how to actually sleep on a plane—and wake up rested

Travel

How to Actually Sleep on a Plane—and Wake Up Rested—According to Travel Pros

Drescription

Sleep can already be a pretty stressful thing for many of us, but sleeping on a plane? Talk about an added degree of difficulty. And it can be pretty crucial to get that sleep. Especially if you decided to take the 4 a.m. flight to avoid delays later in the day or are taking a red eye. Heck, even if you're just trying to catch up on some missed naps, a plane is a good place to get more hours in. The problem is that there's a lot of pressure. It's like the moment you have to go to sleep, you suddenly aren't tired or can't get comfy (and is it OK to recline your seat?). To help, we asked some frequent flyers for their best tips and tricks for mile-high shut-eye.

Just Focus on Resting

Sometimes the pressure we put on ourselves to fall asleep is precisely the reason we can't. "My advice for sleeping better is to try not to focus so much on the actual sleep," says TV host and travel expert Darley Newman. "Sometimes rest can be good enough." So, next time you're on a red eye, try just enjoying the resting time and seeing what comes of it.

Mimic Your Nightly Routine

We all have our own agenda of things we need to do before bed. While you might not have your actual bathroom vanity and bed available, you can get pretty close, says travel writer Michelle Joy, "At home, this involves a shower, skin care, and clean pajamas before crawling into bed," she says. "For my scaled down plane version, I brush my teeth, use a wet wipe and moisturize my face, and put on fuzzy socks."

Swap Out Your Earbuds

"I always bring a blackout sleep mask with built-in Bluetooth speakers—it's much more comfortable than earbuds when falling asleep on a plane, especially on overnight flights," says David Brodie, the founder of Voyascape and host of the Travel in 10 podcast. What should you listen to? Brodie suggests downloading podcasts about the destination you're heading to so you can immerse yourself before you land.

Opt for a Window Seat

Yes, an exit row or first class would be amazing, but if those pricier tickets aren't in the cards for you, travel journalist Wendy Helfenbaum implores you to get a window seat. "You can lean against the wall, and won’t be woken up by seat mates having to use the loo!"

Download a Helpful App

Erin Carey, Director of Roam Generation, a PR agency specializing in travel, says one of her biggest tips is to use the Timeshifter app. Download this before jumping on a plane headed to a different time zone and it can help you prep in advance. "It helps you adjust to the new time zone. I follow it's recommendations to a a tee, avoiding caffeine and taking melatonin at the suggested times to help regulate my sleep cycle." So, if you're supposed to be sleeping on a plane to help avoid jet lag, this could help!

My “Kitchen Kid Clutter Drop Zone” Problem, SOLVED (ish)

When we designed the house and put the kitchen here (because it’s the best southern light) we knew that we were asking for kid clutter. My genius plan to train the kids to go around the house to the mudroom (expertly executed by locking the kitchen door and giving them candy each time they dropped their stuff in the mudroom) lasted approximately 2 days. Not because they didn’t want the candy or because they couldn’t be trained but because they, like many kids, would hold it all day if you know what I mean, and getting inside IMMEDIATELY was the priority. Plus when it’s raining this entrance just makes more sense. Also, if they did drop everything in the mudroom, in the morning when we are scrambling to get them out the door, they would have to go backtrack to get their stuff, walk around the house, and blah blah. We are always scrambling so adding inefficiencies doesn’t make sense. That’s all to say that this is our defacto kids drop zone and it’s not just them – twice a week we have anywhere between 4 and 7 kids over to play. So this area has to work MUCH HARDER than other areas in the house to help my sanity. How We Styled It For The Reveal When we styled it for the OG photo shoot a year or so ago, I styled it to be pretty also not knowing how much use it would get. You see since the outside was under construction until last June we couldn’t even ask them to go around the house to the mudroom (and the plants helped mask the construction out the window). But yeah, that big plant quickly died (under my sister’s watch, sorry Katy to publicly out you LOL) and while I loved the other stuff there, we needed the space for backpacks and coats. The Kid Clutter Problem SOLVED (LOL, It’s Never Solved But BETTER) So here’s what we did – First, we hung those hooks into the fridge cabinet (which I was terrified to do, TBH). I bought this vertical hook set last year from Target for the front entry but since no one uses that door, I stored it and then installed it here. The lower ones are great for the kids and since there are multiple we can really load it up (and we do). The shelf is for their Gabb watches which they pop off as soon as they are home, stick them on their chargers, and the last thing they put on before they leave the house. The bench is now for their bags (no pretty tray for mail, that happens in the pantry and our vintage secretary). These three baskets have SAVED US. Two are for shoes and one is for our day-to-day sports stuff that we are ALWAYS scrambling to find (basketball shoes, cheer shoes, ultimate frisbee gloves, frisbees, basketball, cleats, etc). Does that mean that the kids always put things away in the right spots? NOPE. But they are so much better. And when I go to put things away I can re-org the sports stuff which sets us up for a better week (when we had just one basket it was all too mixed up). Now obviously it doesn’t look like that – there are usually 4-6 coats on the rack and big bulky backpacks on the bench, but the kids had those at school and I’m a stylist so there was no way I was going to style with ugly coats and hats. Sorry! Here is what it looked like before I did this all: On the left is what it looked like on a random Sunday and on the right was the clean version later that day. I was NOT set up for success, y’all. I thought that the coats blocking the window might bug me, but it doesn’t AT ALL (we clearly have a lot of light in here). The only thing that still happens is that longer coats can knock the kid’s Gabb watches off their chargers easily. But with a few cord tacos and velcro stickers, the chargers stay in place without falling off or looking messy. The plant pot is a recent Target purchase (SO CUTE) and the new to me vintage rug actually goes in the hallway but I wanted to show it off because it’s so beautiful (thank you Sheba from Blue Parakeet!). All in all it’s a solid 60% better. I still have to remind the kids to put their shoes in the basket, and not just throw their coats on the bench but it’s just so much less of a thing. And if you are wondering if we are glad that our mudroom is where it is, we sure are – we need it for all of our pasture boots on that porch (full of mud and literal shit) and its where the kids dry off and hang their towels after getting out of the hot tub. While the first shot is more eligible to be in a magazine and is more fun for your eye to look at, the third is far more functional for our family. CLUTTER PROBLEM (mostly) SOLVED.

