Sleep Only After Take-Off
There’s something about airplane cabins that make us want to fall asleep. However, if you can keep your drowsiness in check at least until take-off, your inner ears will thank you. Falling asleep while taking off or landing may ruin how your ears adjust to excess pressure, but if you’re awake, your body will stay on top of things.
You can try other ways to balance the pressure between your ears and the cabin. Chewing gum and drinking water are classic methods, but you might want to consider getting special airplane earplugs to relieve discomfort. Or you can ignore it and wait for your ears to pop.