If flying economy on such a long flight - take an old pillow that you are ready to throw out anyway. Just before your return flight - buy another to bring back to replace it.

I have the neck pillow!

Nyquil helped me sleep a few years back when I was struggling.
Not sure if you can take it with you though.

You could try some melatonin - I take it at night and it helps me sleep through the entire night. Maybe you can take some benadryl - does that make you drowsy?

The Valerian didn't help, I don't think.

I took it when they were doing lights out, after I had couple of wine glasses.
Put in my ear plugs, the sleep blinder, travel socks, and had a blanket.

Bent over and think, THINK, I slept.

Anxiety over this.

See if you can get a few Xanax from your doctor. Even a small dose will really relax you making it easy to fall asleep.

Not to be taken regularly as it is very addictive.

Bent over, meaning I have the seating all the way and back, thinking it's called THE hULL.
Meaning you have leg room in the front.
Not first class.
Bent over meaning, I have leg room. Instead of sitting with someone in front of me, know what I mean?

Can you sit by a window? I think Hollyinontario meant to take a real bed pillow, old one. You could prop it up on the window and (hopefully) snooze.

Dramamine can make you sleepy. Tylenol PM can help too. Don't know how they would interact with "nightcaps" though.

Whether or not you sleep will also depend on when you go. If you are flying at night, you will naturally want to sleep. Daytime...well, that's another thing.

Be sure to take a book, hand-held video games are helpful (I like Solitaire), and plan to watch a movie if you cannot sleep. And don't look at your watch to see how much time is left.

Or even better...switch to first class! Just kidding.

Glenda, just have a couple of Dirty Martinis--that should do it!

Hugs, Donna (^_^)

My daughter is dealing with this too--an 11-hour leg and a 10-hour leg to India. She really hates to fly and cannot sleep. When she flew to Scotland last year she took Benedryl, which she had first tried at home to make sure in caused sleepiness in her. Didn't work at all, I think because she was too keyed up. So when she went to the doctor recently for shots, she asked him about this and he gave her Vallium (generic.) I have doubts whether this will help her much, as I take it for fear-o'-flying, and it only makes me relax a little. I feel for you, Glenda. Do you dare take a "real" sleeping pill? I guess the doc wouldn't give any to dd--not sure why. By the by, she LOVED Scotland! Hang in there, watch movies and enjoy the rest of your trip. How are you feeling today, if you don't mind my asking?

Definitely don't take Tylenol PM or Nyquil (or anything containing acetaminophen) if you are drinking alcohol. This has been in the news a lot lately about how people are taking too much acetaminophen-containing products & experiencing liver damage.

I think you would be wise to speak to your dr, Glenda, & ask for an Rx or a recommendation for over the counter sleep aid. Your dr will know what meds you are taking & any medical history that might be pertinent for making such a decision. You don't want to arrive @ your destination & be sick from a medication having an untoward side effect.

I have found that Unisom works best for me.I would try it at home using 1/2 tablet and see how it affects you.
It's a over the counter sleeping pill.
Lois

All I have to do is, relax, read something or listen to music and I'm out. I do not recommend a lot of alcohol because the cabin pressure is less than normal atmosphere. Also, go light on sodas. A snack, however, is nice. Just don't wolf it down, chew and enjoy.

My sister always relied on Benadryl when on her 17 hour flights. Lizzie is a nurse and she was terrified of flying and this was the only thing that she relied on.

Anne

Almost nothing works to help me sleep; I am a natural night-owl, and my body wants to be awake most of the time. However, when I absolutely postitively must sleep, I take a Trazedone, which requires a doctor's rx. Originally an anti-depressant which was not successful, it has proven to be an excellent sleeping tablet - no side effects and no addictive properties. My scrip calls for two, but I only take one, and am out for 7-8 hours.

However - you are not supposed to drink, and you need to plan on being asleep for the entire time, and needing some wake-up time as well. But it works.

Alcohol affects folks more quickly, and more heavily, when on an airplane. It also causes dehydration.

And even when on solid ground, you shouldn't take any sleep aid with alcohol.

The more you fret about not being able to sleep, the worse you'll make it for yourself. Just forget about it and relax. Take a good book to read, or a small mp3 player so you can listen to soothing music. One of the best albums to relax and go to sleep by is Sound Medicine - Music For Healing, Mind, Body, & Spirit by Steven Halpern. (When I bought the CD, it was called Music For Healing & Unwinding, but they've apparently changed the name slightly. The songs are the same, though. I just noticed that the songs on the album are different, as is the album cover art, on his web site and on Amazon...) I'll add a link to the album on Amazon, and you can listen to samples of the songs. I guarantee they'll relax you enough to put you out. I have NEVER made it to the end of the album when I listen to it using my earbuds... I ALWAYS fall asleep somewhere in the middle of it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Very Relaxing Music - I guarantee it!

Gee I wish I could help but I guess I'm the odd duck. I am the "Queen of Insomnia" and a night owl to boot. But......put me on a plane and I'm out like a light if the flight is more than a couple of hours. Something about flying just lulls me right to sleep.

