Originally Posted by mshaikun
I am a poor airplane sleeper and will be flying EWR to DUB. Flight time is 6 hr 15 mn and I assume that is gate to gate. Even with an Express dinner in business class, my guess is from pill pop to wake up would be at best a little over 4 hours. Is that too short of a time to take an ambien? I assume after wake-up I'll have at least an hour before deplaning so total time to get the pill out of my system will exceed 5 hours. I do not want to be impaired when I arrive.
Other than ambien, any suggestions. I've used it with good results on 8 hour and longer flights but never on one this short.
The manufacturer of Ambien
explicitly counsels against its use on flights shorter than seven hours:
Do not take Ambien unless you are able to get a full night’s sleep before you must be active again. For example, Ambien should not be taken on an overnight airplane flight of less than 7 to 8 hours since “traveler’s amnesia” may occur.
If you feel comfortable taking Ambien anyway, make sure that the dosage is only 5 mg (rather than 10 mg), and that you skip the meal -- express or not -- and take the pill immediately after wheels up (which is good advice, no matter what sleeping pill you are taking on a East Coast transatlantic flight).
I would recommend an alternative sleeping pill for this fairly short flight:
Sonata. It's life is considerably shorter than Ambien -- about four hours -- so it will be safe for your short transatlantic hop. The 10 mg dosage is probably right. I have used Sonata on several occasions -- mostly on the short transpacific flights from Hawaii to California -- with good success although Ambien is my primary sleeping aid of choice for redeye travel. I think you will find Sonata will be best for your flight. As I mentioned before, to improve your sleep and your chances of waking up in DUB refreshed, skip the meal and take the pill right after wheels up. I'd also recommend an eye mask and ear plugs and/or noise canceling headphones. Sleep well!