Should I not sleep the night before a long flight?

The best thing you can do to prevent jet lag is to get a lot of sleep the night before your flight. If you board the plane sleep deprived, you're less likely to fall asleep when you want to on the flight, and less likely to stay asleep. Not getting enough rest before a trip starts you at a disadvantage already.



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The day before your flight, spend some time at the gym, walking or stretching in preparation for spending 24 hours in a sitting position. Make sure you're well-rested, too – denying yourself sleep in order to be exhausted on the plane can backfire.

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Taking a melatonin supplement when you first get on a flight— if traveling overnight—is a great way to ease yourself to sleep, so you wake up refreshed and rested when you land. However, this should only be done for flights longer than 6 hours, as this is how long it takes melatonin to leave your system.

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What Are the Best—And Safest—Sleeping Pills for Flights?
  • Ambien. Ambien—the most powerful option on this list and the only one that requires a prescription—works as a sedative-hypnotic medication that slows your brain activity to make you feel very sleepy. ...
  • Tylenol PM. ...
  • Melatonin.


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  1. Adjust Your Circadian Rhythm. Unfortunately, jet lag just comes with the territory when it comes to long flights, especially if you're jumping multiple time zones. ...
  2. Take Advantage of Moving Around While at the Terminals. ...
  3. Set Yourself Up for Sleep. ...
  4. Pack Your Own Snacks. ...
  5. Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate. ...
  6. Get Moving. ...
  7. Relax.


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What Are the Best—And Safest—Sleeping Pills for Flights?
  • Ambien. Ambien—the most powerful option on this list and the only one that requires a prescription—works as a sedative-hypnotic medication that slows your brain activity to make you feel very sleepy. ...
  • Tylenol PM. ...
  • Melatonin.


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Take melatonin. If you're traveling, your body might need a little nudge. Melatonin is available as a nonprescription sleep aid in doses of up to 10 milligrams. It helps your body produce natural melatonin at the appropriate time when your schedule is off-kilter.

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If you're traveling east on an overnight flight, avoid light exposure and try to sleep during the first half of the flight (likely when it's night where you're heading). If you're going west, avoid light exposure during the second half of your flight to initiate a delay in your circadian rhythm.

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People often come to us requesting the doctor or nurse to prescribe diazepam for fear of flying or assist with sleep during flights. Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed.

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Preparing for anxiety before your flight
  1. Don't drink coffee on the day of the flight.
  2. Wear compression socks.
  3. Get cosy.
  4. Get a good neck pillow.
  5. Bring earplugs and an eye mask.
  6. Do some research about your particular flight anxiety.
  7. Choose a good seat.
  8. Watch calm movies.


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Your doctor can prescribe you a type of medication known as benzodiazepine, which can calm the nervous system. The most well-known examples are Xanax and Ativan, which act within minutes to relieve anxiety. They last several hours — which is the duration of most cross-country flights, such as Los Angeles to New York.

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It can even help you fall asleep during the flight so that it will feel over to you before it is time for takeoff. Doctors normally prescribe their anxiety patients with limited doses of . 25mg-0.5mg. While Xanax may be useful for flying on an airplane, it will not help you with your anxiety.

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Xanax is one of the more commonly prescribed benzodiazepines to help with anxiety before medical procedures or long-haul flights.

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