sleeping pill - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

travelguy · 03-03-2005, 09:40 AM

i have never taken a sleeping pill but am considering taking one for my 10 plus hour long flight this summer. good or bad idea?

**U2fan** · 03-03-2005, 09:55 AM

It helps to diminish the jet lag if you can sleep on the flight, and if you can't without a sleeping pill, I'd take one but that's just me.

**omisan** · 03-03-2005, 10:33 AM

Drink a LOAD of water with the pill to make sure you stay hydrated.. Also, don't take a really strong one unless you've got a LONG-ass flight.

I occasionally take Ambien to help with my sleep - it's the best damn sleeping pill ever - but it also requires that you have a solid 8 hours on your hands, because it'll knock you out for that long. I made the mistake of taking one after dinner (t-minus-six hours to landing) on a flight to London once, and they had to get TWO flight attendants to wake my ass up before landing... I was dragging through the terminal until I got through customs. I was dragging the rest of the morning, as well, because I hadn't gotten the full 8 hours necessary with a pill like that.

As much as I love my Ambien, though, I think the best strategy is to pull an all-nighter the day before the flight. You're too excited to sleep then anyway, right?

**space virgin** · 03-03-2005, 11:09 AM

You could take a motion sickness pill, even if you don't get motion sickness-- they knock you right out, they're cheap, and you don't need a prescription to acquire them legally, lol.

Or try a couple of benadryl-- those knock me on my ass faster than Nyquil.

**pinion** · 03-03-2005, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by omisan@Mar 3 2005, 11:32 AM
I think the best strategy is to pull an all-nighter the day before the flight. You're too excited to sleep then anyway, right?*

I like Omi's idea, I've also done this and found it cut back on the jet lag.

I also drank a bunch of beer on the flight

That was fun

**omisan** · 03-03-2005, 04:30 PM

Benadryl is definitely a good standby. My doctor friend couldn't get an ambien scrip filled right before his flight to Scotland, so he substituted w/ Benadryl.

Things NOT to drink during a flight, if you want to counter the severe dehydration of altitude & recycled air: alcohol, caffeine, tomato juice. Naturally, I partake of all of them, then keep asking the FAs to bring me tons and tons of water.. They must hate me.

**zylah** · 03-03-2005, 09:30 PM

tomato juice? can u explain thatone?

by the way im a fussy sleeper, i cant sleep unless i'm the only one in the room and also i need to lie down properly, so i have no chance of sleeping on planes.

**omisan** · 03-04-2005, 12:04 AM

Tomato juice is the most popular beverage on planes (really...) but the high sodium content dehydrates you. For some reason, it tastes really good in flight.. or bloody mary mix. MmmMmm.

**bellelass** · 03-06-2005, 04:16 AM

I took no less than three sleeping pills on my first tranny flight, and it did nothing to me. Then my most recent one, I stayed up the night before, drank myself to oblivion on the plane, stayed up the next night with my new friends in london, then slept one night as normal. No jetlag for me.

Drink up!

**TheJake** · 03-06-2005, 07:46 AM

I can't sleep for #### on planes, too uncomfortable for my size. I need cash to start flying first class or something.

Anyway I just bring my mp3 player, watch the tv all night, annoy the #### out of everyone in my aisle by getting up ten million times to stretch and get more water. then upon arrival at my destination I go another 3 days without sleep until crashing for a good 12 hours in a nice hostel bed somewhere

**MolsonGirl** · 03-06-2005, 08:31 PM

Wow I must be really lucky... I get on a plane and pass out... generally not on the way there.. but on the way back I've been woken up a couple times before we've even taken off!!!!

I trained myself so well this summer with Ryan Air... no checked bags.. I'd get on (always getting a bulkhead or emergency exit seat for the leg room) proceed to pass out and wake up when we land and walk out of the airport no probs cause I have no bags to pick up...

But!!!! for those without the luck of being a student and therefore able to sleep whenever... wherever... I recommend the drinking idea.

**worldwidemike** · 03-07-2005, 09:26 AM

Get some of those cushy foam earplugs that you put into your ear. Then get one of those cloth masks. You'd be amazed how they help you mentally block out the rest of the plane. A couple glasses of wine with dinner on the flight helps make you drowsy, too...

worldwidemike

**Canadian Dude** · 03-07-2005, 12:50 PM

On my way to Australia i flew from Toronot to LA and thats not so bad...it was the LA to Oz that I was concerned about, i took 3 sleeping pills and drank 3 beer....when i boarded the [lane, i was out like a light, woke up an hour from Australia.

NOW, on the flip side to that..i tried the same thing on the way home...and did not sleep a wink..i was sooo tired but just could not close my eyes...sooo i felt like crap the whole flight, i guess it was luck of the draw

( Canadian Dude is not licenced to give mediacl advise, nor does he recommend any of his dumb ass, not scientifically proven methods. Travelpunk.com asumes no liability for Canadian Dudes actions)

**ChasinJason1313** · 03-07-2005, 12:57 PM

Quote:

I took no less than three sleeping pills on my first tranny flight

Wow Steph, I figured you to be experimental but that's down right kinky

**Rozza** · 03-07-2005, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jakethepunk@Mar 6 2005, 03:45 PM
I can't sleep for #### on planes,

haha jake, you and your netfilter

as long as i'm moving, or theres a diesal engine running, i'll sleep really well,

so boats, trains, my first car...

**LostFarmboy** · 03-07-2005, 01:55 PM

yeah, i'm one of the lucky ones, i can sleep in any moving vehicle, dunno why, i think its the constant white noise of the engine as it moves along

. Whatever it is it makes me sleep like a baby. Last flight i took was an overnight flight from Darwin to Sydney, i went to sleep as soon as the plane took off and woke up just before we landed, it was great, seemed like it was just a 5 min flight...not rubbing it in or anything

.

**space virgin** · 03-07-2005, 03:01 PM

Oh, I'm infamous for falling asleep in moving vehicles, lol. (Fortunately not when I'm driving-- I only get drowsy if I've been waaaaay lacking sleep.) My mom says that if she ever had trouble with me when I was a baby she'd put me in the car, go for a drive around the block and I was out like a light. I think that may have something to do with it now.