What can I take to sleep on a long flight?

Over-the-counter options include Dramamine (bonus: it will also help if you have motion sickness), melatonin (a hormone that can help with sleep and prevent jet lag), any antihistamine containing diphenhydramine (such as Benadryl), and medicines designed for insomnia, like Unisom or ZzzQuil.



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Some medical experts would advise against taking a sleep aid while on a long flight, especially if you don't know how it will affect you.

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As for taking sleeping pills on a plane, Oexman does not advise it. With pills like Ambien, people may find themselves sleepwalking or acting erratically with no knowledge. However, melatonin pills — especially for travelers crossing multiple time zones — could be a helpful aid.

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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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Flight anxiety medication
  • fluvoxamine (Faverin)
  • citalopram (Celexa)
  • escitalopram (Lexapro)
  • paroxetine (Paxil)


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Diphenhydramine, the same antihistamine found in Benadryl, will likely put you to sleep, though you may pay the price once you land. “It makes us feel really groggy when we wake up, and it can make us feel really hungover,” Das says.

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If you're nervous about the idea of prescription sleep aids, plenty of over-the-counter options await. A diphenhydramine tablet or two (i.e., Benadryl or Zzzquil) is enough to make most people drowsy, as is a single dose of cough medicine containing diphenhydramine and doxylamine succinate (a.k.a. Nyquil).

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Q: Are there allergy medications that I can take and still fly? Yes, there are a number of non-sedating antihistamines available. These include loratadine (Claritin®), desloratadine (Clarinex®), and fexofenadine (Allegra®).

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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. After the flight: take 5 mg at bedtime until adapted, and get 30 minutes of outdoor exercise to help speed up the process.

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Create a Sleep Nook
In the window seat, you can recline your seat just enough so you can still look out the window if needed. The seat usually has an adjustable headrest, so using this as a pillow adds a bit of comfort. Also, use the footrest or prop your feet on top of a carry-on bag.

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1) 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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“As this hormone usually helps us fall and stay asleep, the excessively bright lights on airplanes naturally make it hard to sleep well.” Even if the lights aren't bright enough to suppress melatonin, they can distract and irritate those trying to sleep.

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