Can you sleep on the plane over and back?
 

On the overnighter, and then the return, which for us, will be all day. Can you sleep? Any tricks? I would love to sleep longer than ten minutes...

lots of old threads about this. I use Ambien and sleep like a baby. I take only 5mg and get a good 4 hours.

I fly trans-atlantic flights quite frequently. The ONLY way I can sleep on them is if I am lucky enough to have a row to myself to lie down -- then I am asleep in a few minutes. I have noticed (in the past few years) that NEVER happens anymore!

I've taken pills (only OTC as I do not have a sleep disorder) and tried all kinds of strategies. Nothing works. I usually end up watching the stupid movies.

Dramamine knocks me out on ferries but doesn't do a thing on a plane :( I wish I knew what to do, it always makes the first 2 days of my trip exhausting.

On the return, I don't bother, it's usually just your day anyway -- leave in the morning, get back in the evening -- why sleep?

I sleep both ways - but then I've been sleep deprived for years and have been known to nod off while standing on the 40 mph Broadway local.

Usually Dramimine does it for most people - and help with any turbulence as well.

Dr. Dewars provides my needed prescription.

I've never been able to sleep on a plane - ever. Coming back, it's no problem but I sure am groggy for a couple days going over.

I've come to the conclusion that good sleepers are born that way. My wife has NEVER been able to sleep on a plane, while I snooze away. Nothing she's tried works. So on this topic, the old saying applies: If you think you have a solution, you're part of the problem!

Nope, I have never slept on a plane in my life (sorry to say, but some people simply can't). I take valium from my doctor which helps pass the time but does not knock me out.

Recent trips, rather than stay up reading and figiting thru the night (this is a red-eye west coast US to London), I put on the eyemask BA gives you, use the the headphones tuned to the most bland music on offer, slippers on, blanket over me, and close my eyes. I still don't actually sleep but feel much better on arrival and less like i've "pulled an all nighter".

Sleeping is not my strong suit even on the ground, and I have never slept en route to Europe. I have napped a bit on the return, probably b/c of getting up so early to get to airport, etc.

In addition to being sleep deprived, it makes it seem even worse to look around the cabin and see everyone else apparently asleep! As years go by, however, I'm getting more resigned to it, and just make sure I have something good to read.

I agree with SandiTravelnut that Ambien does the trick. On my flight from California to Rome, I waited until we took off from Phili then I took an Ambien and slept for 5 1/2 hours. We arrived in Rome in the morning and I felt great. Also, a nice, comfortable sleeping mask that blocks out the light helps. My dr. wrote me a prescription when I requested it to help me sleep on the plane. I have used Ambien before when traveling and it can really make a big difference. The nice thing about Ambien is that it allows you to sleep for about 5 hous and wake up not feeling groggy. Just don't mix them with alcohol.

Mega cocktails and Biz class does the trick. No brainer.

I can sleep a couple of hours at a time since I bought the Eagle Creek horse-shoe shaped pillow. I don't blow it up to the maximum, so it feels soft. And I fly "cattle".

Sleeping on the plane is just not an option for me -- ever! I have to stay awake and make sure the pilot doesn't need me! And, like some others have said, the next day I'm more or less a zombie. Can't sleep the night before, because I'm too excited and can't sleep on the plane the next evening, so by the evening of the day I arrive, I sleep like the dead. But after that, I feel fine.

On a tangent...somewhat related...I have taken to gradually adjusting my internal clock before getting on the plane...so I go to bed a 9PM, wake at 5AM...so when I do go on the plane, I already feel likes it's beddiebye time...I also drink a lot of water, avoid the coffee and wine, and maybe/maybe not have dinner, take off shoes, put headset on quite jazz/soft rock channel and...zzzzz..I usually can get in 3-4 hrs of ok sleep time

I usually manage to nod off about 3 minutes before arriving at our destination.

