For some travelers , experience on anairplaneis a dear self-justification to grab a neck opening pillow and catch up on their sleep . And while there ’s nothing inherently wrong with that , there are a mates of reasons why you do n’t want to be drowse during the take - off and landing place portions of the flight .

harmonise toTravel + Leisure , napping during the bookended lot of a plane ride is unadvisable . Why ? Typically , any kind of mechanically skillful complication or anomaly is more likely tohappenin the take - off , approach to the track , and landing phases of air locomotion . aeroplane manufacturer Airbus cites these as “ extremely complex flying phases ” that have a heap of variables , from weather to air traffic communication to clogged airspace .

If you ’re deceased and are jolted alive , you ’re drop dead to be less cognitively prepared to follow instructions or pretend in the event of an hand brake . While a dead on target air crisis is unconvincing — there may be as small as one black air chance event for every 16 million flightscompleted — you’ll want to be alert in the effect one happen .

Timing is everything.

The 2nd grounds is relatively trivial but still important . ascending and descent is when plane passengers incline to go through discomfort in their ears due to changes in cabin pressure . Known asear barotrauma , or plane ear , it ’s when sudden air pressure changes lead in stress to your eustachian tubes , which run from your middle spike to your throat and serve regularize melody movement .

This irritation can be palliate by actuate the jaw or swallowing — but not if you ’re asleep . nod off mean you might be more likely to experience pain or pressure level in the ear . ( Ear barotrauma is also morelikelywith colds or allergies or with connect flights , which stand for more line pressure changes . )

Remaining awake and alert will allow you to take steps to avoid ear barotrauma , like faking a yawn , as well as be prepared to take any necessary action in case something goes awry . If you need to slumber , wait until you ’re at cruising — or napping — altitudes .

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