Should I take melatonin on a red-eye flight?

While you could use a sleep aid like Zzzquil even that may not be necessary. Instead, we suggest you try melatonin tablets. Melatonin is a natural hormone that your body releases when it's time to sleep. By taking a tablet an hour or two before your flight, you'll find it much easier to relax and fall asleep.



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The Best Sleep Aid for Red Eye Flights Here are some of the most effective: Melatonin: Melatonin is a hormone that regulates sleep and wakefulness. Taking a melatonin supplement can help reset your body clock and promote sleep during travel.

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Should you sleep after you take a red-eye flight? If you've been able to sleep during your trip you are likely to feel slightly better than those who were awake overnight, but even those who slept may wake up feeling slightly disoriented.

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Take melatonin 20 to 30 minutes before sleep (for eastward travel, melatonin can also be taken en route, 30 minutes prior to the target bedtime at your destination. It doesn't need to be taken en route for westward travel).

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How to Survive a Red Eye Flight
  1. Book the Latest Possible Flight.
  2. Eat dinner before you board.
  3. Get a Window Seat.
  4. Try to Catch Up on Sleep Before You Fly.
  5. Bring a Neck Pillow.
  6. Don't Take a Prescription Sleep Aid.
  7. Stay Hydrated.
  8. Don't Forget Your Headphones.


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Only medicate if you must. It's common to pop some Benadryl or Ambien to knock you out so that you can sleep through a red-eye flight. But make sure you only resort to this if you absolutely need to.

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But here's what one paper recommends based on multiple studies: For eastbound flights up to 9 hours long: Prepare before the flight: Take 5 mg of melatonin, wake up earlier, and get bright light exposure. Day of the flight: take 5 mg of melatonin at 6 p.m.

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As a general precaution, however, Dr. Varga does not recommend taking either melatonin or a sleeping pill for the first time on a plane, given that both may occasionally cause adverse effects in some people. (And it's best not to find out that you're one of those people while you're trapped at 30,000 feet.)

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A red eye flight is a flight that departs late at night and arrives early in the next morning, the following day. The term 'red eye' comes from the colour your eyes turn when you're tired from overnight travel.

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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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Medication is sometimes prescribed on a temporary basis to treat the symptoms of a flying phobia, such as anxiety and nausea. These drugs are usually taken shortly before a flight. They include: Anti-anxiety medication, such as diazepam (Valium) or alprazolam (Xanax).

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