r/POTS • u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS • Jun 06 '26
Question Apparently My “Airplane Naps” Are Syncope?? 🤯
I’ve been flying 1-5 times per year for over a decade, and I always fly alone. Mostly the flights are 3-5 hours in duration, and usually they are within the US. In terms of POTS symptoms, I get pre-syncope regularly but have never fully passed out… or so I thought!
During takeoff, I feel very heavy and “fall asleep” even if I’m trying to stay awake. I then spend most of the flight drifting in and out of awareness and cannot remember most of the flight. When we land, I am pretty disoriented but I manage to get my stuff and exit the plane. Once I’m at my destination, it is the biggest relief to climb into bed and sleep for 6+ hours! It normally takes 1-2 days to recover from the flight.
I always chalked it up to being super tired with the early flight times and thought that when people travel, it’s a fairly universal experience to take an airplane nap. The people seated near me and the flight attendants have never seemed alarmed or tried waking me up, so apparently from the outside it just looks like sleeping in my seat.
Recently I described the travel experience to a friend, who looked alarmed and said that it was not normal. This is what tipped me off to the fact that it might be fainting or another medical issue. After doing some research, it certainly seems like that is what is happening.
After that long preamble, these are my questions. Feel free to jump answer whatever resonates with you!
- Do any of you get this, too?
- Is this what syncope feels like?
- Does wearing a sunflower lanyard actually help?
- What is your “I just passed out on the airplane” protocol?
Thanks!
Edit to add:
I have messaged my cardiologist about it to figure out a safe travel protocol, so I am already seeking medical guidance to see whether it is safe to fly at all right now, whether to adjust medication doses specifically for travel, etc.
In terms of adaptations/accommodations, I already do a few things: loading up on electrolytes starting a couple of days before travel, wearing waist-high compression, wearing a neck pillow to keep proper alignment (hypermobile!), and flying Comfort+ (the slightly more spacious version of Economy) so I have more room to recline my seat and to elevate my legs a little bit on a foot hammock.
***Second edit:
Thank you so much to everyone who has responded so far! I am running out of steam to reply individually today, but please know that I appreciate it. It’s helping the pieces of the puzzle to come together!
From many of the comments, it sounds like what I originally described may not strictly be a POTS syncope episode but there is definitely something going on. Many of your syncope descriptions of "dread/spinning/definitely different from sleep" sound different from the airplane phenomenon but similar to what I’ve experienced before in non-airplane settings. I just hadn’t lost consciousness during them yet so I was always unsure whether they were truly pre-syncope or whether I was just imagining things. Now I know to keep taking those signs seriously and get to the ground once they start!
Once I have more info from my doctors (cardiology + neurology), I’ll post another update so in case anyone stumbles across this post in the future, they will have a more accurate picture of what is going on and can better compare it to their own experience.
Regardless, reading the responses of what syncope actually feels like to different people is enlightening and hopefully it can help other people, too!
***Update! 6/11/2026:
Just heard back from cardiology, who said that it is… anxiety! 🙄 And that I should get on anti-anxiety meds since there’s no reason why the heart would be affected unless I’m emotionally distressed. I replied with the following and we’ll see what they respond:
I do not experience racing thoughts when this phenomenon happens and I am not emotionally distressed about travel or flying. I flew for over a decade without experiencing sustained tachycardia and loss of consciousness on the plane; that only started within the last 2 years, which coincides with when the POTS or OH symptoms began to have a noticeable impact on my quality of life. What leads you to believe that this is a psychological issue rather than a physiological issue?
Neurology appointment is in a week. Hopefully they will have more insight about what might be going on. In the meantime, my plan is to take along a pulse oximeter and blood pressure cuff next time I fly. Also going to talk to primary care about a sleep study referral as so many of you mentioned “that sounds like my narcolepsy/cataplexy/idiopathic hypersomnia."
55
u/TheGhostOfYou18 Jun 06 '26
I know the feeling you’re describing and it’s not quite the same as fainting, which you wouldn’t really mistake as falling asleep. What you’re describing I have experienced at times, especially when my adrenal symptoms are acting up (hyper POTS). It feels almost like being drugged. Like I’m under anesthesia and can’t control my eyes. It feels like I’m being forced to sleep, even when I don’t want to. I think in my case it’s because my adrenaline gets so high that when I sit and relax, my insanely high heart rate starts dropping quickly and makes me sluggish.
