. When you reach 30, open your eyes just barely until they form "a little half moon." From there, count to five.

After that, repeat by closing your eyes and counting to 30. Again, open your eyes every so lightly to half moons and count to five. "And then close your eyes again and just watch your breathing go in of your nose and out of your nose," Terblanche says. "Most people fall asleep in the first cycle." Once you master this simple trick, you're well on your way to a restful sleep.

To make sure you don't lose a single moment of your trip, implement other tips and tricks so you can beat jet lag for good. For example, you can adjust your sleep schedule before departing. If you're traveling westward, go to bed an hour or two later than usual. If you're traveling eastward, go to bed an hour or two earlier than usual. During your flight, be sure to drink lots of water, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and eat small portions. The only thing standing between the perfect vacation and jet lag is you.