Overnight flight

[Robindianne]

How to get some sleep? Anyone have ideas? We leave at 10pm and get into MCO at 8am ish. I know not to eat too much on the flight or right before we go. I have a neck pillow, eye mask, and ear plugs.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Missytara]

Quite frankly, I wasn't able to sleep at all when I went to Barcelona a few years ago.

I felt like it was sleeping in hotel room with 250 other people.......

 

[TaraPA]

Ok I will get flamed for this but honestly it's the only thing that works for me. BENADRYL!

 

[rgf207]

Ok I will get flamed for this but honestly it's the only thing that works for me. BENADRYL!

agreed. No flames here. I used to travel a lot for work and I can't sleep on planes. When I flew to Japan and and Guam I had to take either benedryl or Tylenol PM because It's just too long of a flight to not sleep at all.

 

[prncess674]

Dress very comfortably. I wear comfortable soft clothes. Not sure if you are male/female. Are you traveling alone? with kids?

I generally travel alone and when traveling on red eyes alone I like to book the window since I will sleep most of the flight and don't want anyone disturbing me. I dress in soft layers that can be removed or added depending on the temp inside the plane. Soft knit yoga pants with a cashmere twin set works perfectly. I usually wear slip on shoes with dark socks. Also don't forget to pack a light weight wrap to use in place of a blanket. I never depend on a blanket in economy. Even if one is provided I use my shawl to cover near my face and hands and use the airline provided for my legs and feet. I use a lavender scented lotion since it promotes soothing sleep and slather on chapstik on my lips to combat the dryness.

Another trick is to soak a washcloth prior to leaving and slip it into ziploc baggie to freshen up just before landing. Buy a big bottled water to sip since the FAs tend to disappear on these long flights.

I am not a huge fan of listening to music while trying to sleep but I do have "chill" play list on my ipod that I listen to near the gate so I am already in a calm state before entering the plane.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Business Class is my solution. I couldn't imagine trying to sleep on a domestic coach (even a Red Eye, intracontinental isn't great).

 

[prncess674]

How to get some sleep? Anyone have ideas? We leave at 10pm and get into MCO at 8am ish. I know not to eat too much on the flight or right before we go. I have a neck pillow, eye mask, and ear plugs.

Thanks for your help!

Are you sure you are on a non-stop? I thought Alaska was the only one on that route and it appears they only have one flight a day and it is in the morning. I am just saying that you could be arriving really sleepy if you are on some sort of connection.

 

[disfan07]

I agree with the PP about benedryl.

I always take benedryl anyways because it helps with my asthma and allergies on the flight but if I'm flying a redeye i take 2 benedryl and i sleep very nicely.

 

[prncess674]

I agree with the PP about benedryl.

I always take benedryl anyways because it helps with my asthma and allergies on the flight but if I'm flying a redeye i take 2 benedryl and i sleep very nicely.

The problem with taking Benadryl in flight is that Benadryl is an antihystamine and it dries out your nasal passages. The air is already super dry in flight that you may be aggravating your allergies.

If you just want to sleep maybe try out Advil or Tylenol PM.

 

[Robindianne]

Thanks for all the great ideas! I'm so excited!

 

[disfan07]

The problem with taking Benadryl in flight is that Benadryl is an antihystamine and it dries out your nasal passages. The air is already super dry in flight that you may be aggravating your allergies.

Nope. Not for me. I tried flying without it and by the end of teh flight I was having trouble breathing adn my sinuses were so inflamed and stuffed that I ended up with a sinus infection.

If I take a benedryl I am able to breath the entire flight and I dont end up with sinus problems afterwards. Its different for different people but for me it's what works and what my allergist and my pulmonologist both told me to do

 

[ancestry]

I wish you the best of luck. I've traveled on overnight flights to Russia and other Eastern European cities as well as Salt Lake City and cities in California. I have never been able to sleep on an airplane no matter what I do. Taking medication such as benadryl only makes me have "cob web head" but doesn't help me to sleep. I can rest but I never fall asleep.

 

[prncess674]

Nope. Not for me. I tried flying without it and by the end of teh flight I was having trouble breathing adn my sinuses were so inflamed and stuffed that I ended up with a sinus infection.

If I take a benedryl I am able to breath the entire flight and I dont end up with sinus problems afterwards. Its different for different people but for me it's what works and what my allergist and my pulmonologist both told me to do

The way I read your original post and the many of the others who suggested Benadryl is to take it simply for the drowsy properties. By all means take the product if you need the allergy properties, but don't just take it to go to sleep. There are too many other drugs in Benadryl and better sleep aids on the market that have less negative effects if all you want to do is sleep.

