Passenger mistakes on long flights. The former stewardess lists as many as 12

Walking on a plane without shoes and socks is a bad idea

There's nothing better than starting a long flight by taking off your shoes and putting on the comfy socks that the crew often hand out in first class.

However, these socks should be worn while sitting in the seat, not while walking around the cabin.

When I was working as a flight attendant, I found out that carpets in airplanes are not thoroughly cleaned very often. Moreover, during turbulence, the fluid on the toilet floor is not always water.

If you want to move around the plane without shoes, pack slippers to avoid direct contact with the floor.

Many people do not check first whether the travel pillow is comfortable

Some people love classic U-shaped pillows, and my daughter cannot imagine traveling without them.

However, I often saw passengers who they lugged them halfway around the world, only to find them uncomfortable after boarding.

Before you burden your carry-on with such a large addition, try the pillow at home and make sure it really suits you.

Read also: I returned to the US in interesting times. I couldn't believe these things

Be careful about experimenting with sleeping pills

Don't assume that it is enough to swallow a sleeping pill, wash it down with a few drinks and sleep peacefully for a perfectly measured time.

Some sleeping medications may cause drowsiness, stupor and other side effects. In the event of a technical failure or emergency on board, you need to be able to wake up and respond quickly.

If it's your first time taking such drugs, you react more strongly than usual to them, or you take too much, you may wake up with an irritated flight attendant above you.

Always discuss the use of prescription medications with your doctor, especially before flying. For over-the-counter products, follow the instructions carefully.

Watching movies and TV series throughout the flight can make jet lag worse

As a mom, I don't judge parents who allow their children more screen time on long flights. My oldest child would happily take the world's longest flight just to watch movies non-stop.

The wide range of cartoons, films and games on board is great, but if you don't supplement it with traditional entertainment such as coloring books, stickers or puzzles, children may become too stimulated to fall asleep.

Without sleep, they will almost certainly suffer from jet lag the next day. This rule also applies to adults.

Many people do not drink enough water and arrive dehydrated.

If the seat belt warning keeps going on and off or you have to squeeze through other passengers to get to the toilet, it's easy to cut down on your water intake.

But dry air and high altitude promote dehydration, which can worsen the symptoms of jet lag and lead to other health problems.

Flight attendants usually hand out water regularly, but if they don't, don't hesitate to ask for more.

To have more control, it's a good idea to take an empty bottle and refill it after passing security.

Without layering, you may feel too hot or too cold

Keeping all passengers happy is difficult, especially when it comes to the temperature in a plane flying thousands of meters above the ground.

It is very likely that you will feel too hot or too cold at some point. You can ask the crew to change the temperature, but another passenger may have asked for the opposite change moments earlier.

It's safest to dress in layers, so that you can easily remove or add something.

Don't miss the opportunity to charge your devices

It is worth downloading movies, TV series and e-books before a long flight.

However, remember to fully charge your devices before boarding because sockets in a seat, a row or even the entire plane sometimes don't work.

To be safe, bring a book or download podcasts that use less energy and will keep you entertained all night long.

Don't rely solely on the in-flight entertainment system

A long flight is a great opportunity to watch a new movie or series.

However, screens in the seatbacks can be unreliableso there's a chance yours won't work.

If you're not the type of person who can sleep through the entire flight, prepare your own sources of entertainment.

Too much alcohol before or during a flight makes you feel worse

Due to lower blood oxygen levels and dehydration, the effects of alcohol on a plane can be much stronger.

I saw drunk passengers embarrassing themselves, getting into arguments and vomiting after boasting about their “strong head”.

I'm not saying that you can't have a glass of wine with dinner – I rarely say no – but it's worth remembering that excess alcohol and dehydration can cause extremely severe jet lag.

It's easy to forget about the little things that significantly improve comfort

In premium classes you often get an elegant travel set, but in economics you have to take care of such things yourself.

The air in the cabin is very dry, so it is worth taking lip balm and moisturizer.

If you don't have noise-cancelling headphones, take earplugs to help block out the sounds of conversations, coughs or footsteps in the hallway.

The blindfold will protect against the light of screens, stewardesses' flashlights and the sun shining through the windows.

After a long night of eating, drinking and morning coffee, you will also appreciate a small toothbrush and toothpaste. Or at least chewing gum.

It is worth avoiding bloating foods and carbonated drinks.

Airport food can be heavy and processed, so many travelers choose salads and fresh vegetables.

Still, try to avoid products that cause gas, as well as carbonated drinks. Low pressure during flight causes gases to expand.

This is why a bag of chips swells up like a balloon and why you may feel bloated.

Accumulated gas can be very painful. At my airline, flight attendants were even trained to help passengers get into positions to help get rid of gas and ease discomfort.

The above text is a translation from American edition of Business Insider