TikTok is a hotbed for travel hacks, offering everything from how to efficiently pack a suitcase to tips on snagging flight upgrades. But not all viral advice is created equal, especially when it comes to safety at 40,000 feet. One trending sleeping hack, dubbed the "seatbelt nap trick," attempted to crack the code to sleeping comfortably in an economy seat. The tip? Sit upright with your feet in front of you on your seat and your knees in front of your chest, then fasten your seatbelt around your ankles,
mimicking a seated fetal position. Some tall netizens attest to its comfort when struggling with little legroom, and the hack has gained traction on TikTok as a popular sleeping position when flying. However, this pose is actually extremely unsafe.
@liv_likestolift I never have enough leg room, so I can never fall asleep. ive been wearing my seatbelt like this for years and now fall asleep on every flight. trust me it works #fyp #travel #plane #hack
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As a former Emirates cabin crew member who spent almost 5,000 hours in the air, I've experienced my fair share of emergency situations, from extinguishing cigarettes in the bathrooms that triggered smoke detectors to diverting due to an engine failure to helping to restrain an intoxicated and unruly traveler who overindulged at the airport bar. I've also handled injuries due to passengers compromising safety in pursuit of comfort.
Sleeping on a plane is not fun, and my sympathies are with anyone sitting in an economy seat on a long-haul flight. But safety and security are the highest priorities in the air, and some sleeping positions are just plain dangerous. I once found a passenger sleeping flat on the floor in front of his row of seats while his wife and child used him as a footrest. Unexpected safety issues mid-flight do occur, which is why your cabin crew wants you to remain in your seat with your seatbelt loosely fastened around your waist, not your ankles.
Read more: What Full-Body Scanners At Airport Security Really Show
Why This TikTok Sleeping Hack Is Not Safe
There are flight paths around the world that are notorious for having the worst turbulence, and encounters with erratic weather patterns can happen in seconds and result in serious injuries. Turbulence can be either light, moderate, or severe, and it's not always something that can be predicted. For example, clear-air turbulence is sudden and unforeseen, which is why passengers should wear their seatbelts every time they're in their seats, even if the seatbelt sign is switched off. If a flight experiences severe turbulence, an unfastened passenger may hit their head on the overhead bins or the passenger service units and fall back down on a headrest or another passenger. The "seatbelt nap trick" is not going to keep you secure if you encounter severe turbulence, as your feet may slip out of the seatbelt. Even sitting like this during moderate turbulence may result in your knees hitting your face.
Another unexpected issue that may take place on a flight is a rapid decompression, which occurs when the plane loses cabin pressure due to a crack in the fuselage, a broken window, or the loss of a door. If this happens, the flight deck will perform a rapid descent by essentially nose-diving to a safe altitude that allows everybody to breathe without oxygen masks. As the odds are low that this emergency will happen on your flight, precaution is always preferable.
Furthermore, the "seatbelt nap trick" may not even be physically comfortable. Several comments on this TikTok airplane sleeping hack noted that the position looked extremely awkward, and one TikToker who tried it rated it a 2 out of 10.
The Best Way To Sleep On A Plane And Tools For Enhancing Your Position
Rather than risk injury during turbulence or suffer the consequences of spending hours in a cramped, contorted position, experts say there are safer, more ergonomic ways to sleep in economy class that won't compromise your health or comfort. While it may be tempting to curl into a ball over your tray table or twist yourself into a pretzel-like pose, these positions can strain your muscles, aggravate your spine, and even increase your risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
According to experts from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (via Slate), the healthiest way to sleep in economy is by reclining your seat to about a 40-degree angle and keeping your legs extended for healthy circulation to reduce the risk of blood clots. In addition, a study conducted by Chiropractic and Manual Therapies suggests a lumbar support pillow at the base of the spine for comfort and to ease back pain during flights. The Kasney Lumbar Support Pillow, available on Amazon, is made from ergonomic memory foam and is an affordable option that's compact enough to fit in a carry-on bag.
While simply sitting back in an economy seat might seem like the most obvious position to assume on a flight, there are ways to enhance this basic posture. The Sarisun Travel Pillow comes highly recommended. Popular on TikTok and available on Amazon, it features a built-in headrest strap that connects to an eye mask, providing support for your head and neck and avoiding that all-too-familiar head jolt as you drift off. Ultimately, staying safe and getting rest on a plane doesn't require viral hacks or creative contortions — just a few smart adjustments and the right support.
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Read the original article on Islands.
