quimbymoy

Hi all,
After reading all the old threads, I am still confused as to how the No Jet Lag pills work. Do they help you sleep on the plane? That seems to be my biggest problem, is not getting enough or any...

Thanks for your advice!

suze

to be able to sleep on the plane i would suggest a prescription from your doctor for the flight and your first couple nights in Europe (unless you have strong feelings against using medication for some reason).

tcreath

Some people swear by these pills, but they did absolutely nothing for neither my husband nor I. Since we both have trouble sleeping on planes, I always call my doctor before we leave and he calls in a prescription for Ambien, which works wonders for us. Not only does it guarantee sleep, but we arrive refreshed and not at all groggy, and it helps us stay awake the first day of our trip.

Tracy

cmt

You might be able to sleep with a Benadryl.

To get over jet lag, I think the best approach is to get as much sunlight as possible when you arrive, and stay up until normal bedtime in Europe. instead of taking a nap, or trying to sleep at what what would be bedtime at home.

RufusTFirefly

Placebo effect--if you think they will help, they probably will.

Edward2005

Agree about the placebo effect. No Jet Lag pills are homeopathic, which means they have no active ingredient. In short, it's nothing.

Patrick

I really believe Rufus has hit the nail on the head!

I've never found over the counter sleeping aids to work for me when my body says it isn't time to go to sleep. And the only time a doctor gave me a real sleeping pill, I was doped up for two days after arrival -- jet lag would have been better.

suze

Whatever you choose test it at home first. There are certainly prescriptions that aid sleep and don't leave you groggy for days. And for some people antihystamines like Benedryl have the opposite effect and hype them up instead of knock them out.

TobieT

A friend recommended the No Jet Lag and despite my skepticism, they did help to relieve the hung over, tired, swollen ankles, type symptoms that I have always had otherwise when doing overseas flights.

I think I took a hit of kid's chewable gravol to help with actual sleep on the flight. Gravol is handy to have for travel anyway and that low dosage doesn't knock you out like other medications do.

No Jet Lag pills IS homeopathic and maybe for some people, has no effect. But being one of those who has flown both with or without...I'd rather take it.

Travelnut

It's kind of like those who swear by echinacia for colds... studies indicate it has no effect, but sales are very good!

We use the NoJetLag but I've even said it might be the 'placebo' effect. Jet Lag isn't lack of sleep, that's just another thing to hit you on your first day. Jet Lag is more like disorientation, inability to comprehend, and impacted sleep schedule.

Best to do is drink plenty of water, limit alcohol, try to nap or even just rest the eyes. After you check into hotel, GO BACK OUT and walk, get fresh air, sunlight/daylight, early/light dinner, and bed around 8-9pm.

Edward2005

The best way to minimize jet lag is to have a rested, relaxed last day at home. On the flight drink lots of water and juice - no caffine, heroine, or booze. Sleep if possible. When you get there, get out in the sun and do stuff - walk, ride a bike, start a bar fight. Stay away until at least 9pm.

The next day will be like you lived there all your life.

wombat7

Different strokes for different folks. For the Trans-Atlantic trip going east to west, I just stay up and go to bed at the regular time for the time zone. Going west to east on a night flight is another matter - I find that if I stay up all day until the regular bed-time, I can get "over tired" and will not sleep at all. What I have found works best for me is to shower on arrival and then lie down for an hour or so - I don't sleep rather cat nap, the horizontal position seems to sooth my body - then I go out and get as much exercise and sunlight as I can and go to be at the regular time for the location

Would echo the comments about testing any drug on home base before trying it in the air - a colleague swore by imovane - half a pill gave him 5 solid hours - for me two pills made be somewhat dozy.

smalti

I'm with cmt--Benadryl might be worth a try. It's the only thing that's helped me to sleep on a transatlantic flight, and without any sedative hangover.

That said, it also aggravated the dehydration that always plagues me on flights. And, as suze says, some people get wired on Benadryl instead of drowsy.

jd_dallas

Just to clarify, No Jet Lag is not a sleeping pill and, as far as I know, it has no effect on your sleep. My wife and I have used No Jet Lag on our last two trips to Europe, and either it worked or the placebo effect worked. In either case, both of us felt better after landing than any trip in the past.

I don't think there's any way to test this at home, since the point of the pills is to help you adjust to changing time zones, light, etc.

djkbooks

I'm a huge fan of Ambien, though not on the flight...

If you plan to take Ambien after boarding the plane, you must do so - so as to have AT LEAST 7-8 hours available for sleeping.

I find it's more useful upon arrival. For getting a good night's sleep then, and a night or two after, until you've "adjusted" to local time.

kangamom

When taking an overnight flight, I've had great success with taking one Ambien (prescription) right before dinner and then slowing drifting off after my dinner is finished. I find getting even several hours sleep on the flight does wonders for my jet lag. Also, I don't drink any alcohol, although I'd love to have a glass of wine.

artlover

No Jet Lag works for me and my husband, but it's not for sleep. For that I take 1/2 Ambien, but whatever you decide to take, I suggest you try it out first at home so you'll know how it will affect you.

Sarvowinner

Having to put up with 3 international business trips a year from Australia, I swear by melatonin. I take it after I eat on the plane and find it sends me into a fugue like state which I can snap out of very quickly if needs be. But I feel very refreshed.

I then stay up all day when I arrive, and take it again when I go to bed for the first 2-3 nights and I am fine afterwards. It prevents those horrible times when you wake up at 3.00am and stare at the ceiling for several hours.

suze

oh good. i was hoping someone would comment on melatonin (which is natural but does help with sleep, unlike the no jet lag pills).

another pharmaceutical option is an anti-anxiety instead of a sleeping pill something like valium or xanax. this helps you relax & dose on the flight but does not knock you out or give a hangover, in my experience.

tcreath

Hmmm...Melatonin definitely just peaked my interest! While Ambien works wonders for me (as I mentioned above), it doesn't keep me from waking up at 2:00 a.m., wide awake and "staring at the cealings" as Sarvowinner mentioned. I usually have at least 1-2 of those a trip. I'm off to do some research on Melatonin right now.

I honestly think that the methods of sleeping on planes and avoiding jet lag vary from person to person. While some people can take Benadryl or Tylenol pm and be out like a rock, it does absolutely nothing for me. Ambien works like a charm for me, but I do take it as soon as I get on the plane so that I can get the recommended 8 hours of sleep. My husband uses it and gets maybe 5 hours of sleep if he's lucky, so it doesn't work as good for him as it does for me.

Tracy