I particulary like long night flights, since the "joy" of flying has long past. If I can sleep the flight/night away, that's my idea of a "perfect" flight.

John

I wish I were so lucky. Benadryl/Tylenol PM knocks me out but then it seems to take hours after I wake until I'm clear-headed. (Or at least as clear-headed as I ever am. :D )

Don't spend much time in Coach, do you Globaliser? ;) Yes, I understand your point that state of mind has a lot to do with it- but it's hard to feel serene when you can't stretch your legs out, the seat "cushion" is about as thick as a bedsheet and the air is bone-dry. Under those circumstances, the right chemicals are very helpful.

I would also appreciate some info on where one can buy Ambien without a prescription so I can make sure to pick it up my future itineraries include the right country. Alternatively, any recommendations on hasslefree online shopping?

Ambien (and Xanax) is great, taken with a VERY LITTLE alcohol seems to increase its ability, a Baileys, something like that for me. It works with no after affect for me. Something in the back of my mind nags that in some way or another this stuff (even the Ambien) has to be addictive so I am really careful and only use it on o'night flights. I would think most reasonable Dr's would prescribe a small amount for any healthy patient for this purpose.

Its available in Mexico w.o. prescription. I don't buy it there, but it is.

I'm in a bit of a quandry about when to take any sleep aid for an upcoming trip. I don't sleep well on planes either, but we'll be travelling in first class all the way.

Here's our schedule and I'd like to ask when would be the best time/flight to take a sleep aid:
LAX-MIA 6:45am-2:27pm
MIA-LHR 5:30pm-7:00am next day
LHR-NBO 10:10am-9:20pm

I wouldn't take it on the LAX-MIA flight, and might probably sleep for an hour anyway due to having to get up extra early. It seems as though the MIA-LHR flight would warrant taking a sleep aid, but it'll only be 2:30pm my body-clock time when the plane takes off. I would take it on the LHR-NBO portion, but we arrive at 9:20pm, so then I might not be able to sleep when it's bedtime in Nairobi. Or, not take it at all on any of the flights and take it once we get checked in to the Hilton Nairobi. You see my qandry? What would you do?

OK, guys....Hasn't anyone tried the "1st Class Sleeper"?... the compact, inflatable "bed in the clouds"? I've debated about trying it, but haven't seen any recommendations on here. If it's been discussed, please post the link...

If it were my itinerary I'd take one on the MIA-LHR leg because it's an overnight and morning in London is also (roughly) morning in Nairobi, so you're easing into Nairobi time. I'd try and stay awake on the flight to Nairobi so that I'd be tired enough to sleep on arrival, consistent with local time. If I woke up 3 hours after going to bed in Nairobi I might take another one if I had to be functioning at my job the next day- if I were on vacation I'd just read for awhile and hope to get back to sleep. This is similar to a trip I took to India in February although I stayed overnight in London both ways, which helped coniderably.

But after taking Ambien 2 nights in a row I'd stop and just try to let my body deal with it.

I know this is a sleep aids thread, yet regarding jet lag and sleep aids:
I read on FT that for each hourly time-zone change, it takes one day to recover.
So SFO-AMS is nine hours difference, hence nine days to recover ?
Will sleep aids shorten recovery time ?
Do melatonin and alcohol mix ?

I know that one day, one time zone is the general rule- but for me it doesn't seem to take quite that long, especially going from East to West. Maybe 3 days going from Central time zone to Europe, 2 days going back for most of the effects to abate.

Absolutely ! Eastbound is the killer.
I have sincere admiration for those people that land in Europe early in the morning, go straight to work and are still intellegent and amusing at dinnertime. I just know I will never be one of them. Actually its getting harder with age.
However, Dallas is 7 hours different from Central Europe and it doesn't really take 7 days. It does take me 3 to be at full tilt (well, full tilt for me) though.

Ditto. I'm 55. I land in AMS around 11:30 am, 2:00 pm meet my clients (printing/publishing/graphics), then try to nap around 6:00-7:30 pm. Dinner at 9, which is cutting it close at some places. 9 hours difference for me.
First time using sleep aids. Usually just stay wake as long as possible the first day. Last night started taking melatonin before going to bed, earlier each night. Helped put me to sleep, but around 3:00 am I tossed&turned & had funny dreams. :D

Agreed. The MIA-LHR flight is the one for the sleeper.
But it isn't dangerous to take half an ambien a third or fourth night either if you're really having a hard time transitioning, or fall asleep naturally and then awaken bolt upright at 3AM.

I do alot of international and take Ambien.....I skip the dinner on the eastbound flight and take it minute its wheels up. Never take before takeoff as I did once.......

The three "B"s are most helpful:
Bose (headphones), booze and business class...