Minimising jet-lag / sleeping pills

Barcode

Next week my partner and I have a 21 hour flight to Australia. I've done 12 hours a few times and that was just about manageable, but I'm developing claustrophobia at the thought of being on a plane for a day (though we are getting off for an hour and a half in Singapore, can't do much there except walk around the airport before going back on the plane I think).

I'd rather not lose a day owing to being tired once we arrive in Sydney. Has anybody here ever tried sleeping pills on a long flight? I can never sleep on planes and this might be a solution; but I don't want to be knocked out to the point where I would sleep through an earthquake!

How have others here coped with such a long flight?

Usually, I just take a few bottles of water, change of clothes and a few books. Not sure if that will get me through a day on the plane.

saubryn

Why can't you sleep on the plane? Is it because you're uncomfortable? Because the air is so dry? Or because of the noise?

I find the noise really annoying, so bought some noise cancelling headphones while I was on my last flight - they were expensive, but well worth it - if you find noise a problem it might be worth picking some up before you travel (and cheaper than buying them on the flight).

I'm lucky in that I don't get jetlag that badly - I just stay awake through the initial tiredness and then sleep on that countries night time - maybe you could try getting on Australian time before you travel? I wouldn't fancy doing the 'just stay up' thing on a long flight.

richardw

Benadryl tablet (or own brand equivalent) and alcohol should sort you out.

Don't think about time when on the flight and focus on other things, bit of reading, watching TV, listening to music, get up to walk about.

Barcode

It's not the noise (I'm profoundly deaf so can just take my aids out!).

Qantas are supplying us with noise-cancelling headphones. I've checked.

I think it must be a combination of the air, and those pax who have lights on quite a bit. Any kind of turbulence also keeps me awake. I'm not a fearful flyer, I just find it difficult to sleep when my seat is moving at all!

The flight going leaves at midday, so I am assuming most of the way to Singapore will be in daylight (we arrive at 8:00am local time). Then we get to Sydney at about 7pm. I'm hoping after we have found a place to have dinner, we'll be able to crash and our schedule won't be too messed up.

Coming back should be easier since most of the flight is overnight.

blindman

Barcode wrote:

Next week my partner and I have a 21 hour flight to Australia. I've done 12 hours a few times and that was just about manageable, but I'm developing claustrophobia at the thought of being on a plane for a day (though we are getting off for an hour and a half in Singapore, can't do much there except walk around the airport before going back on the plane I think).

I'd rather not lose a day owing to being tired once we arrive in Sydney. Has anybody here ever tried sleeping pills on a long flight? I can never sleep on planes and this might be a solution; but I don't want to be knocked out to the point where I would sleep through an earthquake!

How have others here coped with such a long flight?

Usually, I just take a few bottles of water, change of clothes and a few books. Not sure if that will get me through a day on the plane.

Who are you flying with?

We did this trip in April with Virgin, when we landed at Sydney we then flew to Adelaide, which added another 6 hours in total to the 21 hr flight!

Didn't find it too bad,kept alcohol intake low:beer: and drank plenty of water\juice.

They provide eye shades and I take ear plugs so we napped during the whole flight.

I also take a wash kit (shaver + cream) they provided toothpaste\brush. At Singapore I freshened up and treated the next (night-time ) flight as that. Ate the meal and napped again.
Obviously walked about a bit on the plane.

I usually try to get into synch with the local time on arrival in that even if I've been travelling through out my 'night' and I arrive when it's light I'll force myself to stay awake until the 'normal' local bedtime.
Usually works Ok for me anyway.

Enjoy.

Sheel

blindman wrote:

We did this trip in April with Virgin

We flew with Virgin in April too!

We had a stopover in HK on the way out so I didn't suffer jet lag when we arrived in Sydney , but didn't have a stopover on the way back and we flew from Cairns to Sydney , Sydney to London , London to Manchester and then drove home to Leeds Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though and I did manage to sleep , but I did have the worst jet lag i've ever had that lasted a week or so after we'd got back.

Sorry , that's no help :rolleyes: Would like to know what I could have done to have avoided the jet lag as I did manage to sleep

Barcode

Thanks AlexJohnson.

Problem is, I'm an insomniac at the best of times. I'll try the usual methods, but I suspect I'll be taking a pill and something alcoholic. I actually have prescription pills, but they are much, much too strong and always leave me in a walking coma for the following day. I wouldn't risk it on a plane as I would likely have difficulty responding in any emergency.

Think I'm going to take a jogging-suit to try and sleep in and a change of clothes for when I arrive. Should be more comfortable this way.

nettsey

I am just back from Florida (night flight) and I swear by Phenergan - you can buy it over the counter and is used as a mild sedative, can also be used for travel sickness and to treat allergic conditions.

I used this once borded on plane (takes about an hour for it to kick in) and slept like a baby (I find it hard to sleep on a plane too), got off flight all OK the next day.

Gave this to my daughter too, hubby didnt need it he can sleep on a washing line....

richardw

More info http://www.drugs.com/phenergan.html says avoid alcohol

Bob63

Speak to your doctor, explain your problem and ask him to prescribe sleeping pills for the journey. DO NOT drink alchohol. I have seen a passenger hauled off a plane in handcuffs by the police after going crazy midair because he mixed sleeping pills and booze.

Another alternative is melatonin. I have done as many as 12 transatlantic trips per year and have been using melatonin for over 10 years. I take it for a couple of nights before I fly and a couple of nights after I arrive. It works a treat. To be honest though melatonin isn't much help though on an overnight flight. Nothing is. I regularly fly in Virgin Upper Class in a 6'7" long fully flat bed under a feather duvet, following a massage from the pretty in-flight therapist. That is the *only* way that I can get to sleep in the air. I did that last year to Sydney and back and it was fantastic. The cost was a nightmare though!

Mike