I tried melatonin--gave me the worst nightmares I have ever experienced.

The codeine and Bailey's still work for me. However, you do need to be careful when mixing drugs and alcohol--all things in moderation.

I would just like to remind people that you MUST not drug yourself so much on an overseas flight that you cannot help yourself in an emergency,etc.You should be in a relax sleep but not one that you could not evacuate a plane in an emergency or God forbid, have a terrorist doing something in the aisle!

Ambien works for me. Tried Sonata--put me into a trance--couldn't realy sleep.

Still, I never get more than 4 hours sleep, even on a 10 hr flight..

I usually don't take anything, and usually don't get more than a couple of hours of sleep. I take along my inflatable neck pillow, eye shades, and ear plugs, and try to settle in as soon as dinner is cleared.

I do try to reserve a later evening flight when I can, as it is closer to bed time. We once took an ORD-FRA flight that left Chicago at 2:30pm and landed in Frankfurt at what was about 10:30pm on 'home' time. Not a wink of sleep, even though we were in business class on that trip.

I will say that my best night's sleep ever on a flight to Europe was the time I HAD to take Benadryl for an allergy-related issue. That flight had all the makings of a long sleepless night -- early-ish departure, seats in the back of a jam-packed Lufthansa plane -- but without any effort, I slept for about five hours.

I returned home yesterday and had my most successful flight over ever on this trip (Seattle/London overnight). I *never* sleep on planes, and go on with a bad attitude... figgiting, reading books and magazines, watch all the movies, walking the aisles as allowed, etc.

This time instead I had a couple drinks, then ate dinner with a couple glasses of wine, (took 2 5 mil valium which I am well familiar with their effect) and (here's the important difference in my approach and expectations) put on the eye shades, put on the headphones with the most boring music offered, grabbed the blanket and pillow and pretended to sleep.

OK so I didn't actually sleep much but this was the closest i have ever come to feeling rested after a long flight.

That's (2x) 5 mil, not 25!

After reading this for 3 days here is the answer. If your 30 years of age add 40 years and you will sleep. Works for me,but i'm 70.

for 'sister' above, i was wondering myself, since I couldn't sleep at 20 thru 40 but suddenly at 50 things seemed more relaxed... that maybe better times are ahead! thanks for the optimistic post. 70 it is!!

What dosage Ambien have people taken that worked well for a few hours of sleep?

Take the amount your doctor prescribes and try it at home a few nights. What works for others may not be right for you.

Ambien is known to be of the type that you need 6-8 hrs. ahead of you. It is not a short term drug.

I agree with underhill. I find it best to get up every hour or so and stretch and walk. I don't sleep on planes nor will I ever take anything to help me sleep. I've never had jet lag and as soon as I arrive I start exploring. What I usually do is just go for a walk - I go all day and then get a normal nights sleep and go from there. The long flights don't bother me at all - the excitement of travel is enough to keep me going.