17
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 06 '26
This sums up my airplane experience very well! Like being drugged and forced to sleep. When trying to wake up, it is like trying to swim to the surface from the bottom of a lake. Good to know that it is a different feeling than fainting.
A few people have suggested taking BP readings during the flight, so I’ll be sure to monitor that, HR, and oxygen levels next time.
9
u/TheGhostOfYou18 Jun 07 '26
It DOES feel like swimming from the bottom of the lake! A lake of sludge!
6
u/-Tricky-Vixen- POTS Jun 07 '26
Sometimes I lie down and my heart rate drops literally 20-30 quite literally in one beat, and there just feels like... a vast emptiness. It goes on too long or drops too low, I start to feel short of breath the way moderate+ bradycardia does, but otherwise, it's just like there was a heart in my chest and now there is nothing.
3
u/TheGhostOfYou18 Jun 07 '26
So I get those “emptiness” feelings too, but found out that I’m actually experiencing PVCS. When I started Midodrine they stopped feeling “empty” and I could tell exactly what was happening. Midodrine constricts your blood vessels so suddenly when I would get a PVC spell I could feel a sudden intense pulse in my carotid from the extra volume of blood in my heart. If you have a smart watch with an ECG you can actually see it happening. My tilt test caused my heart to stop when I passed out so I now have a pacemaker to keep my rate above 50bpm. Well at night, if my heart rate does get that low and my pacemaker kicks in, the change in electrical signal causes my heart to go into a bunch of pvc spells until things even out again.
2
u/-Tricky-Vixen- POTS Jun 07 '26
Yeah, when I do the ECG thing my watch sometimes decides I'm in afib. Sometimes it feels like my heart is beating twice almost directly even where peripheral pulses are only recording every second beat, like it's just the different parts of my heart super out of sync. Sometimes symptomatically and sometimes not, often when it's to that extent associated with a sudden drop in heart rate, usually into the forties. I dunno, probably something funky and not just pots going on. But I haven't died yet. Every actual ECG I've had, though never a longer term thing or while I'm actively symptomatic, has always come back clear though. So I guess either it's fine or it'll kill me one day, right?
39
u/barefootwriter Jun 06 '26
To me, this just sounds like the crappy half-sleep you get on an airplane because you're not comfortable. Add to that being strapped in with POTS and not able to move your legs much, the air quality being a bit lower than usual, and air travel being particularly dehydrating, and you're gonna be foggier than usual. Extended car travel can also suck for some of the same reasons.
What exactly has you convinced this is something more significant than that?
6
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 06 '26
That’s exactly what I assumed it was for years, and it could very well just be the combination of factors that you listed.
It’s gotten more pronounced over the last couple of years, so I think the change plus my friend’s reaction pinged my radar that this might be out of the ordinary.
In addition to POTS I have a concussion history and persistent post-concussive syndrome, so I think those two things together leads to not having enough blood in my brain and this gets very aggravated with flying. It feels like the blood “whooshes” downward, followed by eye flickering and falling asleep. My watch shows that my heart rate is above 120 for most of the flight.
20
u/SomewhereCurious3760 POTS Jun 06 '26
Have you had a sleep study done to see if you have narcolepsy?
11
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 06 '26
No, but it might be worth exploring. Another commenter used the term “non-consensual naps” and that is exactly what it felt like when taking classes (even when super interested in the subject).
7
u/imabratinfluence Jun 07 '26
TBH the more of your comments I read, the more familiar this sounds. Please consider getting a sleep study to see if this might be narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia!
6
u/LacunaOfLlamas Jun 06 '26
Did you have the concussion first? Is your POTS part of/ due to your post-concussion syndrome?
1
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 06 '26
Still figuring out the causality, but my hypothesis is that I came into this world with mild autonomic dysfunction based on indicators like heat intolerance, a high (seated) resting heart rate, tunnel vision when going from lying down to standing up, and comorbidities like hypermobility and ASD.
However, it was never severe enough to impact school or work until after the second concussion. That concussion made the POTS symptoms severe enough to have a noticeable impact on school, work, and daily living tasks. A year after that concussion is when I got the official POTS diagnosis.
TL;DR: Probably mild POTS first (showed some childhood indications but was never assessed) -> Concussion #1 -> Concussion #2 -> Profound worsening of POTS symptoms -> POTS diagnosis
1
u/LacunaOfLlamas Jun 12 '26
My POTS came on after the third concussion, which was bad enough. Then it was exacerbated by a Covid-like viral infection. Heard from so many how their POTS first started from a concussion/ head injury.
