What about Tylenol PM, does that help at all with sleeping? I have a sister-in-law who swears by it.

Ask your doctor about Serex, which works much better for me than does Ambien and doesn't have the unpleasant side effects. It really helps with relaxation.

But again, no booze with pills!

strass,

Tylenol PM works for some people; the main ingredient is Benadryl, on top of Tylenol. But be aware that drinking alcohol in addition is a good way to damage your liver.

WARNING about Ambien and alcohol. A very good friend of mine took a 5mg Ambien on a NYC/London flight (her first time taking it) and the proceeded to have a half a glass of wine. Unfortunate long story short -- she started to feel sick and tried to walk over to speak to one of the flight attendants (she obviously should have rang from her seat); she proceeded to fall in the galley area and gashed her chin open. She was taken to the hospital when they arrived in London and needed quite a few stitches. NOT a good way to start your holiday.

Just have the foresight not to test any of these the night before a trip. A co-worker did and slept so long and hard he missed his flight and had to rebook. You never know how even a small amount of a drug will effect you.

Friends that regularly take Ambien insist that you start with the smallest dosage first AND that you are actually in the bed when you take it as it acts immediately. I take Benedryl when I can not sleep overseas as it helps my nose clear after a long haul flight and there are no problems with getting awake quick if there was a problem in the hotel(ie.fire.terrorism,etc.) Everyone reacts differently to a medicine but I would be careful with Ambien-friends that have relied on it have said that they have horrible dreams and feel like crap if they are not sleeping a full 8 hours after taking it.Others have said that they have started to only get about 4-5 hours on it now after taking it for awhile.Just do yourself and others a favor-please do not take it on the plane and sit near a window or door exit as the may "need" you in an emergency and you would not be helpful at all!

The only thing that truly helps me sleep on a plane on a long flight (aside from flying business class) is to stay up the night before cleaning the house. Lots of Fodorites will probably recommend it, but I prefer to wear myself out that way. It does not increase my post-landing jet lag or degree of tiredness my first day traveling. I am normally a nervous flyer, but if I've been up all night cleaning (or writing to meet a deadline), then I actually due sleep on the plane...I've even slept straight through til landing.

Plus I know I'm coming home to a clean house :-D

"I also like wine with dinner. Is that a no-no.?"

Please see my trip report and our first night in Umbria. I think if you asked our friend, Mary, she would say it is a BIG no-no! Although her Yiddish was impeccable!

http://travelswithmaitaitom.typepad.com/travels/

((H))

Oh my gosh... just read that reaport. Maitaitom... I'm really going to have to use this phrase in the future. Loved it!!

"She just happened to be out colder than Robert Downey Jr. on a drug binge."

That should have been "report"... apologies for typo!

Our first flight 5 1/2 hours...not sure what NY to Zurich is but that is the one I would have taken the Ambien. Maybe I will save it for another time. I do have some Zanex. I thank you all...

It's not necessary to sleep on an overseas flight.....just DOZE !and relax. I truly don't think it makes a lot of difference the next day, because you have to get up when it is 2 or 3 in the morning (in the US anyway) 7 or 8 AM overseas, when the plane arrives.
The biggest problem with sleep on a plane is WORRYING about it if you don't. (dozing can do wonders, and that way you can be alert and move about some....much better for the circulation!, and DVT.!

My suggestion follows Mari's above.

I used to stay up all night on overnight flights because I just *knew* I couldn't sleep. I would read, figgit around, get up and down, feel bad I wasn't asleep, get jealous of those who were...
;-)

Now my new strategy is: after dinner and a few glasses of wine, watch the movie, etc. then put on the eyeshades and headphones to soft music, use the pillow and blanket, and sit back and relax (i also take 1 xanax or valium). This gives me the most "rest" and is the most productive.

That said, a 5 hour flight is just not that long imo, I don't feel the need to go into hyper-drive hoping to sleep. And yes I definitely recommend wine on flights. I have only had good experiences with that -lol!

Wine, yes, but you're taking a risk by adding drugs.

Lois -- NY-Zurich is more than 5.5 hours. More like 8 hours.

Is it really?...8 hours?.. oh dear...thanks for the info. I really didn't read the times too carefully. I will have to think how I can handle that. I am not a great flyer. I downloaded a fear of flying course onto my ipod..no comment. Again thanks.

Some of the booking websites show actual time in the air (so you don't have to do the math taking in to account the flight time plus time change). I know my total flying time west coast US to Paris or Geneva is usually about 11 hours (9 Seattle/London plus 2 London/wherever).

I have a feeling I didn't want to know the total time, lol.

back to the Xanax you mentioned, it does have a bit of a time amnesia component... makes flights seem shorter than they really area
:-)

Time amnesia...?!! that sounds good..