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!