Sleeping tabs for long-haul flights

[ozchick]

I only ever tried it once, with one pill. It didn't work. But a colleague reckons that to save her stopping-over on the trip from Europe to Oz, she orders a vegetarion meal so she gets her food first, then takes 1 sleeping tabs and a glass of red wine and if that doesn't work takes another one a little while later and gets 4 or five hours sleep every time. I'm not too keen on this idea, although if I was sure it would work it could save me a lot of money cos I got 3 Sg stopovers comin' up in the next few months. She reckons that with Temazapan even if it doesn't work the effect wears off quickly enough to avoid that 'awful' feeling later. I do have some Temazapan but I'm a bit thingy about this.....anyone else tried this? I don't reckon I can sleep with my feet down on the floor.....mm......

[Strong Eagle]

Ambien or ambien analog works for me. 4 to 5 hours.

[ksl]

I normally take a sleeping pill and half a dozen or more brandies, normally wake up 2 hrs prior to landing.

[durain]

6 cans of amber nectar should do the trick, no?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I stay up for 24 to 30 hours before the flight and then 2 t 3 hours out from Japan/HK across the pacific, I go to sleep for 8 hours (12-14 flight). When I arrive in O'Hara, I'm already reprogrammed and the biological clock has been reset. I never have jet lag. Been doing that for almost 30 years and it still works. No drugs, no alcohol (well, not normally, but occasionally a couple in HK or Narita). Works good for me.

[nakatago]

I stay up for 24 to 30 hours before the flight and then 2 t 3 hours out from Japan/HK across the pacific, I go to sleep for 8 hours (12-14 flight). When I arrive in O'Hara, I'm already reprogrammed and the biological clock has been reset. I never have jet lag. Been doing that for almost 30 years and it still works. No drugs, no alcohol (well, not normally, but occasionally a couple in HK or Narita). Works good for me.

I should try that next time. What I did was didn't sleep through the red eye from SG to Narita and then try to catch some zzz's crossing the Pacific. What do you do for the opposite direction?

[sundaymorningstaple]

I do the same going in either direction. Seems to work both ways as the way I see it the 24 ~30 hours awake already screws up your biological clock and then all you have to do is set your 6-8 hours of steady sleep based on the clock at your destination. When you wake up, you are already reset for the most part. When I went back this last time I took my son with me, and he didn't listen and was screwed for the first two days.

He just went to toronto for the Canadian Music Festival (he's still there) and he did as I told him, said he was able to hit the ground running and hasn't stopped. works like a charm.

I usually leave on a Saturday morning (UA flight leaves at 06:50) so on Friday I get up at my normal time (6 am), go to work, come home and do whatever, watch movies, go out, but stay up. Grab the flight to either HK or Narita (whichever) and stay awake for that flight, the layover and then on the trans pacific sector I wait until I'm around 3 hours out (usually after the first meal) and then crash. Set my alarm for 8 hours which puts me about 3 hours out of O'Hara, I'm already on Central or Eastern time. Break in O'Hara and eventually arrival around 7 pm in Washington DC. Get down to the farm around 10 pm and whatever till usually around 1 am which is my normal bedtime anyway, and bob's yer uncle.

[nakatago]

I do the same going in either direction. Seems to work both ways as the way I see it the 24 ~30 hours awake already screws up your biological clock and then all you have to do is set your 6-8 hours of steady sleep based on the clock at your destination. When you wake up, you are already reset for the most part. When I went back this last time I took my son with me, and he didn't listen and was screwed for the first two days.

He just went to toronto for the Canadian Music Festival (he's still there) and he did as I told him, said he was able to hit the ground running and hasn't stopped. works like a charm.

I knew about the sleep deprivation prior to the flight but I guess I didn't go far enough. Ended up yawning at 7:00 pm stateside...I actually slept through a party while sitting on a couch!

[Brah]

Sleeping pills worked really well for me - once. The other times it just made me miserable and I didn't sleep.

I also do what SMS says, to sleep-deprive, which is easy as it takes me hours to pack and I usually stay up all night for an am flight. But that's still not enough.

I've read or heard recently that modeling your eating schedule to your destination helps.

Alcohol is always a no-no, it doesn't help me sleep and all I ever get is a bad headache.

Ambien would help but I have found that hard to come by even for my occasional insomnia, which in my case is actually Delayed sleep phase syndrome. When I was given it, it was only in small quantities. And yes I know of the side effects and drawbacks of Ambien, but it works until I develop a tolerance.

Funny you should mention Stateside 7pm nakatago, that always seems to be my pass-out hour for the first week.

[nakatago]

Funny you should mention Stateside 7pm nakatago, that always seems to be my pass-out hour for the first week.

For what it's worth, it was winter so the sun setting at 4 contributes. The good thing was, when I got back here, I ended up sleeping better because I tended to get sleepy early. Pseudo-jetlag. Of course, routine (and insomnia) took over, and I'm back to unhealthy sleeping habits.

[aster]

Alcohol is always a no-no, it doesn't help me sleep and all I ever get is a bad headache.

I tend to disagree.

The best "sleeping pill" you'll ever find is a glass of red wine. The key is to have it with a glass or two of water, or even dilute the wine by filling the rest of the cup with water.

[Brah]

I wish but wine never worked as a sleep aid for me. When on a plane it gives me headaches and no sleep, when at home I wake at 4am unrested.

I do drink wine socially and with dinner, when I do I always drink water with it, maybe that's why I don't get headaches in those cases.

[JR8]

Alcohol is always a no-no, it doesn't help me sleep and all I ever get is a bad headache.

I tend to disagree.

The best "sleeping pill" you'll ever find is a glass of red wine. The key is to have it with a glass or two of water, or even dilute the wine by filling the rest of the cup with water.

Nah you build up a tolerance over time. I find a bottle of solid merlot works pretty well these days though

[Plavt]

I stay up for 24 to 30 hours before the flight and then 2 t 3 hours out from Japan/HK across the pacific, I go to sleep for 8 hours (12-14 flight). When I arrive in O'Hara, I'm already reprogrammed and the biological clock has been reset. I never have jet lag. Been doing that for almost 30 years and it still works. No drugs, no alcohol (well, not normally, but occasionally a couple in HK or Narita). Works good for me.

Fine for yourself but such methods don't work for everybody. For a start I would say stuff trying to stay awake for 24 to 30 hours, I doubt if I could last that long. As for planes since like most I only ever fly 'cattle class' - damned uncomfortable. Ps: Mind you don't die of DVT.

[Plavt]

I do drink wine socially and with dinner, when I do I always drink water with it, maybe that's why I don't get headaches in those cases.

Exactly! I used to socialize with some Spaniards in their homes, nearly always they mixed the wine with water. Not only does that prevent dehydration it prevents headaches. I believe the practice is common throughout Europe. Good idea in a plane where the air is noticeably dry and the altitude makes it easier to get drunk.