What do you take to help you sleep on a long flight?

[sunshineandpinot]

I'm specifically talking about long 9+ hour flights (usually international.) 
I am super envious of people that can sleep on planes; it's a super power!! My H falls asleep before takeoff and wakes when we land. 
I have all the things; eye mask, neck pillow, good noise cancelling headphones. I'm sometimes flying business so I have the lay flat seats, but more often I'm in coach. And nothing really seems to make a difference. On this last overnight flight, I took 20 mg melatonin and I maybe slept 45 min. I do all the right things; I wake up really early day of... I'm just not a plane sleeper. I'm also not a napper. I fall asleep in a bed, at nighttime. And it makes for a miserable flight and I'm of course tired on day one. 
I'm ready to break out the big guns. Specifically pills/meds. What pill can I take to help me sleep on a long international flight? Do you ask your doctor for these pills? 
I'm ready to figure this out so I arrive decently rested at my destination. Thank you!

[slbride2003]

I generally cannot sleep on planes either. I got Ambien from my doctor before we flew to Australia, and I slept in the middle seat in coach. Highly recommend.

[donutsmakemegonuts]

I took half of a Tylenol PM on our overnight flight to Iceland. It was about 6 hours but the time difference meant that they were 4 hours ahead of us so we would be hitting the ground running when we got there. I was afraid that a whole dose would make me too drowsy. I took it right after takeoff and woke up with 30 minutes left in the flight.

[deadwing]

I'm also someone who can't nap and generally only sleeps under very specific circumstances. I wouldn't even try to sleep on a plane because I know it wouldn't happen for me. In your case, I'd try to get a prescription sleeping pill from a doctor for the trip.

[marcyiam]

Usually I try to get very little sleep the night before so I'll be really tired on the flight.

Has yet to ever actually work. 😋

#nothelpful


I hope you find something that DOES work for you!

[bears]

When I've flown to Asia for business, I did not take anything to help me sleep--I was too paranoid that I would have a bad reaction in front of a plane full of people. Ambien was for getting my sleep on track once I was on the ground.

I had a routine--watch a movie with dinner, have 2 glasses of wine, brush my teeth, read a book "in bed" for 30 minutes then close my eyes for a very long time. I find resting to be very helpful, even if I don't fall asleep. Flying business class was very helpful, as is a comfortable eye mask.

[TR]

I use the same thing I use to sleep on a regular basis, 25 mg doxylamine succinate. It's still not the best sleep, but it has helped on the one overseas flight I had in the recent-ish past.

[wanderingback]

Prob not helpful either but yeah I also can’t sleep on planes either. I’m not nervous, I usually am pretty comfy and yep my eyes pop open after about 30 minutes and restless sleep. You could always try Benadryl or something to see if that helps. I personally wouldn’t ask for a sleep aid like ambien because some people have strange reactions and wake up groggy and that’s the last thing I’d want on a plane (especially on the off chance there were an emergency or early landing).

[devonpow]

DS1 and I both cannot sleep on planes no matter what. DS2 and DH fall asleep right away. We have an overnight flight in 2 weeks and I’m assuming DS1 and I will grumpily state at each other and watch movies the whole time.

I use melatonin for us to adjust to new time zones, but honestly don’t know how helpful it is. I find the older I get the more jet lag affects me

[gerberdaisy]

I cat nap off and on throughout the flight typically (like 10 min at a time). Never feel line I'm really fall asleep, but helps with being rested. I do not react well to ambien (found that out the hard way), but did take melatonin on my last flight to Japan. I see you already tried it though. I only took 1 mg, was more worried about being groggy than not sleeping. I thought it helped, had a longer period of sleep than usual.

[sunshineandpinot]

Jul 17, 2023 10:04:07 GMT -5 TR said:

I use the same thing I use to sleep on a regular basis, 25 mg doxylamine succinate. It's still not the best sleep, but it has helped on the one overseas flight I had in the recent-ish past.

Is this prescribed by your doctor? 

[sunshineandpinot]

I took Ambian when I was 22 for a 24 hour bus ride (!!!!) in australia and it worked great so I guess I'll message my doctor and see if she'll give me a prescription? Is that how that works?
Don't flame, but my mom also has ambian so I could just take a couple of her pills?
I'm just ready to figure this out and get some actual sleep on my next long haul flight.


ETA- I'm mainly asking about getting rest on the overnight flight. But what do you do on the return flight (thinking specifically Europe to US when it's daylight.) This last flight I dozed maybe 30 minutes and just watched movies and read the other 11 hours. Do you take a sleep aid on the return flight too, like when they dim the cabin lights? I'd love to sleep ~6 hours

[steamboat185]

I’m always too nervous to take anything as we fly with kids, but Dramamine always makes me super tired. That would be my first drug yo try since I know the side effects.

