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sleeping tablet for long haul flight

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evedawn | 07:45 Wed 15th Apr 2009 | Body & Soul
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due to do a long haul flight soon. i'm not a nervous flyer but ideally i would like to sleep away the boredom. i might ask the gp for a sleeping tab...any of you tried a particular prescription only brand? thanks in advance
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Jet lag and the effects of the sleeping tablet might leave you wishing you'd never taken the flight.
I don't think a GP would give a prescription for sleeping tablets in those circumstances.
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oh ok - ta for your input leo - hadn't taken one before but was just wondering.
I did a lot of flights to the States for a while and regularly used nitol with no ill effects.

Be smart about how you use them though, get it wrong and you will be messed up.

I tended to use them on the way back where the flight would be leaving the US in the evening when I wouldn't yet be tired and get in to Heathrow at breakfast time.

Worked a treat
I take a 10ml Temazapam from the doctor. Brilliant, no side effects, no grogginess. If they doctor won't give you any, try a Nytol ... take one before you go and if it helps through the night at home, there's your answer.
You need to be careful what you use depending on where you are going as some medications, even if prescribed by a doctor, are prohibited in some countries eg Singapore, UAE.
Also, if you are flying long haul they err on the side of caution in case you suffer any off the ill effects of longhaul flight like DVT.

I'd also be tempted to let someone know you've taken them, just in case and keep your lap belt on so you don't have people try to wake you up.

Might also be an idea to book a seat where you're not blocking people from getting up and out if they need to.

The thing is that if you take a pill strong enuf to make you sleep that long, you may not wake up if there is any sort of emergency. Think about that??
oh yeah like a sleeping pill would knock you out unconscious and you wouldnt hear the noise during an emergency landing. Get real.
Well, I could show you some very good ways to get to sleep, but I would be banned from this site if I told you.

See me in private for a demonstration, evedawn!
Totally your choice obviously...however i would strongly advise against any prescribed sedatives, i have anxiety and have tried diazepam, lorazepam, temazepam etc etc i really wouldn't take them unless you have a very good reason to. Perhaps try to get as little sleep as possible the night before your flight, have a couple of large brandies (haha) and make sure you wear an eyemask, earplugs and flight socks!
to be honest i dont know what kind of effects these would have but i know people who take valiums to relax them on flights. also vallergan and melatonin are sleeping medications that have been prescribed to my partner in the past
I would second Jakes suggestion and try Nytol. They come in 2 strengths, and i would suggest you try the weaker tablet. This means you can take one, and see how you go, and if after a while its not worked, take the another. if you go for the stronger one, its all or nothing!
Also, make sure you take ear plugs, and an eye mask. Its amazing how much easier you can sleep with light/movement and noise blanked out.
It is also helpful to wear lots of layers on board, as you never quite know the temperature in advance. If it is too hot, and you dont have anything to take off, you wont sleep. Ditto too cold (altho' they should have blankets)

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