Our First Design Coaching “Client” – With 3 Kids Under 3, A Builder-Grade Kitchen And A Lot Of Ideas

Acouple of months ago we put out the call to find a reader (or apparently two, more on that later) to help coach through a remodel. It was extremely hard to choose the right family/project – I wanted to do all of them. Some were a full house “where do I start – it’s a gut job”, most were solid design challenges where I could feel the overwhelm come through the writing. I’m so sorry we couldn’t interview everyone (and in true Emily fashion I ended up choosing two – just NOT being able to choose). But like hiring a new team member, it really came down to chemistry, the potential for design, compatibility, and frankly our collective excitement level. IF this is a project that I am dedicating my team’s time to (through meetings and content creation, not design work) I wanted us all to really really enjoy it as much as possible. While this is “free” for them (we aren’t being paid by them) EHD isn’t paying for the renovation, so making sure that someone was serious about doing it and genuinely excited to do the work that it would take to do without relying on us was a key factor. After culling through them all it’s clear that there is a big hole in the market – that design coaches or consultants could be a real career for so many people who can’t afford the true luxury of hiring a designer and yet just want someone to help them through it to avoid massive pitfalls and wipe the tears. I know this is part of what The Expert is doing but it’s clear the need is really large. ANYWAY, that’s all to say that I’m excited to introduce to you our first family – Peter and Chrissy (+ their three young kiddos). The application came from Peter on behalf of Chrissy – be prepared for this sweetness. Here is the letter he wrote: “Emily/Gretchen/team! Peter Cambor here. So nice to e-meet you and really excited about this post you and the potential of you assisting in our remodel! First of all, I am an actor/writer/director/producer/bit-of-everything that moved up to the Portland area a few years ago with my wife and now 3 kids (was only one kid when we moved in 2021 – we now have 3 kids under 3.. Insanity! But the best kind!) So nice to e-meet you! Okay. Real talk. My wife, Chirssy, is an amazing human being, a full-time mom, a huge fan of your blog, and she has been doing design for, well, forever – She has done small projects for other people, but she mainly does improvements and designs to the house we are living in at any particular time. She sent me your blog post saying how cool she thought this would be, and I am totally on board, and well – I figured I would just apply before she got the chance! We have done a number of projects together on a few different houses that have had incredible transformations, and this house we just moved into has, well, a number of projects to be done (Work in progress, Emily. Work. In. Progress.) Side note: In some strange twist of fate, I have become Chrissy’s handyman/contractor over the last few years. This from man who didn’t own a drill – and now I am not too terrible at the remodel stuff (thanks YouTube!) So we do a lot of projects together. My ability is….let’s say I, too, am a work in progress – but I have learned a ton in the past few years… Basically, our house in needs a lot of work, and Chrissy and I are sort of torn about how/what to do with it. We have been sort of chipping away at it, small project by small project, but the thing we would be bringing to you is our KITCHEN, which is, to put it lightly, a total disaster. It is a full-on 90s nightmare. For reals. It literally keeps Chrissy up at night. There are a lot of interesting challenges with the space, and we have a few game plans in place, but just don’t know which way to go with it. From what you said in your post, this might be a good fit for you and what you are trying to do. We want to do this on a budget (we are pretty savvy – scratch that – CHRISSY is pretty savvy at doing things on a budget – I don’t have hard numbers in front of me but we do have a pathway to doing it around 20K – no joke – and I think we have good options to do it that way. There might be a bunch of different cool angles in which this could work for your format. 1. The Kitchen remodel itself obviously, 2. The fact that Chrissy is sort of looking for mentorship/guidance in design and building confidence 3. ME looking for mentorship guidance in my JV Contracting abilities, 4. The on-camera stuff is totally cool with us and we get it – photo or video – I have done a lot of TV through the years as an actor… I do more behind-the-camera work now. Not sure how much of this is video or blog posts/photos. But all good either way. Chrissy was really excited at the idea of this being something to do as she loves your blog/work – but also I think to build her confidence and sort of get her interior design juices going! She’s been such an amazing mother and gladly immersing herself in being a mom and just hasn’t had the time for the design stuff. But design is her happy place and she’s so good at it( I’m her biggest fan!) Anyway – she sent me this (your blog post) said she was into it, and, well I thought I’d just jump in and apply! … With Gratitude, Pete, Chrissy, Claire, Beau, and Birdie” The effort put in here, the sweetness and enthusiasm were just infectious – while other people might prefer more cut-and-dry applications, getting to the point, etc, I’ve always hired or chosen projects/employees based on my excitement level (remember I’m an enneagram 7). Peter went on to show us the projects they’ve already done themselves – take a look: What this shows is that they can execute a good design, that they understand the work that it might take, and that they appreciate good design. I was so impressed. Doing these projects with small kids means running around means they must love it. One of the things I feared with doing this “coaching” is that since I have no control over the timeline, budget, or design choices what if they don’t ever finish or it takes three years or god forbid our personalities don’t mesh then I’ve launched this thing that you guys get invested in and we don’t ever finish. So seeing what they have done before on their own, gave us hope. So we jumped on a Zoom call and as predicted as so much fun. We found out that Peter is in the entertainment industry (I didn’t google or do any background checks, of course) and like us, they moved up from LA during COVID. So if you recognize him (I didn’t because I haven’t seen his shows but Jess did as soon as she saw the photo of them! Grace and Frankie and NCIS:LA anyone??) know that is NOT why they were chosen. Their application was just extremely compelling, their project was perfect, and our chemistry was immediate. So this is them:) We are so EXCITED and later this week we’ll show you all the ins and outs of their kitchen project. You can get a little sneak peek from the opener photos.