I take an anti-anxiety drug (I am nervous about flying, after all :) ) and doze happily through the flight. Otherwise, it's sheer torture.

I'll echo others on this forum WRT Ambien. I've tried over the counter junk, but it either doesn't work and / or makes me groggy way past when I want to be. I first used it to go Australia and just told my Dr about it and he prescribed 5 mg. I'm able to get about 6 hours of really good sleep with the Ambien and I don't feel groggy afterwards. If you time it right, you can use it to force yourself onto the new timezone. I also typically use it the first night there to help get me on the right timezone. I haven't tried Lunesta, but asked my Dr about it (just went to Australia again) when getting a refill and he said that if Ambien worked for me that I might as well stay with it. One thing to note is that Ambien wasn't covered, or at least wasn't well covered, by my insurance. It cost like $30 - $40 for a 20 count prescription. well worth it for me...

No and No...I have tried meds but they don't work. I have just learned to sit patiently and listen to the children cry!
I really envy those who can sleep in flight.

i am usually a light sleeper and can only doze off in the best of conditions, HOWEVER...

found out the hard way the otc allergy medication Benadryl will leave me drooling on my keyboard within 1/2 hr of taking.

bad for work but awesome for falling out like a log no matter where i am. i've been mis-medicating every flight since!

Every flight is the same for me. Whether it's duration is to be 45 minutes or 10 hours, I get drowsy shortly after take-off, my eyelids weight about 12 pounds, and I fall dead asleep ... for all of 20 minutes. I am then wide awake for the rest of the flight.

I'v tried boozing, not boozing, eating, not eating, listening to music, watching movies, reading, finding someone boring to talk to, taking sleeping medication, doing nothing, counting sheep, etc., etc., etc. Nothing seems to work. After my little nap, I'm done.

The one good thing is that, upon arrival in Europe, I am so wired that I can usually go all day without a problem, then sleep like the dead that night.

I wish I could sleep on flights to and from Europe, but I can’t, so I spend a good deal of time scribbling manically in my travel journey, reading anything I can get my hands on (including the dull, well-thumbed airline magazine), waiting for and exploiting the drink cart, playing with the video screen and earphones rather than watching or listening to anything in particular, charting the course of the flight with that arcing screen graphic that shows how we’re still flying over water and still thousands of miles away from the airport, looking enviously at those who are sound asleep, standing up, stretching, and walking back to the plane to ensure I don’t develop a fatal blood clot because I remained immobile, and praying quietly to some Higher Being that I’m not sure truly exists whenever there is the slightest bit of turbulence.

But I always have a great trip.

On our last trip I decided to try Ambien...didn't work for me. I was awake the whole flight...so my answer is no, I don't sleep on the flight over...guess I'm just too excited! ;) On prior flights, when I would often have "nerves" about flying and had a very mild tranquilizer, I found they would help me doze...maybe I'll try that the next time even though I no longer have a problem flying!

I think it is genetic and you are either someone who can sleep on planes or you can't. None of my children can sleep on planes either, nor can my husband, so they got it from both of us. Benadryl and Tylenol PM don't do the trick for me either. Ambien will most of the time.

I have some valium, will that help with sleep? I've never had it before, but drugs (fortunately? unfortunately?)don't really work in me. or Simple Sleep? Never can sleep well--which do you think would be better? I could always have a valium and a cocktail, but I'd rather not arrive in Paris dead. :)

miel--Well, whatever you take, make sure you're not trying it for the first time when you're about to take off! What I take is Xanax, and it works like a charm. (I was never one to sleep on airplanes.)

Benadryl and gin and tonic usually does the trick for me (only one of each, though!). But I am definitely a genetic plane sleeper. The droning of the engines always does it to me, no matter what time of day. Fortunately, works for my son, too - we're both out after an hour.

I prefer not to sleep on the way home and force myself to stay up until usual bedtime once home. Seems to help me get back on schedule quickly. I take advantage of the early rising after returning and start going to the gym again!

