For domestic UA flights, CH9 through Bose Q2's puts me to sleep right after takeoff! It's a Pavlovian response - many years of late-night flights in the right-hand seat of a Mooney or Baron 55...

On all other flights, nonfiction audio book has almost the same effect...

Let me preface with the disclaimer that I am not a doctor (of medicine), so don't trust me.

Valium and its active metabolites have an half-life (as in they are reduced to half the original concentration) of 20-100 hours. Even though the effects of a single dose don't really last that long (why?), it can be an issue if you take it repeatedly. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diazepam

Sonata works like Ambien and Lunesta, but doesn't last as long (1 hour half life). If you take Ambien, or even worse, Lunesta or Ambien CR, you might still be under its effects when you get off the aircraft (not a good thing). I don't know if any one of these drugs is safer than any other. Sonata is great if you can stay asleep, but have trouble falling asleep.

As far as the remark about being arrested, Ambien et al. have gotten lots of people in trouble. The fun part is they don't remember what they did to get in trouble. A relevant article: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/...478729115.html

Ah okie - thanks for the explanation, Dr. Ralfp

1) close eyes
2) sleep

I hate you

The worst thing that I ever see when flying is sunrise...That means I've been up all night.

My doc gave me Seconal once (not even sure it's still made) told me to take 2. I was awake and gorked...The FAs thought I was hilarious!

Tried benedryl.. Kinda knocked me for an hour.

I won't use Ambian... bad side effects

Haven't tried Xanax

I have to be tired; really tired...to the point my body passes out. There are so many things that make sleeping on a flight next to impossible for me:
1) I'm a side sleeper - couch seating isn't comfortable.
2) If in FC; all the racket from dining utensils.
3) Tried noise-cancelling headphones...again, side sleeper; headphones aren't comfortable.
4) Short - need to have my legs elevated. Yes, I have placed bag under feet.

I'm one of those unfortunate souls who can't sleep on planes. Boo Hoo.

Some people just cannot sleep on flights, but general "good sleep hygeine" can help in most situations esp. when augmented by ambien. Avoid caffeine for several hours, avoid alcohol, have a full meal, empty bladders, and avoid TV/movies. Even though I have good noise cancelling headphones, for sleeping I think that a good pair of earplugs is the best bet.

I can fall asleep if I'm really, really tired. Other than that, nothing will do it.

I try to put in earplugs and use a mask to make sure that once I fall asleep, I stay asleep.

However... I talk in my sleep. How horrible! One time I had a dream that I was on a plane that was crashing and I think I might have screamed out loud because I woke myself up. I felt too funny about it to ask anybody if it was out loud!!! I wonder if I've ever said anything strange in my sleep on a flight. I definitely talk every night so I imagine I talk on the plane, too.

A double dose of Nyquil liquid gelcaps works every time.

I know that everyone says that Alcohol is bad when flying but hey it works for me -

A few beers in the lounge followed by a glass or two with food and that knocks me out for a good few hours. Then I just have to repeat the process

It's an interesting observation that yes, most of us resort to some sort of chemical to aid us in sleeping; however, I think it fails to capture the fact that for most long-haul travel (east/west and west/east), there are often significant time zone differences (i.e. 12 hours from NY to China!) that one needs to adjust for and I personally find that inducing my sleep at unnatural times makes that adjustmnt much easier.

I would echo the warnings on Ambien (or anything else for that matter). Whatever you do, try it out w/ family/friends first and not on a plane. I was on a flight with a co-worker that had significant ambien issues, to the point he was almost arrested. It also made for an uncomfortable flight for me!

I actually only take benedryl (sp?) on flights. I find 2-3 of them is enough to get me about 6 hours of sleep and I can take them with a glass of wine or two (never more, alcohol hurts your sleep as others mention). I find this works wonderfully and 6 hours is more than enough to start helping me adjust to the new time zone.

I think the reason why even premium class air travel isn't like being in a hotel is the sound of the engines, combined with jetlag (on a flight crossing timezones). Ear plugs and sound reducing headsets help but are, in themselves, a reminder that it's not a natural setting for good sleep. I call what I get on most long haul flights "airplane sleep" as opposed to "real sleep."

Actually if I am traveling in F normally bottle or two of Krug/DP, few samples of good quality reds, and fews glasses of JW Blue will knock me out. No chemical substances needed.

I agree with you about "airplane sleep," though I find that the NC phones or in-ear phones work very well, particularly when combined with familiar music. I consider myself to be doing well if I wake up and have to think, "Where am I? Oh, yeah, on a plane." That counts for me as real sleep. Usually, though, I wake up and think, "Where's the call button -- I'll order another screwdriver."

"Actually if I am traveling in F normally bottle or two of Krug/DP, few samples of good quality reds, and fews glasses of JW Blue will knock me out. No chemical substances needed. "

Alcohol is a chemical substance. The problem is, it is one that dehydrates you and can lead to a bad case of jet lag. That is not to mention the health issues brought on by chronic drinking while traveling for work. Staying hydrated on an intercontinental flight is difficult enough without adding alcohol into the mix.

Some people, seemingly yourself included, can sleep quiet easily and while you can manage to get away with drinking a few bottles of wine on a flight, I would suggest that having 10-15 drinks during the course of your trip isn't the best way to start or end a business venture. The drinking, eating, lack of activity and jet lag all catch up with your ticker at some point.