Dealing With Jetlag: Ambien, Melatonin Or ???

[artnbarb]

Altho we're hoping for a little sleep during our flight ti Italy (because we upgraded to 1st class and lie-flat seats), we won't really know until it's too late whether those seats/beds are really as comfortable as they say. In the past we've used NoJetLag, but since you're supposed to take it once an hour, sleeping, or at least trying to sleep makes that difficult, and I'm not sure if it's effective or not.

I've considered getting a prescription for Ambien, but I don't think it's very effective when taken on a full stomach, which sort of kills my idea for eating then trying to sleep.

Has anyone used melatonin to combat jetlag? I haven't Googled it yet, so I don't know what the recommendations are, but I'd be interested in hearing what has, and has not worked for others. We'll be flying east, departing Charlotte NC about 6:30 p.m. the flight lasts approximately 9 hours,and we land at FCO around 9:45 a.m. We pick up our rental car at FCO and have a 2 hour drive ahead of us.

What's worked for you? Or should I just suck it up?

 

[Pauline]

I am able to sleep in the business/first beds and it makes a lot of difference, but I am always jet lagged for a day or two. I don't think nojetlag pills work. They are homeopathic and I don't have much faith in that system. I wouldn't take ambien unless you are used to taking sleeping pills.

I would go the natural way. Start going to sleep earlier the week before you travel. Don't drink alcohol on the flight and eat light. Go to sleep right after the meal. Take it easy on arrival. Since you have a drive, make a few stops along the way.

Noise canceling headphones make a long flight easier but they are quite an investment.

 

[artnbarb]

I do have some noise cancelling headphones, but with the lie-flat seats/bed, I don't think they would be comfortable - plus the case is so large and bulky - and my basket of 'stuff ' going to Italy just keeps growing and growing, so I'm trying to be more selective about what I'm packing!

 

[Chris]

Be very careful with ambien. Only take the tablet you plan to swallow with you on the plane. Several years ago, my sweet husband took one, and under its influence forgot and took another, etc, for a total of 5. Fortunately he was a big man whose metabolism handled it well, and he remained well-behaved and polite while behaving very strangely, but it made for a really crazy first day in Paris. Funny in retrospect, but at the time, not so much.

 

[Kathy]

I have a prescription for ambien that I use for travel. It does help me get several hours of sleep on a flight to Europe. I cut my pills in half.

Chris, I can't believe Frank took five ambiens. Wow.

 

[Anne]

I have sleep paralysis, so am too paranoid to take any kind of sedative lest it aggravate that condition. I'm usually able to manage a sort of semi-concious doze on the plane by listening to classical music on my earphones after supper, but can never actually get to sleep. (Except this one time when I had all three seats in my row to myself, so stretched full out with blankets and pillows!)

On the first day of my trip, I try to do a fair bit of walking, both to get my body moving again after a long flight and also to tire me out for a good night's sleep. I go to bed by 9am local time and sleep until I wake up...slept like a log for 12 hours straight the first night of my last trip! But then I'm good to go the rest of the trip.