Good grief! If I tried Benadryl AND alcohol, they'd be dragging me off the plane by my FoamTreads!
I try earplugs, eyeshades, the blanket pulled up to my collarbones (not further in case it's not been sanitized), shoes off, seat back, and then it's time to get up to walk off the bloodclots! There is no satisfactory solution to sleeping well on planes, unless a Lear is involved.

I have one of those wonderful husbands that when I DO manage to fall asleep on a plane, he inevitably will nudge me to ask me if I want a drink, or to tell me that the movie is about to start. "Ummmmm.... I could really care less!" Sleeping on a plane is a luxury. We are heading to Europe this summer and I have absolutely threatened to kick him out the emergency exit if he even looks at me funny when my eyes are closed. I have my Ambien ready for this trip and hopefully I'll arrive in Rome at least a little rested!

Only in Business Class (a once in a lifetime experience) and never, ever in Coach no matter what I've taken...

I am among the non-sleepers. My usual answer is to fly east by day and then not sleeping is no problem. I think that the issues are sitting and departures that are way before normal sleep time.

I just returned from Europe and found that I avoided jet lag by forcing my body into the new time zone on the travel days. This made sense since all I do those travel days is sit on a plane or in an airport - nothing requiring great mental alertness.

On the night before my trip I forced myself to stay up as late as possible. Since I was excited it was not that hard. My flight left mid-afternoon. When I arrived at the airport I was very tired. I did not attempt to go to sleep until 2+ hours into the flight. By then I was exhausted but took Lunesta anyway. I woke up over 6 hours later - within an hour of landing. I felt refreshed and it was 7:00 am local time. My body was now on local time.

On the way home I forced myself to not sleep on the plane. I had an early morning fight. I let myself take a little nap but nothing more. I listened to upbeat music and watched the movie. The flight landed 3:00 pm local time. When I arrived home I did not sleep until later that day. I was exhausted by early evening, but slept soundly that night and woke up the next morning at my usual time. My body was now on local time.

I have NEVER slept on a plane but would love to. My insomnia is very bad. However, I have been warned not to take prescription sleeping pills on long hauls as there is a change of getting blood clots from inactivity - especially if you are completely out of it for many hours. I did have a blood clot in my leg from our last Italy trip - excruciatingly painful. Still cannot kneel on my knee (a year later). (It was not because of a sleeping pill - I didn't sleep but from not moving around on the plane.) I was also told that the leading cause of death on long flights is taking sleeping pills and then developing blood clots in the lungs (altitude, etc.). Scary stuff.

No matter what I do, I can never manage to sleep on planes, unless I can get a row of 2-3 seats to stretch out.

brazilnut- my doctor told me some people cannot sleep sitting up. maybe that's you and me both?

suze...makes sense to me...I can sleep in seconds IF I am lying down. Unfortunately all my TCs seem to drop off fast sitting up. Makes it even harder looking at.. or worse...listening to them LOL. I got back Tuesday nite and I am still dragging...I sleep just fine but am exhausted.

Two Tylenol P.M.s (and a neck pillow) do the trick for me, enabling me to get maybe 5 hours.

I forgot to mention that in addition to the Ambien that I use earplugs. I'm a light sleeper and that works for me.

Regarding the posts talking about blood clots... considering that I already sit at a desk in a cube 8 - 12 hours a day with little mobility and I live at an elevation of 5,000 feet, I don't think my chances of getting a blood clot on the plane are too much worse that an average work day...sadly. That said I do make sure that I get up and stretch immediately before and following my 5 - 6 hour nap.

I usually fly First Class and get the sleeper suites...They work well. Sleep like a baby

Suze,

I think your doctor is right. I have no problem at all sleeping, but I do need to stretch out. The problem are my legs and feet: they need to be up!

Before ativan, not a shot at sleeping. After ativan, I'm in that Mellow Yellow zone!