What medications should I take on a long flight?

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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Over-the-counter medicines
  • Diarrhea medicine (Imodium or Pepto-Bismol)
  • Antacid.
  • Antihistamine.
  • Motion sickness medicine.
  • Cough drops, cough suppressant, or expectorant.
  • Decongestant.
  • Pain and fever medicine (acetaminophen, aspirin, or ibuprofen)
  • Mild laxative.


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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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Dramamine, a flight anxiety medication over the counter typically used to fight motion sickness, can perform double duty as an anxiety reliever for air travel. Medicine for flight anxiety over the counter, like Dramamine, is usually recommended for nervous flyers.

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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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Doctors rarely recommend sleeping tablets for flying for several reasons. Some tablets render you immobile, which would be problematic during an in-flight emergency. Even if you're OK with that small risk, avoid sitting near an emergency exit where you could be responsible for many lives in an emergency.

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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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Take Dramamine If you know you're prone to motion sickness or nausea in other forms of travel, make sure to pack Dramamine®. It actually prevents nausea, dizziness, and vomiting.

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Xanax, a member of the same pharmaceutical family (benzodiazepines) as diazepam, is a strong one. Take it about two to three hours before you fly, and do not mix it with alcohol. There is a risk of dependency, though, with these benzodiazepines, but only if you are taking them more than once a week.

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If Benadryl® is the only medicine you find that can provide relief for your cold, allergy, or sleep symptoms and you feel you cannot give it up, you should wait at least five (5) half-lives before getting in the cockpit. Benadryl's® half-life is quite long, up to 10 hours.

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Understanding Triggers And someone who fears heights might become terrified thinking about flying many miles above the ground. The list of triggers is long: turbulence, take-off, landings, terrorism, crashes, social anxieties, or being too far from home.

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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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Official answer. Ativan and Xanax are both benzodiazepines used for the treatment of anxiety, and both are equally effective for this use. The differences are: Xanax has a quicker onset of effect, but a shorter duration of action (4 to 6 hours) compared with Ativan's 8 hours.

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You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes through the checkpoint. These are limited to 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. This is also known as the 3-1-1 liquids rule.

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Medications can be packed in a pill box. However, it is usually best to keep medicines in labeled containers provided by your pharmacist. TSA does not require medications to be in their original, labeled, prescription containers. However, using the original containers may limit delays or additional questioning.

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