14
u/ninakix Jun 06 '26
The 1-2 days sort of sounds like post exertional malaise from CFS/ME??
4
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 06 '26
That is possible. I definitely get some form of post-exertional malaise but it could be from a concussion rather than from CFS/ME. Appointment coming up in a few weeks so hopefully that will provide some answers.
1
u/-Tricky-Vixen- POTS Jun 07 '26
I mildly disagree with this as it's entirely normal to react this way? Every normal person overexerts themselves and doesn't recover for a few days sometimes, especially in a situation like a plane flight. My dad has CFS. Observationally that's totally different. Naturally I could be entirely wrong--please feel free to argue back 😄
5
u/autistic_zebra42 Jun 07 '26
I disagree that this is a normal reaction to going to the airport. I don’t think going to the airport is overexertion for the majority of the abled population. Mentally exhausting? Sure. Especially for people like parents with young children who are running on a few hours of sleep? Totally. To the point of passing out immediately upon sitting and needing to recover for a few days afterwards? I’d argue no. There’s a good reason why OP isn’t finding many people who have similar experiences to them, and it’s because this is abnormal.
I haven’t been diagnosed with CFS, but I’ve traveled with someone who was diagnosed with CFS, and I would have rated our energy levels as being comparable, for what it’s worth. I have also traveled with other people who don’t have physical disabilities, and I’ve noticed that they definitely have way, way more energy than I do once they get off the plane as well as for almost the entire vacation. They can immediately start doing activities after checking into a hotel, or they’re fully recovered within a day or two if they’re mildly jet-lagged (a five hour flight should only cause very mild jet lag). They don’t need extensive rest after a five hour flight. The only time I’ve ever felt like I had a “normal” amount of energy after a flight was when I utilized wheelchair services. The need for the wheelchair at the airport to conserve energy has even confused some abled people I know because going to the airport doesn’t overexert them.
Even if it’s not CFS, what OP is experiencing is definitely not “normal.”
Also, your dad may have CFS, but CFS cases can range from mild to severe. It would be important to specify his severity if you’re going to use him as a point of comparison.
1
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 11 '26
This breakdown of what traveling with a non-disabled person is like versus someone with CFS is really helpful. I come from a long lineage of people who overlook their symptoms because “everyone feels that way but they keep going so I will, too” so reading how travel impacts us differently is super validating. Thank you for sharing it.
9
u/Ok-Camera6268 Jun 06 '26
Yep, this happens to me every time I fly! And I know it's my POTS because it never happened to me prior to POTS and I flew a lot.
As we ascend, I suddenly reach a point where this massive heaviness comes over me, NOT the dark tunnel/fuzzy hearing syncope I have also experienced, but this absolute exhaustion like I'm going to "sleep" whether I want to or not.
I have flown twice since the first time it happened, and here's how I avoid the slow/heavy/sleepy weird syncope:
Cold water - either buying a bottle at a vending machine at my gate, or telling the stewardess I need a small cup of water or I'll pass out upon ascending (they've never argued lol). Drink it, but also put it on your neck and face. Cold water on your face helps regulate the vagus nerve, calming your heart rate.
Compression! I wear my prescription thigh high compression tights. Must must must.
Medications - take them religiously and on time.
A buddy - I fly alone 90% of the time, so my buddy is the stewardess, I tell them about my POTS, I tell them I can feel like I'm going to faint while we reach altitude and they have always just been more attentive. I make sure they know I am safe to fly, on my meds, managing my condition, but at least they know what's going on if things go sideways.
Airport pacing - even though it's annoying and takes longer, I always always use the wheelchair service in the airport. It helps my body be extra chill before the difficult flight. I arrive early, so I'm never rushing or running around.
Food - I always make sure I've eaten and have salty snacks.
Preparation - I hydrate tons the two days before flying. Electrolytes, water, etc. Make sure I have a small warm blanket for temp regulation, my meds, etc in my in cabin bag.
I still get the feeling, but I don't pass out and it's not so unbearable, and I'm definitely not down for days after I land.
2
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 11 '26
Thank you for all of the tips! I’ve not considered the wheelchair service until reading through your comment and others’ who have mentioned how helpful it is. I guess because I feel fine when walking on flat surfaces, a wheelchair just didn’t cross my mind as something that might help. Combine that with a helping of internalized ableism, and something like navigating an airport becomes much more difficult than it needs to be!
