4 things to pack in your carry-on for a red-eye flight that will help you avoid jet lag

• I've booked several red-eye flights in my life, from vacations to reporting trips.
• I've found that sleeping through red-eye flights is key for avoiding jet lag at my destination.

I'm not a fan of red-eye flights, but as a travel reporter, I often take them.

Whether it's an international journey or the most convenient way home, sometimes red-eye flights make the most sense to book. But if I can't sleep through the night, I end up feeling jet-lagged for days at my destination.

Thankfully, my experiences have taught me exactly what to pack to get a good night's rest. From neck pillows to sleep masks, here's what I bring in my carry-on.

Despite the sunrise views, red-eye flights can be taxing. If you don't sleep, you may end up with jet lag.

Scenes from red-eye flights in Hawaii and Europe between 2020 and 2022.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Take it from me, a travel reporter who has stayed awake through several red-eyes around the world, from Europe to the Pacific Islands.

The author begins a 3-leg journey home from Guam that included an eight-hour red-eye flight in 2020.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Read more: I hardly slept on my most recent international red-eye flight, but I'd still book it again to avoid jet lag

Along the way, I've found that some key packing items help me sleep soundly and ultimately avoid jet lag.

The author hardly slept on an overnight flight to Germany in 2022.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Read more: I made a big mistake by napping within the first hour of my 7-day Mediterranean cruise, and it left me jet-lagged for half the trip

I pack Dramamine to mitigate motion sickness, and since one of the side effects is drowsiness, it serves a dual purpose on red-eye flights.

The author packs Dramamine for every trip.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Read more: The tiniest thing in my carry-on is also the most important — why I never fly without motion sickness medicine

But even with a sleep aid, light can be tough to sleep through, whether it's coming from the rows of glowing screens or the cabin itself. So a sleep mask is a must.

Glows from screens and overhead lights on a red-eye flight to Barcelona in 2023.      Joey Hadden/Insider, Jupiterimages/Getty Images

Seat-belt sign dings and cabin-wide announcements wake me up, too. So I've recently started packing earplugs, and they help me sleep for longer periods of time.

Earplugs were necessary.      Shutterstock

Read more: I've spent 150 hours on long-haul flights. These are the most essential items to keep in your carry-on.

Lastly, to make that stiff airline seat feel a little more like a bed, I always travel with a neck pillow.

A neck pillow is seen on a night flight from Honolulu to Denver in 2020.      Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Sleeping on planes is challenging, but I've found it gets easier with practice. And with these items in my carry-on, I can snuggle up and pretend I'm at home.

The author attempts to sleep on a flight home in 2020.      Joey Hadden/Insider

Read more: It took me 24 hours to fly from Guam to New York, but I figured out how to make the 3-leg trip more bearable