 

[Glencora]

If you don't want to take Benadryl for sleep, try regular formula Dramamine KNocks me out completely.

 

[debknight]

The problem with taking Benadryl in flight is that Benadryl is an antihystamine and it dries out your nasal passages. The air is already super dry in flight that you may be aggravating your allergies.

If you just want to sleep maybe try out Advil or Tylenol PM.

Benadryl is just a brand name for "diphenhydramine", which is the same ingredient in Tylenol PM that causes sleepiness.

 

[Tara]

If you don't want to take Benadryl for sleep, try regular formula Dramamine KNocks me out completely.

The active ingredient in Dramamine is similar to Benedryl (it's actually a salt of diphenhydramine) so they're probably more similar to one another than dissimilar. However, I do find that Dramamine really makes me sleepy, whereas Benedryl doesn't.

 

[uva185]

How to get some sleep? Anyone have ideas? We leave at 10pm and get into MCO at 8am ish. I know not to eat too much on the flight or right before we go. I have a neck pillow, eye mask, and ear plugs.

Thanks for your help!

"Know not to eat?" Not sure why that would make a difference.

Here is what I do for redeyes. I am able to sleep from pushback to landing by doing this. I bring an eye mask, ear plugs, my own full sized pillow and blanket as what they give you on the plane (even in domestic first class) completely sucks! I have dinner after 9pm, and a glass of wine or two after boarding. I put the pillow against the wall and try to fall asleep before the plane takes off -- I find it easier to fall asleep when the plane is on the ground.

Also, if you depart SEA at 10pm and arrive at MCO at 8am you have a connection or stop somewhere.

 

[prncess674]

The active ingredient in Dramamine is similar to Benedryl (it's actually a salt of diphenhydramine) so they're probably more similar to one another than dissimilar. However, I do find that Dramamine really makes me sleepy, whereas Benedryl doesn't.

I am really unclear why everyone is taking a medication that can do a host of things, but yet its primary use is not to be a sleep-aid. If you need assistance to sleep take a sleep-aid. Neither Dramamine nor Benadryl are indicated for the use of sleep assistance. Why would you take a drug in hopes of getting a side effect (sleeping) and ingesting chemicals that you have no need for and could also have other unintended effects.

On another note, if you are traveling with kids taking any medication for sleep is never a good idea. You need to be able to be alert in case of emergency.

 

[TaraPA]

I am really unclear why everyone is taking a medication that can do a host of things, but yet its primary use is not to be a sleep-aid. If you need assistance to sleep take a sleep-aid. Neither Dramamine nor Benadryl are indicated for the use of sleep assistance. Why would you take a drug in hopes of getting a side effect (sleeping) and ingesting chemicals that you have no need for and could also have other unintended effects.

On another note, if you are traveling with kids taking any medication for sleep is never a good idea. You need to be able to be alert in case of emergency.

I do it for the exact same reason as the other Tara said - it works for us. I've tried Tylenol PM & it had zero effect. Whatever the sleep aid ingredient is in that, it doesn't work for me. I've been using Benadryl off & on as a sleep aid for 20 years & it works. Plain & simple. It's the only thing I've tried that knocks me out but whe I wake up, I'm not a zombie. I couldn't care less that I'm putting the other OTC meds from Benadryl in my system, if it works in my body to make me sleep, then that's what I use it for. I don't "hope" to get the side effect of sleeping like you stated, I DO get that side effect, every time. It might not work for others, but it works best for me.

 

[prncess674]

I do it for the exact same reason as the other Tara said - it works for us. I've tried Tylenol PM & it had zero effect. Whatever the sleep aid ingredient is in that, it doesn't work for me. I've been using Benadryl off & on as a sleep aid for 20 years & it works. Plain & simple. It's the only thing I've tried that knocks me out but whe I wake up, I'm not a zombie. I couldn't care less that I'm putting the other OTC meds from Benadryl in my system, if it works in my body to make me sleep, then that's what I use it for. I don't "hope" to get the side effect of sleeping like you stated, I DO get that side effect, every time. It might not work for others, but it works best for me.

Glad to see we agree that you are using it for the side effect and not the intended use. Pretty drastic measures if you ask me. I personally would never take a drug for a side effect. If you are okay taking a drug for a side effect and not worrying about the other intended use effects on an otherwise healthy adult body then that is your perogative, but endorsing and encouraging others to do so isn't so smart. I can sniff paint thinner and get high from paint thinner. Getting high is a side effect of using the product, doesn't make it something one should encourage others to do.