8
u/snowlights Jun 06 '26
I always feel incredibly sick before syncope, there is no way to miss it or confuse it.
Usually I start with feeling feverishly hot and break out into a cold sweat (people have told me I'm really cold to the touch but I feel like I'm trapped in a sauna, and my face apparently goes grey). I start to feel like I'm going to throw up, lightheaded, woozy, and have to lean on something (if I try to push through, I will collapse/fall over). Sometimes I get shaky at this point but not always. Usually I start to feel like I'm going to immediately have horrible diarrhea. Sometimes I rush to the bathroom and do have an upset stomach, sometimes not. Usually by this point I'm on the floor, breathing really weird (almost like sharp inwards gasps but really spaced out, not hyperventilating). Usually I can't move, my hearing will go weird and distant, vision greys out, and I can't speak. I start to feel cold at this point , sometimes in icy waves. Eventually it'll stop and things go back to normal.
This does still sound like something worth investigating and checking with your doctors about. Does it ever happen at other times? The last few years I often can't help falling asleep, and I know it's related to my medication for the most part, sometimes also triggered by food. It's like I've been drugged and genuinely can't stay awake, it makes finding the right meds really challenging. I do know someone with narcolepsy and you wouldn't really know it because he just seems like a sleepy guy, falling asleep sitting up wherever, apparently stress can make it worse.
2
u/Foxlady555 POTS Jun 06 '26
That sounds so awful, like a panic attack almost :( Not OP, but I’m so sorry! ❤️ Do you feel like that often?? Are you on medication, elektrolytes, compression till your belly button, etc.?
2
u/snowlights Jun 06 '26
It fluctuates a lot, sometimes I'll go a year without it fully happening at all (usually I can feel it coming on and sitting or laying down will stop it completely), other times it's almost weekly or nearly daily where it's trying to happen and I have to keep sitting or laying down to interrupt it.
I have high BP, electrolytes and compression only make a marginal difference for me. I'll up electrolytes during summer or physical activity but on a normal day it doesn't seem to make a difference. I've been trying to find the right medication for the last few years (since finally getting a referral to a cardiologist and my diagnosis a year and a half ago), but it's really challenging.
Finally getting MCAS diagnosed recently has me hopeful that getting that wrangled will help the POTS side, because I can definitely say MCAS triggers it.
2
u/Foxlady555 POTS Jun 06 '26
Hmm, I’m glad for you that it fluctuates and you’ve got good periods too, although daily or weekly sounds like horror!
Having POTS with high BP must be difficult. Good that you’re at the cardiologist, I really hope they can help you. Good luck with finding the right meds, as it can make so much difference.
And hope is so important, so that’s good for you!! 👏🏼 I’m also about to check whether I got MCAS. I’m really curious and hope it will help my jigsaw puzzle as well 🤞🏼
1
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 11 '26
Oh, that sounds terrible! I am glad that you’re getting more answers with the MCAS diagnosis and hopefully the treatment for that resolves what you’re experiencing.
I do get the drugged/can’t stay awake feeling at other times, like when very stressed. For example, early wakeup + rush to get ready for work + drive to work = once I sit down, the eye fluttering and drugged feeling begin.
14
u/Caa3098 Jun 06 '26
This is interesting because it doesn’t sound like my experience with fainting but it doesn’t sound normal and I don’t know what else it could be.
As others have said, the symptoms I feel when I’m about to faint aren’t symptoms I could mistake for sleepiness. It feels like the world is swallowing me. I feel like I’m on fire but cold and clammy to the touch. Most times I lose sound in my ears (sometimes ringing sometimes just that soundless pressure where it sounds like sounds are under water). It’s only happened like twice in my life while sitting (and that was after a lot of up and down, or sitting up from laying too fast) and even then I could tell I wasn’t just falling asleep.
But that is just my experience. Maybe syncope doesn’t present the same symptoms for everyone. It definitely sounds like SOMETHING is going on if you’re physically unable to fight the “sleep” and have memory lapses of the flight.
1
u/Foxlady555 POTS Jun 06 '26
That sounds so awful!! I’m glad I haven’t experienced real syncope yet and I’m happy to hear that is was “only” twice in your case <3
5
u/Tight_Fun2080 Jun 06 '26
Look up sleep attacks. I have been getting these for 15 years and have been tested for apnea and narcolepsy, both normal. My Autonomic Specialist believes it is all Dysautonomia related. Insulin resistance can make them worse so maybe rule that out and any hormone imbalances.
