Here, a flight service manager explains how a simple routine helps her drift off, no matter where she is in the world.

Name: Emma Armour

Age: 34

Profession: Flight service manager

Actual sleep: 7-8 hours

Ideal amount: 9-10 hours

3 words to describe sleep: Varied, disturbed, quality .

Sleep quality: 8/10

I have always loved sleep. My job inevitably means I have to try and get it when I can – but I always try to make the most of it! I’ve been working at Virgin Atlantic for nearly 13 years now and over that time I’ve learned to sleep wherever I can – I can literally sleep upright if I need to.

When I first began working in cabin crew, it was totally different to anything I had ever done before. I had to learn how to go to sleep very quickly, because we would often be given a half an hour warning of, ‘right, you’re going to bed soon’. So you have to be able to get ready for bed really quickly, and switch off your mind.

My environment makes a big difference to how well I sleep. We usually have beds in certain areas of the aircraft, but if not, we have to make the most of a jump seat, which is where we sit for take-off and landing. We strap ourselves in with the harness and use pillows to try and make it comfortable, then draw the curtains around us so customers don’t see. I am always adapting and learning the best ways to sleep in different positions, and I try to pass on any tips to our customers, such as a good position to put your pillow in on a seat.

Stylist Sleep Diaries: How a simple routine helps me sleep on planes