Long Flight and Sleep Aid??
 

Has anyone taken something like tylenol pm when taking a long flight? Did you wake up groggy, refreshed?

I can barely get Tylenol PM to work for me at home so they definitely don't do anything for me on a long flight.

I take Ambien, prescribed by my doctor when I fly overseas, and its a lifesaver for me. But everyone has their own method of dealing with sleep and jetlag. If Tylenol PM works for you at home without groggy side-effects, chances are it will work for you on a long flight as well.

Tracy

I usually get a prescription sleep aid like Ambien or Lunesta (I prefer the latter) and wake up refresh as long as I have at least 6 hours to sleep.

A lot of people swear by it, but Tylenol PM has both acetominephin and the same ingredient as Benedryl, and Benedryl makes me totally zonked out for half the day after I take it. If you want a cheap over-the-counter aid to help you sleep, just take the generic Benedryl tabs and forget the Tylenol, which isn't necessary (and taking unnecessary extra meds is bad for the liver anyway).

You could also try melatonin if diphenhydramine makes you groggy. It is an OTC product so no Rx needed.

I would test it out at home well before you travel.

Melatonin works well for me and also for my husband. It doesn't leave us feeling groggy at all. You can get it in the vitamin section of a drugstore in the US or in a health food store.

Hi Doug Stallings
I'm sorry to get away from the travel question but I'd like to know why you prefer Leunesta over Ambien. I take Ambien and am very curious.
Thanks
[email protected]

I am not Doug Stallings but I have taken both of these. Lunesta is longer acting, I believe.

Another vote for melatonin, I also take valerian tablets as most sleeping tablets make me groggy.

Personally I love Ambien--8 hrs of sleep and not groggy when I awake. Some Fodorite recommended Sleep Aid from Walmart (Equate?) and it is cheap compared to Ambien--$1.99/12. It takes twice as long to make you sleepy compared to Ambien but a good product. I have never used either on a flight. If your flight is 8-9 hrs you would have to take it early on.

<< Personally I love Ambien--8 hrs of sleep and not groggy when I awake. >>

Ambien is a very effective sleep-inducing medication, but the majority of people might not get 8 hours of restful sleep (especially not in an UNrestful setting like a coach airplane seat). Some people go VERY deeply to sleep, to the point of getting into a state tht they do things they are not aware of, or do not remember. It is not a common occurrence, as I understand it.

Ambien CR was brought to market because Ambien does not prevent early awakening, in a number of people (i.e., "it doesn't last long enough").

I have taken both, and I believe that there is a groggy/sleepy feeling after taking Ambien CR if you try to get up and active sooner than 8 hours after you take it. Thus, it might not be the medication of choice, unless you take it just before you board (on the average trans-atlantic flight).

With any plan to get as much restful sleep on the plane as possible, it makes sense to understand how you sleep, with and without a medication as an aid. If a medication is prescribed for you, try it at home some days or weeks before your travel, and maybe even, ideally, in a less-than-ideal setting (sleep on the couch, sitting up).

And don't forget that you _can_ start to adjust your own circadian rhythms prior to traveling. For eastern time zone departures (leaving the US gateway city at 4 to 10 pm), I recommend getting up at 4 am (10 am, Europe time, or 9 am, UK time) on the day of departure, going to bed at 8 pm, the night before, and getting up at 5 am, the day before departure.

And of course, you have to _try_ to go to sleep. Avoiding books, movies, even the airline's (poor excuse for) supper is wise; likewise avoiding alcohol - -_especially_ if you take a sleep medication... these can all help. The flight attendants will, by the way, serve you supper at the same time as breakfast, if you ask - - in my experience.

Hope some of this is helpful info to you.

Best wishes,

Rex

Rex
As always I am impressed by the quality and depth of your response. Sorry to sound so "ra-ra" but I had to comment

I take prescription Alprazolam -- a generic of Xanax. Puts me to sleep and I don't wake up groggy. Works fast on an empty stomach. After a meal it takes longer to take affect.

Thank you. Thank you. Everything I wanted to know and haven't had time to ask. My last trip to Madrid, and my only trip overseas, I got anxious about mid-way back. I think part of it was because I had to teach a very,very difficult group of third graders the very next day.ha. We are going to France next week and I was a little concerned about long flight.

Tylenol pm. Absolutely. I take one after dinner from New York to where ever. then I usually wake up to see the sun coming up over the Alps. and feel great by the time we land.

Unbelieveable!!!

A drug for every little problem. Why not trying to go to sleep late the night before the trip, with an early wake up.

After a full meal on board you will be tired enough to sleep most of the trip,without "side effects ".

I have flown on business and pleasure for more than 35 years,long haul flights,without resorting to an artficial stimulus for sleep. Try it.

blushing... but thanks, wombat...

I take one blue Xanax and I sleep soundly on the plane 5-6 hours and wake up and I'm not groggy. Whatever you do, you might try it before you leave to see how you react.

If you're considering using melatonin, be sure to try it at home at least a couple of times. I'm one of the 10% who has horrendous nightmares when using it.

Melatonin, and Tylenol PM. tylenol helps with the pain of those cramped seats. If you can get percriptions, heck, ask for heroin.

My use of Xanax is more for my nerves than sleep. I fly a lot on business and the more I fly, the more "white knuckle" I become. Even a small amount of turbulance drives me crazy. With Xanax, even when I wake up to turbulance, I can handle it easily. By the way, flying is the only time I use this drug.