sleeping on long haul flights

[t60]

We´re off to Australia next year and my OH is not very good sleeping on planes...has anyone any experience (good or bad) of using jet sleeper pillow?

http://www.jetsleeper.com/index.html

 

Sandy in Spain

[dorisis]

We´re off to Australia next year and my OH is not very good sleeping on planes...has anyone any experience (good or bad) of using jet sleeper pillow?

http://www.jetsleeper.com/index.html

 

Sandy in Spain

 

I find it very difficult to sleep on a plane. Taking an antihistimine might help.

~Doris~

[Zach1213]

Sleeping on planes is often different for everyone. I travel for a living and it took many overnight flights to find what worked perfectly for me - get very little sleep the night before and take the last flight out of the night. For example, I am flying down to Australia on Friday for work, and am taking the 11:30pm flight out of LAX. However, my travels start in Kansas City, so my body will say it's 1:30am when I leave LAX. By the time dinner is over, my body says it's 3:00am and is putting me to sleep no matter what environment I am in. Add a drink or two in to that (not too much) and it usually works if I only slept 4 hours the night before at home.

 

However, everyone is different, and I think very few people get it right at first. It takes practice and tweaking to figure out exactly what your body likes.

[spookwife]

if you are not springing for First Class seats, no amount of accessories will help. except maybe Tylenol PM.

[Love.II.Cruise]

Long ago I was studying like crazy for college finals. Stayed up 48 hours. My family and I had a red eye to New York and my mother gave me a Xanax in the airport to help me sleep. Unfortunately, she didn't know I had been up for 48 hours. She kept asking me if I was feeling the Xanax and I wasn't. But I didn't know what it was supposed to feel like either.

 

When we got up from the lounge to go to the gate for boarding, I stood and fell back into the chair. I looked at my mom and said, "What did you give me!?!" I almost didn't make it to the plane! :eek: Needless to say I was passed out before take-off. I slept until we landed. And then I was wide awake and hit New York City running! Best sleep I ever had.

[PennyAgain]

That pillow is no magic solution.

 

Sleeping on long haul flights is something I've had to learn to do over many, many flights. I go easy on food and alcohol and wear comfortable clothing.

 

I have my own very good eye shades and shawl I use for a blanket.

 

I can sleep a long time on flights often to the amazement of my travel mates, but it is not as good as sleeping at home.

[cb at sea]

I cannot sleep sitting up at all...I may doze, but it's not a restful sleep. That's the reason we haven't done any "long haul" flights....I think I'd end up a crazy person by hour 6 or 7.....I'm ok up to 5-6 hours, but after that.....LET ME OUT!!!!

[surfsidemary]

I find it very difficult to sleep on a plane. Taking an antihistimine might help.

~Doris~

 

Antihistamines, or anything over the counter that has "PM" after it has the opposite effect on me. They wire me up. You do not want to feel that way with 12 hours in a plane ahead of you, so find out how your body reacts while you are still safely at home.

[jennmaybe]

if you are not springing for First Class seats, no amount of accessories will help. except maybe Tylenol PM.

 

Aah, one of the few luxuries of 1st class seats. Very comfy to snooze in.:)

[euro cruiser]

I have used a jet sleeper but it's heavy to carry so I haven't bothered with it in years. The most important thing it does is support your lumbar region and your head. You can do that yourself with a neck pillow and a regular pillow behind your lower back. I now carry a small inflatable pillow for the lumbar support (bought it for next to nothing in a camping supply store); it weighs only ounces and takes up no room at all when not inflated.

 

Studies (one recently reported on in the New York Times travel section here: http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/08/19/travel/a-battle-plan-for-jet-lag.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1346257876-aarC9ECnK6oOnHbvAAmjCg) have shown that managing your exposure to light helps, so a sleeping mask or dark sunglasses may also help.

[Zach1213]

if you are not springing for First Class seats, no amount of accessories will help. except maybe Tylenol PM.

 

Everyone is different. I've had 8 hours of sleep in coach before, no problem.

[YubaSutter]

Take an Ambian when you get on the plane.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

if you are not springing for First Class seats, no amount of accessories will help. except maybe Tylenol PM.

I agree ...

[Ashland]

Take an Ambian when you get on the plane.

No..Don't...Never good to be under the influence of anything during a flight...A quick response could save your life !!

[Talisker92]

I am almost embarrassed to admit it, but at our age (we will never see 60 again) those transatlantic flights from the West Coast are a killer. We have swallowed hard, and cut back our traveling so we could go Business Class on British Airways. The first time we did it my wife said she was in heaven, as she could sleep on her side.

I have attached part of a trip story that shows the configuration.

We are using FF miles to upgrade us to save some of the costs.

On word of caution, you have to go to each airline to see what Business Class offers.

We cancelled a South Pacific Cruise because all that was offered for a ton of money was more legroom!

BACKROADS OF SWITZERLAND 2.pdf

[Kartgv]

Take an Ambian when you get on the plane.

 

That's our solution, but only advisable if you've taken it before and know exactly how your body reacts to it. Some people have weird reactions, some are really knocked out. Both of us are lucky - we take half a one, sleep reasonably well, but still wake up at loud unusual noises or for a bathroom trip. "Ashland" is probably right about it affecting a "quick response", but at my age, I'll take my chances. A decent night's sleep is more important to me than the '1 in 'how many million?' chance' that it might affect my surviving an airplane disaster.

[Joy2Day]

That's our solution, but only advisable if you've taken it before and know exactly how your body reacts to it. Some people have weird reactions, some are really knocked out. Both of us are lucky - we take half a one, sleep reasonably well, but still wake up at loud unusual noises or for a bathroom trip. "Ashland" is probably right about it affecting a "quick response", but at my age, I'll take my chances. A decent night's sleep is more important to me than the '1 in 'how many million?' chance' that it might affect my surviving an airplane disaster.