8 Late-Summer Flowers That Keep Pollinators Coming Back, Even into Fall

One of the joys of gardening is seeing native bees, butterflies, and even hummingbirds feeding on the nectar of the flowers you've planted. But with many species blooming in spring or early summer, there's often a gap in food supply for these beneficial pollinators during late summer and early fall—a crucial time of year. You can help close that gap for the pollinators in your area—and extend the season for colorful blooms—by planting native plants that flower in late summer. Here are eight late-summer blooming flowers to consider for your garden. Anise Hyssop Anise hyssop, a member of the mint family, is known for tall, abundant spires of tiny purple flowers. It's native to the northeast US but thrives in regions with a similar climate as well. Pollinating insects like solitary native bee species are attracted to its nectar. Plant anise hyssop in an area with moist, well-drained soil that gets at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. Joe Pye Weed Another North American native that pollinating insects love is Joe Pye weed. This perennial blooms in late summer with heavy clusters of dark pink to purple flowers. The blooms attract beneficial bugs thanks to their scent, which is reminiscent of vanilla. Give Joe Pye weed full sun and moist, well-drained soil. While many native plants don't require regular fertilizer, Joe Pye weed needs a little nutritional boost to bloom if planted in poor soil. Cardinal Flower This native plant gets its name from its spikes of bright red flowers, which bloom from midsummer until early fall—when pollinators are most in need of nectar sources. It requires full to part sun and moist soils that are neutral to acidic in pH to thrive. The plant will self-seed aggressively, so consider that when choosing your planting site. Note that cardinal flower is toxic to both people and pets.1 Helenium Also called sneezeweed, helenium blooms in summer and fall with cheerful flowers that may be shades of yellow, orange, and red. Put this plant in a spot that has moist, well-drained soil and gets at least six to eight hours of full sun each day. Deadheading can help plants bloom continuously, which benefits the bees and butterflies that seek their nectar. Divide and replant helenium after three years to keep it looking healthy. Garden Phlox Low-maintenance garden phlox is available in a wide range of colors, including shades of purple, pink, and white. Its blooms attract pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. This North American native plant grows best with full sun, well-drained soil, and regular watering, especially in times of drought. Goldenrod Goldenrod is a hardy North American native plant that provides nectar to pollinating insects in late summer and fall when they need it most. It's also ideal for planting in sites with poor soil. Give it full sun and a spot with good drainage to attract pollinators like bees and monarch butterflies to your garden. Avoid overfertilizing to keep plants from becoming leggy. Blazing Star Blazing star, also known as liatris, attracts bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Its spikes of dense, long-lasting blooms in shades of purple or white appear in summer and last through fall, helping to fill the late-season nectar gap for pollinators. Give it full sun and well-drained soil for best results. When watering, avoid getting the foliage wet to help prevent fungal issues. New England Aster Along with goldenrod, New England aster and other late-blooming aster species provide much-needed breeding habitat, food sources, and overwintering sites for beneficial pollinating insects, including native bees, wasps, flies, moths, beetles, and butterflies.2 Their purple, pink, or white flowers look great alongside goldenrod in your garden, too. These fast-growing plants can even bloom in their first year of planting. Give New England aster full sun and moist, well-drained soil to help it thrive.

