Red Eyes

Some people I know like red eyes. These likers believe that you get on the plane, do what ever you have to do to fall asleep (booze, allergy medication, etc.), sleep your way through the whole thing, and then have a fulfilling day at your destination, even if you are a little conked out from the time changes and the plane-sleeping.

I do not like red eyes. I can tolerate them. I can usually sleep a little, if the timing is alright. The ones to Europe give me a little trouble because they often leave early, so you arrive in Europe at 1 or 2 am Eastern time. There's little chance that I am going to fall asleep at 8pm after the plane takes off unless I have been having a death defying day. That said, sleep is possible for me. I figured out my sleep success requirement: have an eye mask to block out the lights. I think I should also get a neck pillow, I hear those rock. However, sleeping really dries out my nose, mouth, and throat. My eyes do not feel refreshed either...

It is unfortunately the nature of the beast that almost all cheap flights from the East Coast to Europe are red eyes, due to the huge time change hassle. On the flip side, all the returns I have take have been day-only flights at humane hours, even including connections. Often it seems to work that I leave around noon, connect somewhere in Europe or possibly New York for an hour and a half, then arrive around 6pm.

Last night was my red eye. When I got in this morning, I decided on having a 4 hour nap before I went to Polimi in the afternoon. Hopefully that will not bite me in the butt and I will be able to get to sleep at a reasonable hour tonight. It does help that it gets dark early and I can have a soothing bath...