Secrets to Sitting on an Airplane for Your Most Comfortable Flight Ever

Embrace your inner yogi

A plane isn't the ideal place to unwind and relax, but there are certain things you can do while sitting to make your flight a little more tolerable.

Rachel Grice, a registered yoga teacher and a contributing editor at LiveStrong says, "The healthiest way to sit on a plane is actually to avoid sitting—or at least sitting still—for as much of the flight as you can. When you are sitting, though, you want to have good posture just like you would sitting anywhere else."

"Just like sitting at a desk, you want to take breaks to get up and move and stretch," she says. "Walk up and down the aisle or stretch in the aisle. You don't have to have a full-on yoga session, but a quad stretch, arms stretch, and some side bends are good options."

Dress casually and comfortably

Speaking of yoga, one wouldn't work out in jeans. So why would you sport uncomfortable clothing on a flight? Try loose clothing such as casual joggers, a cozy pullover, slip-on shoes, and T-shirts for a wardrobe that's well-suited to a plane ride.

Pack travel accessories

When it comes to air travel accessories, the sky is the limit. Investing in a few key plane accessories, such as an eye mask, a neck-supporting travel pillow, and a travel blanket, can make all the difference on board.

When in doubt, move about

In case turbulence hits and you just can't leave your seat, Grice has a few passenger seat mobility tips:

1. Neck circles: chin down, slowly roll your head from one shoulder to the other
2. Wrist circles: rotate your hands to move your wrists clockwise, and then counterclockwise
3. Shoulder circles: roll your shoulders back a few times and forward a few times
4. Arm across chest stretch (just don't hit your seatmates!)
5. Knee to chest stretch
6. Hip stretch: cross your left foot on top of your right knee and press your left knee down slightly, and then switch sides
7. Ankle circles: rotate your feet to move your ankles clockwise, and then counterclockwise

Still feeling a little tense? Grice has one last, fail-proof plan for relaxing while in the air: "Another thing you can do while in your seat focuses on flexing and relaxing individual muscle groups—calves, quads, glutes, biceps, lats, etc. Hold each for three to five seconds, and then release. Repeat a few times, working from your feet to your head."

Here's to your most comfortable flight yet.