Three things that are really helpful are those contoured neck pillows. I have an inflatable one as it takes up on space and I can underinflate it so my neck fits in it as I want. Also, foam in ear plugs. You squish them down and plunk them right into your ear canal. They expand and block out pretty much all sound. The last thing I suggest is an eye cover. It will keep things nice and dark for you.

Another thing you can do is before your flight start thinking about how nice it will be to sleep on the plane. Think of how you're going to go on there and have a nice deep nap. When you do that, your body will start to realize that its time to go to sleep.

Combine that with skipping the alcohol and caffeine and a sleeping pill and you're off.

Get seated in an exit row.
Take off shoes and put on slippers (bring your own if not provided).
Recline seatback all the way.
Slouch forward and stretch legs all the way out.
Support lower back with pillow.
Cover up with blanket and sleep.

Is xanax prescription?

I would echo this. If I have a red eye flight I will wake up as early as possible in the morning so that I am dead tired in the evening. Worked very well this past Tuesday when I was already in sleep before the take off.

I use Valium (generic: diazepam) before a flight I want to sleep on. It's a mild sedative, and you can get either 2mg, 5mg, or 10mg pills from your doctor. I'm a big guy so I take the 10mg pill and it puts me to sleep for a couple of hours. (Note: I am not a drinker, and my stomach is typically empty when I pop a Valium before a flight.) Please ensure you do not have an addictive personality before you sign-up for Valium, however, as it is a narcotic and is easy to get hooked on. I do not have an addictive personality, and a bottle of 30 pills can last me an entire year.

Loose clothing, empty bladder, clean teeth, comfortable pillow, audiobook of something longish and reasonably involving and comfortable headphones, listen at a fairly low volume so that as you start to relax, if you do doze off the recording won't wake you up again. And if you don't doze, just try to relax and enjoy being read to. I like a red wine and a Baileys as well, but this doesn't work for everyone.

Great advice, I have been working on this lately as well. I found that a digital recording of a waterfall is helpful. I think it is from the 'Sounds of the Earth' CD.

One more data point, here's what works for me on red-eyes and long-hauls:

1. Upgrade (Y --> C or c --> F)
2. Good meal (or if airport/airline food, full meal)
3. One or no glass of alcohol
4. Ambien, about an hour before intended sleep time
5. Shoes off, extra pair of socks
6. Ear plugs
7. Noise-canceling headphones with soft music
8. Eyeshade
9. Recline and relax, clearing the mind
10. Sleep

This has been much discussed in the past, usually in the TravelBuzz forums. Advice to upgrade aside, it's not really the latest frequent flyer program buzz so I'll move it to TravelBuzz.

Thanks,
Gary
aka gleff
MilesBuzz moderator

Valium (diazepam) has a really long half-life (100 hours or so), though its effects do not last that long.

Sonata (zaleplon) is great, as it works quickly and lasts a short time (2-4 hours). This lessens the chance of being dragged off the aircraft in handcuffs.

With all benzos and Z-drugs (zolpidem, zaleplon, [es]zopiclone; i.e. Ambien, Sonata, Lunesta) you should really avoid alcohol. Unlike most drug-alcohol warnings (name a prescription that won't have such a sticker on it), the ones for these drugs are real. That, and never take it for the first time when you're not with family or friends, especially on an aircraft.

I can't believe it took until post #23 to mention something as simple as ear plugs and an eye mask. I use both and sleep fine on overnight flights. With all the drug recommendations, it sounds like frequent flyers are a bunch of addicts!

I'm like op, I can never sleep on planes, or even if I do, it's not often quality sleep.

I don't like relying on pills so I just try to read an engrossing book to fall asleep. It distracts my attention from all the craziness of flying.

I'm always jealous of those who can sleep right away but maybe it's also because I psych myself out! Oh No!

Eye mask, neck pillow, ear plugs. Ambien didn't make a dent for me... Xanax allows me to sometimes doze off for 15-20 minutes at a time. The only way I could sleep a full 8 hours on a plane would be under general anesthesia.

I didn't quite get that, ralfp What do you mean by the half-life comment? Are you saying that Valium's effects could last as long as 100 hours? Also, the way I read your post (maybe I misread), the implication was that Sonata was safer because Valium could increase the chance "of being dragged off the aircraft in handcuffs". I didnt follow that, so was wondering if you would expound on the thought, please

Its interesting indeed just how many flyertalkers need or use chemical substances in order to allow themselves some brief form of sleep. This is for me in itself , a particularly damning indictment of Premium Class air travel. I suppose if you're travelling in the back of the bus, wedged between fat rolls and saliva waterfalls, popping a few valium, xanax, ambien, or whatever works will give the same benefits to the poor man in Y as his breathen in the pointy end of the plane--comfortable oblivion but at a third of the price