Wider Airplane Seats Provide Better Sleep During Travel

Traveling on airplanes can be difficult on the mind and body. Some people tend to feel the effects of airplane travel more than others. Everyone has their ways of surviving long flights from sleep masks to leg exercises; the tricks to surviving flights are endless. It is tough to fold your legs into a seat and feel comfortable, especially for a long flight. A recent study conducted by the London Sleep Center found even as much as an extra inch of room can boost your quality of sleep on flights. Participants were selected from four international airports – Singapore, Paris, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam. The study measured brainwaves and eye, abdominal, chest, hip, and leg movement of 1,500 airline passengers. Seats with one extra inch of width (from 17 to 18 inches) improved their sleep quality by 53 percent.

The 17-inch wide seat was approved in the 1950s but since then the average waistline was smaller and less people travelled long distances on planes. Since the 18-inch seat provides greater comfort the study researchers are “encouraging all airlines to look at…research and consider increasing the size of their seats because one inch makes all the difference.”

As airlines work to make their seats wider and more comfortable for their passengers, “a growing cohort of discerning economy passengers who are not prepared to accept 17-inch seats and will instead choose airlines that offer better seat comfort”. Airplane travel is becoming more and more necessary as businesses grow internationally. Customers who seek to feel more rested, especially after an overnight flight, should consider travelling with airlines that have wider seats for greater comfort.

As international travel becomes more common, it is important to be educated about your travel options and solutions that may provide better sleep comfort. Contact FusionSleep if you are concerned about the amount of sleep you are getting while traveling. There are certain solutions that may help you feel rested after a long flight.