Methods to Sleep in an Airport (2025): Gear and Knowledgeable Recommendation

So that you’ve obtained an extended layover. Otherwise you tried Airport Concept and missed your flight. Or your airplane was delayed. Otherwise you spent all night time packing since you procrastinated till the final minute and now you possibly can barely preserve your eyes open. For no matter purpose, you’ve discovered your self needing to sleep in an airport. You’ve come to the precise place! I’ve consulted consultants, colleagues, household, associates, and the web, in addition to my very own expertise, to assist collect the most effective practices for sleeping in an airport. With the assistance of this information and a bit of cautious planning, you’ll be asleep very quickly—even in arguably one of many least sleep-conducive environments.

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Choose a Spot

First off, you’ll want to determine the place you’re going to sleep. There are web sites and sources far and wide—you possibly can take a look at the web site Sleeping in Airports, which Sarah Mattina, a former company worker for Southwest and JetBlue, stated is the “holy grail” for locating the darkest, quietest spot to sleep within the airport. (Different consultants additionally really useful this web site.) It has devoted guides for “just about each main airport on this planet.” (I checked out the information for O’Hare in Chicago and may affirm that the most effective sleeping spots it lists are certainly the precise greatest sleeping spots from my expertise spending many hours handed out ready for a delayed flight to reach.)

You may additionally attempt the subreddit for town or airport you’re going to be in. In case your gate is busy, you possibly can scope out different gates in the identical terminal. Discover a chill spot within the nook—you may even be capable to discover a chair or bench with out armrests. Psychologist Leah Kaylor recommends selecting a safe, low-traffic space and says corners close to airport chapels or household lounges could also be a quieter spots than others. Ideally, you need to choose a spot that has some workers round, equivalent to safety patrols or kiosks, however not a spot so busy with individuals you can’t go to sleep.

Most of the consultants I consulted really useful testing airport lounges in the event you’re in a position to, for the reason that seating is comfier and the world is mostly quieter. They identified that some bank cards offer you entry to numerous airport lounges, or think about buying a day move for longer layovers. You may even be capable to snag a bathe in an airport lounge (or a drink that will help you get sleepy, although Andrew E. Colsky, founding father of the Nationwide Sleep Heart, recommends avoiding alcohol because it suppresses REM sleep and acts as a diuretic). Some airports have devoted nap pods or nap rooms, for a charge, however they give you a spot to sleep along with your baggage corralled and no worry of strangers staring you down from the opposite finish of the terminal.

Make Positive You’ve Acquired the Proper Gear

{Photograph}: Louryn Strampe

Most airports aren’t conducive to sleep. They’re loud, they’re filled with fluorescent lights, and they could be a bit chilly.