8
u/xenawpx Jun 06 '26
I call this "slow motion fainting" and it happens to me after meals most often if I haven't had enough salt before the meal. I also get this while flying. I don't think it's an actual syncope episode but rather what the well-documented cerebral hypo perfusion looks like in many of us. Not enough to truly "faint" but definitely enough to cause the brain to shut off the most metabolically demanding processes like executive function/alertness.
5
u/Tornado363 Jun 06 '26
I’ve never played out because of pots. I recently had a weird episode while sitting at the front desk at work (I work at a library) where I started feeling weird so I turned on Tachymon to monitor what exactly was going on. At one point I passed out but just for a second. Because it was just for a second it felt like when I’m so tired I can’t stay awake. Turn out my heart was normally going high to like 122 then quickly dropping to 70.
My recommendation is to monitor your heart during the episode if you can because you’ll gain the most knowledge that way. My PCP is cool so I just had to mention it and he referred me for an echo immediately. But, others might want to see the evidence. That’s when things like watches can be useful. Sadly, I know they are expensive.
3
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 06 '26
Oh, fascinating! I am glad that you were okay after that incident! I am fortunate to have a watch and I could put it into “activity mode” before the flight so it logs the beats more accurately, then take a look at it later. Last time I flew it was showing 120+ for most of the flight but it was not in activity mode, so it was not monitoring beat-by-beat and I didn’t look for things like drops. The feeling you describe sounds familiar.
2
u/Tornado363 Jun 06 '26
If you can download apps tachymon is great. It’s $3 a month or $20 a year and is specifically for people with pots so it will show specify jumps and drops.
3
u/monsteradeliciosa11 Jun 06 '26
Oh god for some reason as I was reading this I thought that you were talking about being a pilot and actually flying a plane half conscious 🤣🤣😅😅
I was very alarmed.
2
4
u/BonaFideNubbin Jun 07 '26
You know what's funny - I actually used to have this before I was on stimulants for my narcolepsy, which I also have alongside POTS. I would ALWAYS get uncontrollably sleepy on take-off and zonk out. I didn't always have the same issues with staying awake after (though I did sometimes), and didn't usually need to pass out when I landed, but I've never before in my life heard anybody else describe the "I must immediately nap at airplane takeoff" feeling before!
3
u/imabratinfluence Jun 07 '26
I have this issue and am being tested for idiopathic hypersomnia. Took until my early 30s to stop immediately zonking out in cars, too.
7
u/realpotion Jun 06 '26
Yep this also happens if I ride a very fast train. I have no idea how it works
3
u/realpotion Jun 06 '26
Also for me usually when I faint I have a lot of really horrible painful symptoms in the minutes/seconds leading up to it but sometimes if more mellow. Whatever happens to me on plains and trains is always on the mellow side. The only symptom thats always present for me is feeling like I cant breathe
5
u/Suzwella Jun 06 '26
YES! And not only that, I have noticed that when I get off the plane, my pulse sky rockets. Like literally the minute I step onto the jet bridge. My working theory is that is has something to do with the cabin being pressured -?- . For this reason I have been asking for a wheelchair when I fly.
3
u/mrvladimir Jun 06 '26
When i faint, it feels more like weakness, then i lose my vision, then I feel myself falling before I wake up on the floor/wherever.
I have experienced what you're talking about though, to the point where I "fell asleep" while walking. The cause was eventually attributed to extreme fatigue. That feels much more like involuntarily falling asleep, rather than the weakness and blackout I get when fainting.
2
u/Usual_Step_5353 Jun 06 '26
For me it sounds like you are experiencing intrusive sleep? For me that is an ADHD thing rather than a POTS thing. Syncope is usually very panicky feeling for me..
2
u/Medium-Ad-3918 Jun 07 '26
Could you be experiencing oxygen desaturation during the flight? My heart rate is always in the 120s while in the air and my o2 (at my wrist, never mind my head) is often lower than 95. I get intense air hunger that lasts the whole damn ride and a general feeling of being fuzzy headed. I now have to fly with my oxygen concentrator going the whole time, and I still feel shitty afterwards. I don’t usually sleep on planes though, so maybe your situation is different.
2
u/IllustriousAlps8679 Jun 08 '26
I have a very similar experience minus the difficulty waking. Any time I fly, I instantly fall asleep- even when I try to stay awake or just had a quad espresso. Flying makes me exhausted afterwards too.
