It used to be that on long-haul flights you would see rows of people settling for the sad mini-pillow and crackling with static electricity every time they squirmed under the fleece blankets provided by the airlines. Upon landing in a distant land, necks were twisted, all feeling in the feet was long gone, and eyes were swollen. But these days, you’re more likely to see young flight-savvy people strapped into high-tech neck pillows and luxurious silk eye masks. I recently flew to Mauritius and was dreading the two 12 hour night flights (small violins).

I’ve never been able to sleep on a plane, but I’d seen TikToks about Gen Z’s complex flight-time rituals involving hammocks hanging from chairs, multiple neck supports, and intricate combinations of masks, and I decided to put them to the test. . They may look ridiculous, but who’s laughing when they’re fast asleep and you’re sitting there blinking at the little plane flying over the globe on your screen?