Q: When I drive long distances at night, I have to fight to stay awake. However, when I fly red eye, no matter what I do, I can’t get a moment of sleep. I’ll be doing a lot of red eye flying over the holiday weeks. Any suggestions?

Jack L., Chicago IL

A: We could suggest you invest in first-class tickets, so you’ll get full-reclining seats. Of course, since they cost five times more than coach, is it worth investing many more bucks just for a couple of hours of comfort? Here’s what we suggest when facing a red eye flight in coach. Book your seats in a two-across row, away from the airplane’s toilets. Before boarding, eat a very light supper and drink minimum liquids. We believe a shot of brandy before you board is the best sleeping pill.

Wear comfy, stretchy clothes, heavy socks or slippers and a cap with a brim you can pull down, or a sleep mask. Use noise-cancelling headphones on a player with soothing music CDs. It isn’t likely you’ll have an empty seat next to you for stretching out when flying during the holidays, but try to curl up as well as you can in the space you have.