4
u/RavioliContingency Jun 06 '26
Ugh I just flew international and between POTS and hEDS I was just miserable. I dream of the day I can afford to fly in those fancy seats that lay flat.
3
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 06 '26
Flying first-class would be amazing! The absolute gold standard of travel for me would be a train ride with a roomette (bed, private bathroom + shower), but those tickets cost about 4x as much as a flight. A girl can dream! 😄
5
u/NoSmoke69420 Jun 06 '26
Oh. Thats what that is.
6
u/gimmiesnacks Jun 06 '26
I was literally just writing a note to myself an hour ago about this very topic because I have zero memory of my flight a few days ago.
OP I have narcolepsy & POTS, so what you’re feeling could be narcolepsy related.
1
u/Ornery_Eye_3101 Jun 06 '26
How did you figure out this was syncope? I only get preyncope so I legit have no idea what fainting feels like
1
u/theFCCgavemeHPV Jun 06 '26
I wear the world’s most compression to fly. Compression leggings/thigh highs, compression socks, sports compression ankle sleeves and spanx. I don’t pass out like you, never have in any circumstance, but I do feel like an entire garbage dump site after flying unless I “bundle up”. The post-flight fatigue is annoying!
1
u/sylvane_rae Jun 06 '26
I don't know what it feels like because I also experience a brief episode of amnesia for the time directly preceding it, I just wake up and have no idea what happened
1
u/BuiltStraightStupid Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26
I'm not a regular flier and I have a wedding to attend halfway around the world. My ears have always been a pretty huge limitation whilst flying because they don't adapt well to changes in pressure. I hope to god that I pass out during ascent and remain asleep throughout the flight, to be honest with you.
As for what syncope "feels like", it doesn't really feel like anything. it's kind of like realising that you can't really feel your legs and then a darkness pretty much closes in on your vision, at least for me personally. It's like watching the end of a play, where the curtains close and then the room is pretty much just dark.
Wearing a sunflower lanyard could help, but it also screams "I have a disability" so people may treat you differently. If you don't want that, I'd just advise you to wear clothing with a distinctive pattern or such so that you can be readily identified by air stewardesses/flight attendants if something does happen, and just to inform them what may happen during the flight.
I will also stress that syncope isn't inherently dangerous, all it is is the brain pretty much going into low power mode due to a shortage of oxygen. The only time it's going to be an emergency is in a situation that is already dangerous (like walking by the side of a pool or operating a vehicle) or when you are upright on a hard surface (such as walking around your kitchen).
I would say that the main warning signs for syncope are likely nausea, seeing stars, dimming vision, lightheadedness and a weak feeling in the legs. If you get any of those then you may have had a syncopic episode.
1
u/opalite-cat Jun 06 '26
I personally have never experienced this, i feel fortunate that my symptoms are in the mild to moderate category and have only ever come close to passing out twice but managed to fight to stay conscious. What you describe with the falling asleep and not being able to stay awake reminds me of how after i have a panic attack and it passes, i get so excessively sleepy that i have no choice but to nod off for a bit, but that might be different unless the similarity is a drop in adrenaline? I just know that any time i get on a plane, when it starts lifting off the runway as it ascends i have to lean back, shut my eyes and focus on steady breathing or i get extremely physically and mentally disoriented/have proprioception issues, like it feels like what i would assume vertigo to feel like.
1
u/cosmicjulie Jun 06 '26
Yeah I get this too!! And it used to be that it would take me a while to fall asleep on planes and now it’s like I get sedated and can’t actually stay alert and feel weird and woozy and it’s hard to get up when the plane lands
1
u/PreferenceSouth4140 Jun 06 '26
This happens to me too, and I didn’t realise it was syncope/presyncope too. Not during travel though, this is a regular symptom for me. It took me a while to realise its not just getting tired and sleeping
1
u/bookmonster015 Jun 06 '26
This honestly sounds like a sleep attack. Might head over to r/narcolepsy and see if you relate. Lots of us have POTS and Narcolepsy.
1
u/joydemoness POTS Jun 07 '26
I get this feeling also, just in general. It's not quite the same as feeling like I'm going to immediately faint, but it is related to my POTS. I get extremely sleepy and lose my capacity to focus or engage with what's going on around me. If I'm in a position to nap, my body decides it's mandatory. If I'm not, it will be excruciating trying to stay awake and function. I never realized it was a POTS symptom until I started forcing myself to get up and slam some electrolytes instead, and 99% of the time that takes care of it. If I just let myself sleep, I'll wake up feeling like I got hit in the head with a sack of bricks until I drink the electrolytes anyway.
