Should you recline your airplane seat or keep upright? Scientists reveal the best position to sleep in the...

It's got to be one of the most frustrating experiences on an airplane.

You've just got yourself nice and comfy, your film has started playing, and you're nibbling on a packet of peanuts. 

But all of a sudden, the chair in front of you moves back, crushing your legs in the process. 

For decades, moving your seat back has been a social faux pas – and a trigger for some seriously fierce in-plane confrontations.

And as leg room on planes gets smaller and smaller, it's increasingly becoming a bone of contention. 

Of course, the 'recline or upright' debate may seem like a trivial one compared with getting to your destination safely.

But how you sit may have long-lasting implications for your physical wellbeing. 

Now, scientists reveal the best way to sleep in the sky – and why you should never snooze on the tray table. 

Dr Chris Seenan, senior lecturer in physiotherapy at the University of Stirling, said most evidence around health risks from flying are to do with circulation.

As most flyers will know, taking regular walks around the aircraft cabin helps get the blood flowing to the extremities, helping reduce the risk of dangerous blood clots.

When it comes to posture and musculoskeletal health, 'the evidence base is much smaller', according to the academic. 

However, reclining your seat is very much a necessity, although much of a fuss the person behind you makes. 

According to Dr Seenan, the best approach is to alternate between recline and upright regularly, especially if you're on a long-haul flight.

'Reclining the seat slightly can reduce loading on the spine and neck, but it may increase shoulder pressure,' he told the Daily Mail. 

'So the most effective strategy is to change posture regularly.

'Alternate between reclining slightly with lumbar or neck support, sitting upright, or leaning forward for short periods if you need to rest.'   

Tips for in-cabin posture

• Alternate between the positions (upright and recline) as often as you can 
• The best posture 'is the next posture' - in other words, keep constantly moving (short naps may be best to achieve this) 
• Don't put your head down on the tray table in front of you as it can strain the neck 
• Take walks around the cabin to stretch your legs and increase blood circulation 

Often on flights, we're so tired that it's tempting to just slump forward with our head on our tray table to get some decent sleep. 

However, this requires 'neck flexion' – bending the head forward towards the chest – which can cause strain. 

'Leaning forward onto a tray table can give temporary relief but increases neck flexion, which over time is associated with stiffness,' Dr Seenan said. 

Professor Suzanne Snodgrass, physiotherapist at the University of Newcastle, agrees alternating between 'recline or upright’ is best.

On a flight, the trick is to change your posture regularly, because staying in one position for too long can trigger short-term or long-term pain.

But 'hunching over with your head on the tray table would not be good for back or neck posture', she added. 

Professor Kieran O'Sullivan, a physiotherapist at the University of Limerick, says 'there is no one ideal posture' on planes, as each has some pros and cons. 

'There is a reasonable argument to be made that the best posture is the next posture,' Professor O'Sullivan told the Daily Mail.

'That means no posture is particularly good or bad, but changing position and posture frequently might be the way to go when possible.'

If you're really struggling to slip into a blissful slumber on a plane, the recline option is recommended – even if the person behind kicks off. 

Elizabeth Broadbent, professor of health psychology at the University of Auckland, suggested lying back is indeed the best option for falling asleep. 

'In general, lying down or reclining makes us feel more sleepy, and sitting up makes us feel more alert,' she told the Daily Mail. 

Some consider reclining inconsiderate and potentially harmful to the person behind – triggering some nasty in-cabin confrontations.  

Earlier this year, footage emerged of a furious shouting match between two passengers over the issue on a four-hour flight from Singapore to Hong Kong. 

Another plane passenger chose to hold his hands against the seat in front to stop it from going back on an eight-hour overnight flight. 

According to a report by the Los Angeles Times, airlines have been driving their revenue by squeezing more seats into each plane, which may increase the desire to recline. 

The federal government lets airlines cram any number of seats into a cabin of any size, as long as passengers can evacuate in an emergency within 90 seconds. 

Secret travel hack to avoid the dreaded middle seat on an airplane without paying extra 

No one wants to get stuck sitting in the middle seat while flying.

It offers the least personal space - not to mention the fact it has no window view, limited access to the aisle and only half an armrest to use. 

Now, an avid flyer has revealed a genius hack to avoid the dreaded centre seat. 

he claimed has a secret hack that 'has a 100 percent perfect record,' which allows people to avoid the dreaded middle seat free of charge. 

Travel influencer Jordan Tually said the hack has a '100 per cent perfect record,' allowing people to avoid the middle seat free of charge.

In a video clip, Tually demonstrates how to avoid this while booking a Ryanair flight from Bologna, Italy to Barcelona, Spain online. 

Read more

• Could the worst seat on a plane actually be the most comfortable? Discover John Burfitt's surprising strategies for a soothing flight!
• Could your next flight be aging you faster? Find out why experts are urging plane passengers to rethink their window seat choices!
• Are controversial seat reclining disputes tearing apart plane cabins at 35,000 feet?
• Is reclining your airplane seat a right or a reckless act, as fiery debates rage on social media?
• Revealed: Why choosing an aisle seat could be the secret to avoiding back pain on your next flight, according to a top surgeon!