[arielroux]

I’m not great with flying, so my doctor prescribes Ativan for me. It’s the only thing that has ever let me sleep on a flight. It made my flights to/from Barcelona a total non-issue. I literally slept like 6 of the 7.5 hour flight. Highly recommend!

[mrsslocombe]

Another person who cannot sleep, no matter what I take. Everything that knocks me out on land-edible, muscle relaxers, benadryl, AdvilPM...nothing on the plane. Mostly I just wind up really out of it and disoriented.

[scout8]

I also struggle to sleep on a flight. I've found that if I pay extra for premium economy, I can get my feet up on the seat with me. I am so much more comfortable without them dangling down. I also take a xanax and that helps too. With my feet up and a xanax in me, I've been able to get some sleep--nothing great, but at least I can sleep a bit. I have ambien too, but I've never taken it flying. I don't want to be that out of it.

Your H is the type of person that I envy on the plane!

[shauni27]

Melatonin and a muscle relaxer.

[goldengirlz]

Ativan

Plus two glasses of wine

I can easily sleep 6+ hours, even in economy.

[brooke77]

I can’t sleep on flights. Melatonin and dramamine (the drowsy kind) helps me get little naps in.

[purplinsky]

What kind of neck pillow do you have? I've never been able to sleep on flights but a few months ago we had a super early cross country flight. I had a neck pillow but I have never been able to fall asleep using it, so I decided to see what else was out there and consider trying a different neck pillow. I ended up getting an infinity pillow and it was amazing; I was able to sleep the entire flight. It supported my neck but also created this little mini cocoon around my ears and neck, I just can't say enough good stuff. I splurged and got the original, name brand one (just search 'Huzi Infinity Pillow') instead of a cheaper knock off and I'm so happy I did. We took another flight recently and my daughter asked if she could try the infinity pillow; she also loved it. I got stuck with the other neck pillow and got no sleep. Just something else to think about.

[mrsukyankee]

I never sleep from Europe to US and never try to as I want to be 'on schedule' when I get there (leave afternoon, arrive early evening) and might 'nap' at the most. On the way back to London, it's usually only 7 hours, so I'm okay with just napping and recognise that I won't sleep, regardless of being in Business or not. I've tried sleeping tablets and I still don't sleep. I just suck it up and take a nap when I arrive in London (1-2 hours) and then try to stay up until 9pm.

[beerlover]

Those of you who are saying alcohol, that sounds great in theory but it would make me have to pee too much! :/ anyone else have that issue? lol.

[sunshineandpinot]

purplinsky I have this one! Shoot, looks like I bought the knockoff lol

ETA- maybe I'll offer it to my dd and get myself the real deal. 

www.amazon.com/BCOZZY-Chin-Supporting-Travel-Pillow/dp/B01DODMU9I/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?hvadid=176948161898&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9028087&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=7608629522354483651&hvtargid=kwd-102091292467&hydadcr=19799_9583526&keywords=huzi+infinity+pillow&qid=1689615558&sr=8-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[loira]

Gravol helps me feel a little drowsy and also helps with my motion sickness. I generally find it difficult to sleep much on long haul flights but can usually manage a couple of catnaps.

[wanderlustmom]

I also have two glasses of wine and a Tylenol pm and I still won't sleep well but I'll rest. I might try an eye pillow. We have an 18 hour flight coming up in a week. MY DH and DD aren't great slepers either. Our son can sleep anywhere, it's his super power. So jealous

[livinitup]

I thought it was super interesting advice that not eating anything at all (on long international flights) reduces jet lag and increases sleep. I don’t know if I could pull that off, but I thought it was worth adding to the discussion.

[wanderingback]

Jul 17, 2023 12:33:37 GMT -5 beerlover said:

Those of you who are saying alcohol, that sounds great in theory but it would make me have to pee too much! :/ anyone else have that issue? lol.

This is why I always sit in an aisle seat. And I must be really lucky cause I can’t remember a time when the person in the window seat has had to get up a million times. I don’t understand how people hold their pee so long!

[ny96]

I used to take Ambien on long flights before I had kids. I always tried to be careful about syncing up with the new time zone. It was so nice to sleep through entire flights. Maybe again someday.

[beerlover]

wanderingback, I always pick an aisle seat too so I can use the restroom as often as I please.

We just flew to San Diego (5 hours) and I went twice, somehow my 65+ year old parents went zero times. How are you holding it for that long?!

[basilosaurus]

Same thing I take most nights for insomnia. Sometimes a double dose (it's a variable as needed prescription). Many of my flights are 12+ hours, and it's not like I have anywhere to go.

I definitely choose aisle for toilet breaks. Especially if I've had wine with my meal. I also usually finish my full water bottle before taking my med.