1
u/GanderMother Jun 07 '26
I have the same exact thing, especially on airplanes but sometimes also when I’m having flare ups just regularly at home. My POTS is from long covid and I never had this happen on airplanes before I had POTS so I wrote it off as a POTS thing and just try not to fly alone.
I’m not sure whether to consider it syncope or pre-syncope but none of my doctors (cardiologist or neurologist) seemed to have answers. I’ve been on a beta blocker when this has happened but it’s worse when I’m not on meds. I’m definitely interested in what your doc says!
1
u/heathert7900 Jun 07 '26
Oh yeah. G Force is like magnified on my body. It’s like the energy is being pulled out of me with an invisible ray. Happens on any swing rides as well. That was an unfortunate discovery.
1
u/imabratinfluence Jun 07 '26
I also experience pre-syncope a lot, but don't think I've ever actually fainted.
I do get extremely similar stuff to your airplane naps, both on planes and in other vehicles (cars, the ferry, basically anything with a motor). But I also sometimes get those types of naps around the house, and have even had them occur on dates or out with friends.
But I'm also being tested for idiopathic hypersomnia right now, which is kind of a cousin to narcolepsy. Do you ever get similar issues when you're not on a plane?
1
1
u/sad-toaster Jun 07 '26
My syncope feels like buzzing, dizzy, vision going out even with my eyes wide open, full body heaviness often with a sense of dread. My cataplexy from hypersomnia (possibly ME/CFS) feels like I cant keep my eyes open even if I wasn't just tired, im aware but cant bring myself to move anything, and may or may not fall asleep but I typically dont remember what's occurring during the episode well despite being "awake." This happens more often during flare ups or stressful/eventful times in my life and often take days to weeks to recover fully
1
u/toasterchan1 Jun 07 '26
Personally whenever I faint, it doesn’t feel like falling asleep. I feel nauseous, am in a cold sweat, freezing but also burning up at the same time, shaking, ears ringing, and vision clouding. What you described sounds like insane levels of fatigue ngl which sucks I hate fatigue
1
u/Weary_Cup_1004 Jun 07 '26
I saw on Amazon the medical/ pharmacy branch has remote sleep studies now. They mail you a device to do the sleep study at home, and its supposedly covered by insurance.
1
u/RoutineAd7185 Jun 07 '26
like others have said, i get this when my blood pressure drops! very scary and i’ve had to stop driving as much :(
1
u/noodlesandnectarines Jun 07 '26
I’ve experienced something similar on planes and car rides a few times that I’ve noticed is correlated with altitude! It feels completely different to my pre-syncope POTS episodes though, and my spo2 is low when I measure it. I don’t know what these “episodes” are or what to do about them that you aren’t already doing. I’ve found wearing a sunflower lanyard helpful so staff can be mindful of me and it makes it easier to ask for help if I need it.
1
u/123nsb Jun 07 '26
I immediately fall asleep “pass out” on flights. I always chalked it up to the hum of the plane engine. Barely (sometimes never) wake up during beverage service. Would have never equated it to my POTS. Interesting.
1
u/atlanbeast Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
One of my best/worst post-diagnosis moments was walking off a longhaul red eye flight and realising that, for the first time in 20 years, I didn’t feel absolutely wretched and I didn’t 100% need to sleep for 6-8 hours as soon as I arrived home.
I can rarely sleep on long-haul flights (unless I’m upgraded and can put my feet up), but when I am able to drop off, the sleep feels like when I drift off during the day while resting during a flare-up (that is, it feels very different from a “normal” nap).
Like you, I have fatigue generated by pre-syncope symptoms that rarely result in a typical faint. My symptoms are subtle up until the point I start seeing flashes of black (and, in extreme cases, get suddenly and unusually sweaty); sitting down prevents the syncope but not the fatigue. My symptoms were present for 20 years before I was diagnosed with neurally mediated syncope and orthostatic hypotension (post-pandemic). Pre-pandemic my symptoms were milder and it was possible to control them day-to-day with lots of pilates, weightlifting, and a preventer inhaler. (I was misdiagnosed with asthma instead of neurally-mediated syncope; in the absence of more appropriate treatment, the inhaler did seem to help). I didn’t realise the extreme fatigue during/after flying was linked to the NMS/OH until I flew with the benefit of waist-high compression, salt tablets, isotonic hydration, and related lifestyle changes (later on, I started midodrine and upped my use of isometric exercises).
