Non prescription, two piriton, the stronger ones that you have to ask for over the counter.

Night nurse capsules also work.

Do take the advice of others above--test out any medication or herbal concoction that you are considering before your flight.

Benadryl works well for me.

I tried melatonin and ended up with night terrors.

To help keep your melatonin levels up naturally, use a sleep mask. Even dim, ambient light will reduce melatonin levels. Some people are affected by their clock radio LED light!

Sage411:

My first trip to Europe I used Melatonin. It was a 6:30p flight from Texas and I took it at 10:30p. I don't know if it put me out or not, but I went to sleep. Two days later jet lag took over and I was out at 7:30p missing valuable tour time.

Second time I took nothing and my poor roomates had to endure me singing "you are my sunshine" at 2:00 in the morning (couldn't sleep) and somehow I wound up with a knot the size of a marble on my head...made by an invisible "sleep walker"...hmmm

Third time's hopefully the charm. I found a wonderful OTC sleep aide that works very well. Actually the name of the pills are "Sleep Aid" maximum strength. They are gel capsules and I found them at Sam's (Member's Mark brand). I take them when I can't sleep and within 15 minutes I'm falling asleep and I usually sleep for about 6 hours. I wake up refreshed and not drugged out.

I will definitely take them to Europe.

You've got some good advice here, the best being figure out what is best for you--and talk to a doctor!
Precisely because it IS such a short flight (but still "overnight&quot from the east coast, I need a sleep aid to get those precious few hours. I stopped using benadryl because I do not want to add to the dehydration in my sinuses. I asked my doctor for xanax, which gives me much less of a hangover (I actually split them into fourths).

ps Dr tried to give me ambien, which I refused, so reading up on side effects of any over the counter or prescription drug is a must of course.

I think the key is that we all use what works for us, and what works for one person may not necessarily work for the other. Benadryl does nothing for me. I can't find any OTC sleeping aid that actually works for more than an hour on overseas flights. I always use Ambien, as prescribed by my doctor. Some people mention having negative side effects, which is why it is so important to do a test run of any medication first.

Tracy

'Sleep Aid' (Sleepinal) has active ingredient, Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride, which is same as Benadryl.

7 times to Europe. After the first time I always take Ristoril (prescription) and do not experiene jet lag. The first trip the guy next to me took a pill as soon as he was seated and did not wake until just before we landed. Boy, did I envy him.

I have a really hard time sleeping on planes. At the most, I can grab a fitful hour or so, but am pretty much semi-conscious throughout.

On a flight from LHR to SFO several years back, I took one tablet of Tylenol PM. It totally knocked me out for most of the flight. About 6 hours into the flight I would periodically awaken for short periods and then zonk out again. I tried to stay up during a couple of those periods and was unable to keep my eyes open.

I didn't like feeling of being unable to stay awake (especially when I was trying so hard), so I haven't taken anything during a flight since. Maybe I'll talk to my doctor and try something prescribed one day.

Probably like many others here, I have tried nearly everything listed from over the counter Tylenol PM to melatonin to lunesta. I find the OTC medications difficult because it gives me a hangover. I would rather take nothing (which for me means that I will only drift off for an hour or so). I would test whatever you are going to use, and I would test OTC by setting your alarm about 4 hours after you take it to see how you feel.

I have a few glasses of wine, take a lunesta, set my ipod to a relaxing song (repeated over and over) and go to sleep with my eyeshades on. But the truth is you will be tired no matter what you do when you arrive and if you are staying for a while, and on vacation, this flight is really quite short for taking anything. Taking something to help you sleep will make your first day slightly more tolerable, but you will still have to grin a bear it on day one to get to the local bedtime.
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tn - Alcohol and Lunesta, NOT a good idea.

I totally agree - alcohol & any sleep aid, prescription or OTC is bad news - very dangerous for kidneys/liver....please don't risk it - want to be on dialysis for life just to get a few hours of shut eye?

Of the possible combinations listed so far, the most dangerous is actually any combination of acetaminophen (present in both Tylenol and Excedrin) and alcohol. If you look back at this thread that's actually one of the more common suggestions, and the on that should be avoided. If you're using either Tylenol PM or Excedrin PM to help you fall asleep, skip the acetaminophen entirely and just use Benadryl (aka diphenhydramine).

The risk, by the way, is not to your kidneys, but to your liver, and liver failure and death are potential sequelae. For most people the amounts of alcohol and acetaminophen described here would not be problematic, but there are exceptions and I wouldn't tempt fate in this instance.

Just an addition to the advice from Therese, acetaminophen is known in the UK (and not sure were else) as paracetamol.

Ativan, 1 mg.

No booze , first its dehydrating and its not healthy to mix it with drugs, and second, the wine on planes is crap,, I don't drink crap. LOL

I strongly second the suggestion that no matter what you take TRY IT BEFORE to see how it affects you, everyone is different.

And, finally, as one poster said, frankly, if something goes wrong at 30,000( or whatever it is) feet, I really do not care to be awake,, screaming all the way down..

<<No booze , first its dehydrating and its not healthy to mix it with drugs, and second, the wine on planes is crap,, I don't drink crap. LOL >>

not all wine on planes is crap, although in my experience it improves the closer you get to the front of the plane.

Were any of us sitting in the front of the plane, sashh, we likely wouldn't be having any trouble getting some rest in-flight. ;-)

Excellent point about the paracetamol. Looks like that's the name used in New Zealand and Australia as well (and possibly other places as well). Since acetaminophen has no soporific properties whatsoever it's not appropriate to use in this setting.

My strategy for our lost 2 international flights has been this:
Call the airline a few days before leaving. Check on how FULL the plane is.
Usually the configuration of the plane is either :2-3-2 seats or 2-5-2 seats.
I then inquire about completely EMPTY rows of seats in the middle section. (The front of the plane is usually "filled up" first with more available seats in the back.
I then choose isle seats on either side of the middle section for me and my husband (very unlikely for anyone to request a seat in the back of the plane with neither an isle or a window) so these middle seats are empty.
Voile - You can raise the arm rest and lay down during the flight. That way one person can recline. (Still not the best bed but a heck of a lot better than sitting up! If both persons want to lie down, then you can "book" each of you in an isle seat in different rows in the back of the plane.
Of course, this doesn't work when the plane is SOLD OUT. Has worked the last 2 flights for us.
Good luck!

ambien all the way. took it on a flight to london from LAX and then to nairobi right after. I dont remember much, but i do know it knocked me out for 8 hours both times! I love the stuff!

I take ambien. Sominex and unisom are nothing but expensive forms of benedryl.