Outrageously long flights and sleep

[Fllora]

I'm surprised to find no mention of this, in ploughing through past posts. I'm going to be on a 19-hr flight, followed by another 36 hrs. of
waiting and flights to get to my destination. I'd really like to pass out on the 19-hr. flight and willing to ingest substances I would not usually.:)
I tried out diphenhydramine, very commonly used, 25 and then another 25 mg a couple hours later - and had insomnia all night.
Years ago I took a dose of Melatonin, not very high I don't think, and got an awful headache. I may try that again at a low dose.
I'm curious what works for others. Thanks.

 

[liam183]

Wear blue light glasses at all times. Microdose of amanita muscaria mushroom extracts can make you very sleepy as well.

 

[Dolomite]

The motion sickness drug, Dramamine, always makes me sleepy. Also, eating snacks that are comforting might help.

 

[Jennifer]

I'm curious what works for others. Thanks.

Benadryl and Progest-E.

 

[Herbie]

Fly business at a minimum so you don't get woken up all the time to eat.

Stay overnight in airport hotel on layover. I have done many 25 hour non stop trips and know that it would make it way easier to stay a day half way and to experience some culture and exotic food.

Try to find a place in the airport like a capsule hotel so you can sleep in the layover if its 3 hours or more but less than 10.

I don't think there can be anything to mitigate the stress of flying plus changing hemispheres.

I would just drunk alcohol on the plane to relax and sleep. I don't think cyproheptadine or any other sedative is good because it will make one feel drowsy once at destination which just makes things worse, this is from experience.

 

[ScottyVP]

Zopiclone if crossing lots of time zones

 

[Fllora]

Wear blue light glasses at all times. Microdose of amanita muscaria mushroom extracts can make you very sleepy as well.

Was just reading about amanita. What brand do you use? Good idea about the blue glasses, thanks.

 

[Gawdawg]

Yes to the Benadryl and Progest-E.

 

[ecstatichamster]

thing is not to have an antihistamine in your system when you are descending, as it can close up / dry up your eustachian tubes and make it hard to adjust your ear pressure. This is very painful and can result in hearing loss. I sometimes bring a real pseudephrine with me to take about 45 minutes before descent if I have taken an antihistamine on the flight.

 

[Fllora]

thing is not to have an antihistamine in your system when you are descending, as it can close up / dry up your eustachian tubes and make it hard to adjust your ear pressure. This is very painful and can result in hearing loss. I sometimes bring a real pseudephrine with me to take about 45 minutes before descent if I have taken an antihistamine on the flight.

Thanks for that. Since the diphenhydramine, i.e. Benadryl et al, gives me insomnia, I won't have that concern, but that's important info to know and share.

 

[Fllora]

I'm surprised to find no mention of this, in ploughing through past posts. I'm going to be on a 19-hr flight, followed by another 36 hrs. of
waiting and flights to get to my destination. I'd really like to pass out on the 19-hr. flight and willing to ingest substances I would not usually.:)
I tried out diphenhydramine, very commonly used, 25 and then another 25 mg a couple hours later - and had insomnia all night.
Years ago I took a dose of Melatonin, not very high I don't think, and got an awful headache. I may try that again at a low dose.
I'm curious what works for others. Thanks.

Update: I tried 3 mg of melatonin last night, despite the long-ago migraine response. Terrible night's sleep, none of it deep. Scratching that off the list of options. I had no idea this was going to be such a conundrum.
I cycle Progest-E and this will be during the "off" time, but even if I were to take it, it only relaxes me, does not make me sleepy.

 

[ecstatichamster]

some people say Ambien is helpful to them. Nothing wrong with it once in a blue moon.

 

[Oniyogini]

Just returned from a (hellacious) trip UK to AU. The trip over there to UK, I took diphenhydramine 25mg, magnesium and my usual Progest-E and got about 6 hours sleep sitting up, I wore blue light glasses when not sleeping, used ear plugs and eye mask and neck support. The plane noise was super loud. When I arrived, the first night I took another diphenhydramine and slept great, second night I did not and diid not sleep well! I was pleasantly pleased I did not feel jet lagged but I suspect that flying E-W is easier on the body.
On the return flight, I had three seats to myself so could lay down so did not take anything except for magnesium and slept 6 hours. The flights were hellacious due to late departing, almost missing the connection, running in sweaty Singapore airport...today is day 4, and I am only just starting to feel my body is Here... at 60 yrs old, this traveling stuff is no fun. Not as much fresh fruit on this journey home, maybe thats' why?
I also requested gluten-free meals and was supplied with loads of fresh fruit salad instead of gooey muffins, cardboard bread, and no alcohol, just copious water. I believe this helps mitigate jet lag.
I would repeat the above protocol for the next long haul- diphenhydramine, magnesium glycinate, and Progest-E, blue light glasses, ear plugs, eye mask and neck support. I also always change into silk pyjama pants on the long flights to be more comfortable in folding my legs up etc. And I am not going to bother paying for seats in advance, just check-in soon after it opens and select seats for free. That is just a bloody scam.

 

[ecstatichamster]

If you want to know how to really travel on long flights, the answer is to fast and just drink juice and replenish your sodium with a few olives. But I lack the willpower for that. I’ve done it and it was much better. I’ve taken many long flights. The enticement of business class or first class is too much for me, and I enjoy the experience to some degree so I don’t do it. But when I did, it was much better.

 

[Fllora]

Just returned from a (hellacious) trip UK to AU. The trip over there to UK, I took diphenhydramine 25mg, magnesium and my usual Progest-E and got about 6 hours sleep sitting up, I wore blue light glasses when not sleeping, used ear plugs and eye mask and neck support. The plane noise was super loud. When I arrived, the first night I took another diphenhydramine and slept great, second night I did not and diid not sleep well! I was pleasantly pleased I did not feel jet lagged but I suspect that flying E-W is easier on the body.
On the return flight, I had three seats to myself so could lay down so did not take anything except for magnesium and slept 6 hours. The flights were hellacious due to late departing, almost missing the connection, running in sweaty Singapore airport...today is day 4, and I am only just starting to feel my body is Here... at 60 yrs old, this traveling stuff is no fun. Not as much fresh fruit on this journey home, maybe thats' why?
I also requested gluten-free meals and was supplied with loads of fresh fruit salad instead of gooey muffins, cardboard bread, and no alcohol, just copious water. I believe this helps mitigate jet lag.
I would repeat the above protocol for the next long haul- diphenhydramine, magnesium glycinate, and Progest-E, blue light glasses, ear plugs, eye mask and neck support. I also always change into silk pyjama pants on the long flights to be more comfortable in folding my legs up etc. And I am not going to bother paying for seats in advance, just check-in soon after it opens and select seats for free. That is just a bloody scam.

Mmm, thanks for posting. I too am flying 19 hrs to Singapore for the first and longest leg of this long journey. "Sweaty Singapore airport" - had not imagined that. I also get gluten free meals. Am over 60 and hear ya'. Cannot do diphenhydramine, as I mentioned. Will do the blue light glasses and Mg and Progest-E - and a dose of Pansterone for the DHEA on arrival, based on the studies posted about that resetting inner time clock. And eye mask is de rigeur for me, always. I Love the silk pajamas!!