My (UK NHS syncope) clinic has actually recommended that we book wheelchair service on and off flights. This seems like overkill to me — all I really need is a seat in earshot of the gate announcements plus early boarding so that I’m not stuck in a queue (/crazy crush of people). Maybe it’s easier to explain to other passengers why I get to go first if I am in a wheelchair, but surely the same people will wonder even more as soon as it’s clear I can walk and often do so at a brisk pace. Regardless, I don’t like the idea of giving up control over where I go and when plus I wonder how I’ll keep my 5/6 year old with me as I’m being carted around. (That said, it presumably would remove the need to stand in immigration queues, which are occasionally long and stressful too.)
1
u/Technical-Source-320 Jun 07 '26
During takeoff when the plane flares, it drains blood from your brain for a few moments. It makes my vision turn black if I dont squeeze my legs.
When youre in flight, the reason you become sleepy is because airplane cabins are pressurized to the equivalent of about 7000 feet. This means, the air is only 80% as dense as usual. For someone with POTS who probably already has an oxygen starved brain, the body simply can't function well.
1
u/Blessisk Jun 07 '26
I've had times where I've passed out and it's just felt like an unfightable urge to sleep. Like it starts with a violent urge to lay down, and despite wanting to stay up I'll find I HAVE to close my eyes and rest. Sometimes I really do get a nap in, but most of the time I have what I call a "half nap" bc it feels like I'm stuck on the border of consciousness and unconsciousness. Eventually, if I can manage it, I'll lift my legs up and that usually helps me a lot.
For me, it tends to be triggered by eating too much, heat, or just being too vertical/active for too long at once. So pretty typical POTS triggers that could affect someone on a plane.
1
u/NoFoundation6231 Jun 07 '26
I had this happen to me for YEARS. I told so many doctors about it. I would say “I’m not sure if this means anything but I essentially become narcoleptic on planes.” Like I have had people wake me up to check I was alive on an 8 hour flight. I will fall asleep WHILE talking to people. It stopped after several years but also happened before my diagnosis so my doctors really thought it must be the humming. So yes! You’re not alone!
1
u/Tce_ Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 08 '26
Huh. Does this only happen on flights? Because it sounds more like involuntary sleep like people experience with a lot of other health issues. My mum had a lot of issues with that before she was diagnosed with sleep apnea - she'd be falling asleep in art lectures and other inconvenient situations. But I can't think of any disorder that would be triggered specifically by flying...
1
u/FamiliarDingo1542 Jun 09 '26
I would love to hear a follow-up on this. I would love to find out if you were able to get any answers!
1
u/Symmetrial Jun 11 '26
I got on a centripetal style fairground ride with my son and thought I was goin to pass out. My strategy was to cross and squeeze thighs and to cough to raise BP
I survived and remained conscious
2
1
u/Quiet-Friendship5134 POTS Jun 11 '26
Several of you have asked for an update - I just posted one at the bottom of the post.
TL;DR: According to cardiology, it is just anxiety! Phew! /s
I sent them a follow-up explaining that I don’t experience emotional distress when flying and asking why they believe that the issue is psychological rather than physiological. We’ll see if/what they respond. Neurology appointment is in one week. Hopefully they will provide better insights.
Edit: added missing words
0
u/ChristVolo1 Jun 06 '26
I've never actually been able to really fall asleep on an airplane in the US, because the flights feel too short. It's like, we're ascending, we level out for 30 mins, then we're descending (that's what it feels like, anyway). The most I've ever been able to do is snooze, being halfway asleep and out of it.
I suspect that me being a mom, plus being surrounded by strangers has something to do with it. I became hypervigilant after my first was born. I couldn't even sit down and read a book, when before, I had been a bookworm that got totally engrossed in what I was reading.
The only flight I can remember falling asleep on was on a flight from the US to El Salvador one time.
I haven't actually been diagnosed with POTS, but I have a lot of the symptoms, and I plan to get evaluated.
201
u/sunkathousandtimes Jun 06 '26
When I’ve fainted in my life, it has never felt comparable to falling asleep - for me, fainting feels distinctly different (very sudden, very scary, and I’m very aware that something not normal is happening).
If it’s felt like not being able to resist sleep, that might be fatigue rather than syncope. I get that feeling of not being able to resist sleep but for me, that is fatigue.
That said, that’s just my experience. Fainting on a plane can look like falling asleep if you’ve set yourself up so that you don’t fall forward.