I’m impressed by people who can sleep on the tube. It’s not an easy thing to do and takes quite a bit of practice. For sure, you could be so tired or completely inebriated that you can’t keep your eyes open for a few seconds while you make your way home (hopefully escorted by some trustworthy friends) but I’m referring to everyday sleepers.

Falling asleep is not that easy. If you’re sitting on an end seat (next to the glass/plastic shield) you could rest your head against the shield. There’s not much vibration, compared to overland trains, so it could work. If you’re seated next to a support pole you could use it to rest your head. I’ve even seen some people using an arm or their wrists to support their heads. In this case it helps to have an armrest but you’re not always that lucky.

The really skilled commuters can sleep while sitting in normal seats. You have to learn to sit in the perfect position, neither falling forward nor backward. It’s too far for your head to rest against the back wall of the tube and if you lean forward too much you could fall into the aisle (although I’m never seen that happen yet). That would be hilarious!

There are also those who can sleep while standing. I mastered this art while doing a daily commute from Kings Cross to Feltham on the Piccadilly line. By the time I jumped on board at Kings Cross I had already travelled for an hour on the overland rail from Cambridge, so I was pretty exhausted. The Piccadilly line can get quite packed and often I only had standing room. During the morning trip I sometimes slept but in the afternoon it was guaranteed to happen. I’d be standing with one hand on an overhead bar, with my head rested against my forearm, sleeping. If the carriage was packed it actually helped because everyone else would support me without realising it, making it impossible for me to fall over. I quickly adjusted to the position and my legs became steady. Before long I was getting a good 15 minute snooze on a daily basis by sleeping against my forearm. Insane… but true!

What also impresses me is watching someone sleep for exactly the right duration. I used to see the same youngster travel on the Piccadilly line in the morning. Ten seconds before arriving at Northfields station he would open his eyes, pull his cap straight and get up to leave the train. That’s incredible! It’s like you’ve travelled the route so much that your body knows exactly how much sleep it’s allowed.

What I’m still waiting to see is someone wake up after missing their stop. I know it’s harsh but you have to admit, it would be pretty funny.