A new viral social media trend is promoting a new sleeping position on airplanes that has aviation experts and safety authorities sounding the alarm.
The trend is called "airplane napping hack" and the way it works, according to Travel Noire, it "involves passengers lifting their feet from the floor to the seat. They then strap them down tightly with the seatbelts and lower their heads onto their knees. This position, which resembles a curled-up ball, has been touted by some TikTok and Instagram users as "life-changing" for getting rest during flights."
@barstoolsports New sleeping on plane hack ️ @itgirl (via:@kiyana <3 ♬ Sleepy - Gui
Sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, Founder of The Sleep Doctor told Travel Noire "This appears to be one of the dumbest ideas I have ever seen," he said. "If there is an emergency, I'm guessing both legs get broken. And if there is even mild turbulence, it could be another issue - probably a head injury."
Experts suggest that there are better ways to get better sleep on an airplane such as choosing a window seat, and to invest in some airplane sleeping accessories such as a neck pillow and noise canceling headphones.