 

Agree with knowing how your body handles it. My first AND ONLY time with Ambien was in a hospital ... My reaction included hallucinations and being argumentative .. They finally got me to calm down and sleep. The next morning, I thought it had all been a bad dream ....

[Starry Eyes]

That's our solution, but only advisable if you've taken it before and know exactly how your body reacts to it. Some people have weird reactions, some are really knocked out. Both of us are lucky - we take half a one, sleep reasonably well, but still wake up at loud unusual noises or for a bathroom trip. "Ashland" is probably right about it affecting a "quick response", but at my age, I'll take my chances. A decent night's sleep is more important to me than the '1 in 'how many million?' chance' that it might affect my surviving an airplane disaster.

same here.

I take Ambien with my doctor's approval. DH's doc has also OK'd him taking Ambien, but he does not generally do so. My reaction time might be slower on the Ambien. heck it might be slow just from fatigue. DH would be there to look out for me if needed. plenty if other people on the plane have taken a sleep aide, so flight attendants would be aware of the potential sleepiness. worst case would on a transocean flight would be bad, sleepy or not. For a long eastbound flight, I also try for a late flight, close to my normal bed time if workable.

[Architect]

Long ago I was studying like crazy for college finals. Stayed up 48 hours. My family and I had a red eye to New York and my mother gave me a Xanax in the airport to help me sleep. Unfortunately, she didn't know I had been up for 48 hours. She kept asking me if I was feeling the Xanax and I wasn't. But I didn't know what it was supposed to feel like either.

 

When we got up from the lounge to go to the gate for boarding, I stood and fell back into the chair. I looked at my mom and said, "What did you give me!?!" I almost didn't make it to the plane! :eek: Needless to say I was passed out before take-off. I slept until we landed. And then I was wide awake and hit New York City running! Best sleep I ever had.

 

If you haven't taken any on previous nights, it's best to start with a half-dose of a Benzodiazepine like Xanax. People who take them more often build up a tolerance and they may forget that when they offer one to someone else. Medicated sleep is never as good as natural sleep but it's also good not to be a wreck the next day. Ambien has proven problematic at best--you can read about it online.

 

Agree with the remark upthread about flat-bed seats such as BA Club World. They make all the difference, especially for those of us who don't fit in 'standard' size airplane seats.

[searoses]

thank you for the pics talisker....i was disappointed to not see the chair reclining more. i am a terrible sleeper and have adhd. even thinking of being on a plane from bos to barcelona makes my bp go up!!! i REALLY want to go to europe but i don;t want to be that passenger on cnn they show being hauled off to the psych ward!! my poor husband can sleep anywhere......

[Talisker92]

thank you for the pics talisker....i was disappointed to not see the chair reclining more. i am a terrible sleeper and have adhd. even thinking of being on a plane from bos to barcelona makes my bp go up!!! i REALLY want to go to europe but i don;t want to be that passenger on cnn they show being hauled off to the psych ward!! my poor husband can sleep anywhere......

 

The chair actually reclines flat. my wife loved it!

[Suitcasefull]

Agree with knowing how your body handles it. My first AND ONLY time with Ambien was in a hospital ... My reaction included hallucinations and being argumentative .. They finally got me to calm down and sleep. The next morning, I thought it had all been a bad dream ....

 

Almost exactly what happened to a friend after open heart surgery! Two nights in ICU and then sent to a regular room for a "good night's sleep"......He had hallucinations, was combative (ordinarily very mild man), bloodied the doc's nose, had to be restrained and got out of those several times. Kept wife, nurses and three doctors busy all night. Next day he told his wife he had had terrible nightmares and related them. She told him they really occurred. Nurses told her this was very common with patients given Ambien, especially over age 50, but doctors continue to prescribe it. Atavan is also in same drug family she was told so they always make sure any hospital stays have those two drugs marked hugely on his forms as Dangers to him and what effects take place.

Recently met a man whose brother-in-law took a shotgun to his garage and killed himself one night when on Ambien. No known problems or depression, just had been taking Ambien a few nights to "sleep sounder" He was only about forty. I know it's a popular sleeping pill but hope people would consider the possibility of being the one it affects terribly.

And I know this is off topic but that post just really hit hard!

[SPacificbound]

We´re off to Australia next year and my OH is not very good sleeping on planes...has anyone any experience (good or bad) of using jet sleeper pillow?

http://www.jetsleeper.com/index.html

 

Sandy in Spain

 

I have not tried this but have tried other pillows, etc. and for me, really nothing has done any good, even in first class. DH has traveled all over the world on business and pretty much can go to sleep anywhere. My longest flight so far has been NYC to London which boarded NYC at 10:30PM, and then of course the return. I'm not looking forward to the 13 hour flight we will take in 2013 but I am looking forward to the trip, so I figure I can just suck it up and do it. ;)

 

Flight is very dehydrating so I would be very careful about any medication that could add to that.

[wassup4565]

I find wearing a big hoodie is good. I can pull the hood over my head and most of my face and still breathe. Privacy plus darkness. I have a calming playlist on my i-Pod, and when I stick the earphones in my ears, I can't hear anything else.

 

All in all, it's still not fabulous. There is nothing that can make it fabulous when you're jammed into a giant torpedo with hundreds of other people, and a total stranger's head is reclining on a seat-back in front of you that is about eight inches above your chest. Nothing can make that right.

[klauer]

Please, it is not "very common" for people who take Ambien to become psychotic or commit suicide. I agree that it is not a good idea to take it for the first time when you go on vacation, but it is a blessing to me and others who have suffered for years with insomnia.