What time are you flying? Usually DD and I have found that if the flight is landing at night in a foreign country the planes are not very full. You can often find a whole row to yourself to stretch out in. Maybe that's changed now. I haven't flown in years. Used to love to fly but the security measures have ruined it for me.

The night before you travel, don't get as much sleep as you normally would - stay up late/get up early but just get less sleep. That way you guarantee that you will be tired walking onto the plane. Drink only water or juice during the flight - alcohol and caffeine screw up the adjustment process to the new time zone.

I like aisle seats so that I can stretch my legs a bit (after all the carts wheel by). Assuming you have an overnight flight, try for sleep. When you arrive in Scotland, try and stay up until at least 8-9pm their time. If you've had tons of caffeine/alcohol, you'll want to collapse earlier. Then call it a day.

The next day you will be pretty well adjusted.

I've tried every way and with most substances. This is what works for me....it's the being tired when I get onto the plane that makes sleep possible.

Have fun!

Glenda- this article was in Sunday's Philadelphia Inquirer. It's a compilation of suggestions from seasoned travelers who frequently take long flights.

Maybe it will give you some more ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Winging it: A Compendium of cures for jet lag

Glenda, do you mean you are sitting in the bulkhead row? There is a wall in front of you instead of seats? That is great because no one can recline their seat into your space!

I try to drink lots of water, I avoid alcohol, and also avoid salt for a few days before the trip. It helps keep the swelling of my ankles down, as does getting up and moving around. This is one time I try for the window so that I can lean against it.

Wear comfly clothes, loose around the waist and natural fibers. Have fun!

My doctor gave me a Rx for Ambien for my flight to China. it worked like a charm.

so glad you're on the mend..nothing like an exciting trip to get the mind stirring! i'm a lookie-loo, so on the few flights, i've never managed to "rest"...like the others though, i'd avoid alcohol..even on the train trip home, way back after 9-11, i was more interested in looking out and had 2 seats to myself, lol...

you'd like my new look..i got tired of the straggles of hair so i shaved my head, lol...

Benedryl or any antihistamine will do the job. You would probably only need 25Mg, though for most people, it's safe to take 50Mg. Don't take a decongestant, or a combo of the two, that is likely to wire you.

Antihistamines are usually taken for runny nose, itchy eyes, sneezing, etc. It is short acting and doesn't (at least in my and those I know who take it) leave you dopey or drowsy when you wake up.

Limit your alcohol intake if you take these drugs.

Jodi-

Ambien was what I was thinking about. There was an article in Good Housekeeping that was written by a woman who travelled long distances, and used it. Because it worked well she used it for other times when she couldn't sleep and became hooked.

Please use it as a last option because she practically went through hell to overcome the addiction.

I tool Benedryl on my flight from Atlanta to Italy. That and an eye mask and ear plugs and I was out. If you are going to take any drugs be sure to lay off the sauce. Those combos can be deadly or make you very sick.

Doctor gave me Xanax for a non-stop flight to and from Hawaii which was about 10-12hrs. Well it did nothing for
me. I must have fought the medication and was up the whole
time there and back.

I'd have to try one of the over the counter sleeping aids cause I can't imagine being able to sleep otherwise. I know for a fact alcohol wouldn't do it for me either.

I've been using something like Simply Sleep lately and it works fast and doesn't leave me with that hungover, draggy feeling either.

Funny story ... the gal I travel with falls asleep instantly upon take off. And I mean instantly. We can be talking and the wheels of the plane begin to roll and she's out. We've flown to and from South America, Japan, Canada and Alaska and it has happened every single time. I always take photos of this phenomenon. :-)

Once we're in the air, she wakes up and we continue where we left off. LOL

Jodi-

Oh, I don't mean hard liquor. They served us small bottled of wine for dinner. I kept it, and had that one and one more before they turned out the lights.

Took The Valerian, as it's au natural, as directed on the label.

I'm better. Will see my doctor for annual tomorrow, and we'll have a good long talk.

Hi, Glenda...

A very boring book and a very long prayer?

They usually do the trick for me! LOL!

All joking aside...you're in my thoughts and I wish you a 100 per cent well and remember to 'invite peace' into your own thoughts, as well!

later,
nola anne

I take one Ambien 5 mg on the overnight home from Maui.

Not a good idea to take a Tylenol PM or similar. The 'sleep' part is an antihistimine and dries out your sinuses -- which are already drying out in the plane's stale air. If you have pain, take Tylenol or aspirin.

The warning about liver damage is for people who use both alcohol and Tylenol all the time and in large amounts. I *wish* I could take aspirin; it's a superior pain medication but I'm allergic to it. It won't damage your stomach if you take it with a small amount of food, like a cracker.

Eye shades and earplugs, along with a pillow or neck pillow will help. The ability to project a cold stare is useful if you are seated with a Chatty Cathy. LOL

I hope you are seated 'bulkhead' -- more leg room. I hope you are not seated in the last row in a seat that doesn't recline! (Look on seatguru.com to see your plane.)

Don't sit next to a fidgety person. The long flight to Germany, I sat next to Lauren who wouldn'nt stop squirming in her seat and bumping me. Flight back I had to sit next to a grown man who couldn't sit still and who hogged the armrest between us. I just scrunched up away from him and hoped he wouldn't bump into me like Lauren and jar me awake.