Flying across time zones? Are you anxious and uncomfortable? Five different sleeping aids were evaluated by medical experts.
The following is a list of the most effective ways to improve your chances. noise-canceling headphones Sleeping pills may be the answer if these don’t work. Certainly, some flights don’t warrant sleeping aids—such as when you’re taking a short trip or traveling west against a time difference, says Aneesa Das, M.D.A sleep medicine specialist from the Ohio State University. She says that you might as well be awake for those flights. You may want to stay awake if you will be flying overnight in a different time zone. long flight essentials here), logging some shuteye on the plane is crucial to arriving refreshed—or close enough to it.
These supplements and sleeping pills can be of great help. They are a good solution for most people who have difficulty sleeping. sleeping on planesThey’re always better than wine when you see the beverage trolley. “Alcohol will allow you to fall asleep more quickly, however most people will then experience very disrupted and fragmented sleep quality,” says Thomas Kilkenny, M.D.Director of the Institute of Sleep Medicine, Staten Island University Hospital
Here’s what you should know—according to medical experts—about five of the most common sleeping pills for flights, including side effects to be aware of before you pop one.
This article was updated to include new information since the original publication date.
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Ambien
Ambien—the most powerful option on this list—is available by prescription only and works as a sedative-hypnotic medication It will make you sleepy and slow down your brain activity. It’ll knock you out good—maybe even You can also read more about good. Some users have retroactive amnesia. This means that you may wake up in the middle of a flight and remember a conversation with your seatmate. flight attendantDas says that you will have no recollection of it even after hours.
Ambien can cause unwelcome effects such as sleepwalking. This may result in awkward bumps and collisions on a plane. “This is especially true if combined with alcohol or if not enough time is allowed for sleep,” Kilkenny says. To allow the drug time to metabolize properly, Kilkenny suggests sleeping at least six to seven hours. This means you should avoid taking Ambien on short flights or with only a few minutes before landing. But it’s not all bad: Zolpidem (the generic name for Ambien) has been shown to fight off jet lag, per a 2018 review article published in Springer. Lunesta and Sonata, two prescription-only sleep aids that work similar to Ambien are also available.
Rozerem
Rozerem, the brand name of ramelteon, is a prescription sleep aid that is not as aggressive as Ambien. “It’s a melatonin receptor stimulant and is unrelated to the Z-pills,” Kilkenny says. It is more suitable for travel as it has a shorter half-life and reaches its peak quickly. Take an 8 milligram (mg) dose You should take it 30 minutes before you plan to sleep. The research suggests it won’t knock out as fast as Ambien. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research In 2020, it is suggested that the drug will help regulate your sleep-wake cycles to adjust your circadian rhythm to a new zone with less sleep disturbances. You can take it every day for five consecutive days beginning on the day you fly. Kilkenny also says that the Z drugs have unpleasant side effects like sleepwalking, retroactive memory loss, and amnesia.
Tylenol PM
You can easily pick up the over-the counter medication at the pharmacy when you are stocking on travel-sized shampoos Other carry-on essentials. Tylenol contains diphenhydramine – the same antihistamine as Benadryl – which is likely to put you right to sleep. Kilkenny says, “The histamine systems usually function to activate parts in the brain that contribute to increased awareness and wakefulness.” You could pay the cost once you land. Das explains that the antihistamine can cause you to feel groggy and hungover when you wake up. It can also cause a dry throat that tiny airplane cups of bottled water can’t fix. (Not a great situation, since flying generally can dehydrate you due to the low levels of humidity up in air). Das still says that it is okay to bring Tylenol PM with you on a plane, as long as it has been tolerated in the past.
Doxylamine
Doxylamine (sold under the brand name Unisom) is another antihistamine and acts similarly to Tylenol PM—dry mouth and grogginess side effects and all. You’ll typically want to take your Unisom about 30 minutes before going to bed. Kilkenny says that it can make you feel sleepy and mentally cloudy for eight hours, as well as a hangover-like feeling for several hours following awakening. This medication is best reserved for long flights with no connections. Kilkenny warns that it’s very easy to miss your connecting flight if you fall asleep on the next gate. Consider taking half the dose to reduce how much it affects you.
