Did you stay glassy-eyed and sitting straight-up awake all through your last cross-country flight? If you don’t want to repeat the ordeal, consider a few secrets from experts who can snooze almost anywhere at any time.

Book a red-eye: After a full eight hours at work or other heavy daytime schedule, you can crawl aboard exhausted. Then, curl up and sleep your way across the night skies.

Eat light: A big meal before your flight will cause your stomach to keep you awake while trying to digest it.

Shot of brandy: Best sleeping pill ever, but no beer. Suds will keep you running the aisles throughout the flight.

Loose clothing: Be totally comfy and slip off your shoes.

Eye mask and noise-cancelling earphones: Put yourself in your own cocoon, oblivious to external lights and sounds. If it helps, connect your earphones to soothing music.

Get more stretch space: Typically, red eye flights are the most likely to have unsold seats. If your fight isn’t fully booked, as soon as you board, ask the flight attendant to move you to a seat with an empty one next to it. If you’re lucky enough to be the only one in a three-across, you may be able to stretch out like the rich people up front.