10 “Emily Henderson-Approved” Spring Blouses

Ihave a big shoot coming up in LA in a couple of weeks and I was tasked to find a wardrobe for a “fun, summer BBQ” which is obviously right up my alley (shooting in Orange County). I need 3-5 looks so I tried on a lot of tops (and a couple of dresses), and these are my favorites FOR SURE. So while I’m out of the country with my fam, here are some cute spring/summer blouses that I really love (just not sure I need ALL of them, but we’ll see). I haven’t really curated outfits yet, just dialing in the top first since that is what you’ll see the most, then I’ll pair it with the right pants/shorts. So if you are underwhelmed by the pants and shoes being the same I get that :) Love this. It’s a solid yes because it’s a good cut, a good color, the embroidery detail is great, and it’s lightweight enough for summer, but still has good structure. The little princess sleeves are so flattering. I can’t tell if I need to size up as it’s pulling a bit in the chest area (wearing a size small), but I love it. The pants are the barrel pants that I LOVE right now (button-fly making them more flattering and the length is perfect). The shoes were from last year and I hadn’t worn them yet (from Beek which is spendy, but I love their shoes so much). Another Sezane number that I thought would look good with white shorts (not these though). I love this top but my only beef with Sezane is that their fabric is often thick (which is great) but also long and with a straight hem, making them hard to 1/2 or even full tuck. This shirt is great on camera and has a lot of detail, but I wish it weren’t so thick so it could tuck better (and I have a short torso so if you have a longer torso you might not need to tuck). I love this blouse – a lot of detail, but still simple and easy to understand on camera I.e. not busy). It’s lightweight, has covered buttons, and that sweet little collar. I guess it’s all out of stock in this color (sorry!) even though I just bought it! Boo! 10/10 I LOVE THIS and just ordered the dress version to see if it could work as well. This blouse is so pretty and flattering and the second I put it on I was like “Oh wow, this is so good”. Extremely airy/lightweight, the colors are so pretty, the neckline so flattering, easy to tuck, pretty sleeve details – just perfect. I tried it with these cute new shorts which I really love (and they come in a lot of colors) but I think I like it with the pants more. I have this blouse in pink from last year which I love, but my only beef is that it’s really oversized intentionally. This is a small (I just ordered an XS to see if that would fit better). The pattern is so pretty and it’s so easy breezy to wear. Madewell did an almost exact knockoff of this shirt in white that is more affordable, but Doen has these pretty patterns. LOVE THIS. I’m wearing this top on spring break a lot because no one does, “I still look nice, but I’m not sticky” like Emerson Fry. Such an easy cut to wear, so lightweight, with beautiful colors and patterns. LOVE. Here is another one that is oversized (only comes in one size, actually) and I think a better summer shirt than for a photo shoot. Comes in a lot of colors and is so easy to wear. Love those shorts, A LOT. I was excited about this, but I think it’s giving safari in a way that I probably don’t want for my BBQ shoot. I love that top though, a lot. It’s a bit thicker (think denim weight) and is easy to tuck (and comes in a couple of other colors). This is a nice, sweet blouse, with cute denim shorts – no one is mad at this outfit, but maybe could be more fun? I’ve been wearing this shirt a ton since I got it – thin, but not too thin, drapey denim with ruffles (that are holding up well after washing/drying a few times FYI). I want it in the short-sleeved version like the white one, too. Those Gap Bermuda shorts are SOLID. I sent all of these to the client so we’ll see what they choose (and I have more to try on). However, if you are in the market for cute spring/summer blouses I really love all of these :)