Suggestions for surviving the airplane trip to the boat.

[hospsafe]

I did post this question on our roll call as well. I travel about 26-30 weeks a year but normally its not more than across 1-2 time zones and its East to West. I have learned that melatonin and chardonnay help with the jet lag. But what about going West to East? Flight time from wheels up from Austin to wheels down in South Hampton is looking at about 22 hours. Any suggestions on how to deal with it?

[robinhood2b]

we fly to the usa a few times every year and back to the uk.

we find the trip back from the usa to the uk to be the worst for jet lag than the trip out.

However i have learnt for me i feel a whole lot better if i get a good 5 hours sleep on the plane and avoid drinking any alcohol on the trip.

this works for me and i find i feel fine with it.

if i dont sleep on the flight i feel crap for about 3 days.

i just hope you can sleep on flights as i know some people can't i do know.

:):):):)

[lois1112]

I travel to asia which is 19 hours... I have found that if you immediately go into the new time (if you arrive and its night...go to bed) if its day time stay awake. dinner eat dinner etc. the advise on keeping hydrated is very important as well

[Kinkacruiser]

To avoid/reduce the risk of picking up a virus on route to your holiday, take echinacea capsules for two weeks prior to boarding the aircraft. Nothing worse than being sick on you cruise.

[vantec]

When we fly long distances like that I cannot sleep and I've read it's not good to take sleeping pills, so I don't. We do not drink any alcohol on the flight, but do drink as much water as we possibly can, also no junk food. When we land, we try to stay awake until the evening - we stay in the sun as much as possible. That first day is not wonderful, usually the next day we are in pretty good shape.

[Terry in NJ]

I travel to asia which is 19 hours... I have found that if you immediately go into the new time (if you arrive and its night...go to bed) if its day time stay awake. dinner eat dinner etc. the advise on keeping hydrated is very important as well

 

I agree. I'm on the east coast.

I flew to Shanghai (12 hours time difference) last year and it was a 14 hour (direct) flight. I knew I was landing at 2 pm their time. I watched 2 movies right away, had 2 glasses of wine and took a Dr. prescribed sleeping pill. (Tested the pill ahead of time of course to make sure I could be awake in 6-7 hours.) Woke up with 3 hours to get myself acclimated to "daytime". I was FINE when I landed and actually made it to 10:30 pm! Went to bed and was FINE for the next 6 days.

Your mileage may vary. I'm 53, that's the way I chose to work it for a week long trip and it was a-ok for me!

(Coming home I prepared for landing at 6:30 pm our time. So pretty much went right to sleep upon boarding, watched my movies later!)

Good luck with your travels! Listen to all the advice, talk to your doctor, and have a good cruise!

[PescadoAmarillo]

One 10 mg. Ambien has served me well on my long distance flights. I, too, find West to East harder than East to West. if I can get just a few (three) hours of sleep on the plane, it's much easier to hit the ground running when I arrive. I still might have the "wide awake at 3am" moments for a few days, but not enough to rob me of the day's enjoyment.

 

I don't recommend alcohol, only because I just end up feeling worse if I try to use it to sleep.

[Aussie Gal]

When flying from West to East, we usually don't sleep on the flight but we do stay up all day when we arrive and try to get out into the sunlight. We have a very early dinner (for us) and are in bed by 7pm. I am talking about long flights coming back from Europe to Singapore around 12-13 hours, though we do have a few days stopover to get over the jetlag before heading home.

 

We also have flown quite a few times to the U.S. and though it is only a 17 hour flight from L.A. it still takes a toll. It usually takes a couple of days to get over the jetlag. It is by far the worst way to fly. We never have any trouble flying to Europe which is a 22-30 hour trip for us, we go straight through without a stopover and we are always fine because we are flying East to West.

 

I would suggest you arrive a few days early for the cruise so that you are feeling on top of the world when you board your ship.

 

Jennie

[PLW0520]

When we fly long distances like that I cannot sleep and I've read it's not good to take sleeping pills, so I don't. We do not drink any alcohol on the flight, but do drink as much water as we possibly can, also no junk food. When we land, we try to stay awake until the evening - we stay in the sun as much as possible. That first day is not wonderful, usually the next day we are in pretty good shape.

 

My doctor prescribed Mylan-Zopicione 7.5mg and suggested I just try half a pill. I had heard about this from a friend and when I mentioned it to my doctor she said she takes this when on a long flight. She also suggested taking the other half the first night you arrive. I have done this on my last two long flights and it has worked well. It really helps to relax you and doesn't make you feel drowsy when you wake up.

[Dunelm]

We fly West to East a lot, especially to Europe. I have found that staying up all day, on the new time zone, and, if possible, walking outside a lot helps greatly.

[paul929207]

I don't suppose fly first class is what you are looking for. :)

 

we take melatonin and an over the counter sleep med like tylonel PM

[Ashland]

I travel to asia which is 19 hours... I have found that if you immediately go into the new time (if you arrive and its night...go to bed) if its day time stay awake. dinner eat dinner etc. the advise on keeping hydrated is very important as well

This is very good advice..Sorry I can't say the same for those that are recommending a prescription sleep aid...But each to their own and their health care providers choice/advice...

[FlyerTalker]

If at all possible, start to adapt to the new time zone in the week before you depart. Flying east, start getting up a bit earlier, to bed earlier and move meals if possible. You could wear a watch set to your new time zone and work it that way.

 

Going TPAC westbound, I try to force myself into a LONG tiring day, then trying to sleep at "night" in the new time zone. Exhaustion makes for easy falling asleep.

 

The answer for long flights.....go to South America - few time zones to cross!;)

[Genessa]

I am an anxious flyer AND also light sensitive.

DH is a thrilled flyer and can sleep anywhere, anytime.

 

we do long flights differently -

 

me: I can't sleep on planes, even when I have taken something prescribed by the doc - yes, it made me drowsy, but I just couldn't sleep ...

so, I now go with the flow. When flying west to east, I start by reading - so that my light doesn't disturb those around me who aren't yet asleep. Then I watch movies, and then I walk. On our NY to Heathrow flight it was me and 4 or so other people awake.

When we arrive, we go into local time mode - walking and sightseeing - and go to sleep my normal time, around 10 PM

DH, he sleeps - and is usually asleep before the plane even takes off, waking about 1/2 hour before we land and is ready for a full day, and will fall asleep as soon as we get to our room for the night

 

east to west I have more trouble with, but that is because if we are flying in the morning, my flying anxiety keeps me awake the night before. So I am keyed up and anxious and tired - and I don't sleep on the plane - but, we again adjust to local time and by the next day I'm fine. Although the time we went to Alaska, I couldn't even sleep at night, because we were in Fairbanks, beginning of July, and it never got dark - I know, 'cos I was checking every half hour or so, lol.

DH, well, he sleeps, but on and off and he is completely fine.

[kenish]

Agree with several other posts- Start adjusting to destination time a week or so before you leave. Even changing your sleep / wake 1 or 2 hours will help.

 

What I do is check into the hotel on arrival...freshen up (do NOT take a "quick nap"). Then I sightsee as long as possible, have dinner, and try to go to bed at the "regular" time. It's usually easy since the excitement of being in a new place gives me all sorts of energy. This works well for flights to Europe since they usually arrive sometime between noon and 7pm local time.

 

Most important tip- don't stress too much about jet lag...that can make it worse.

[waterbug123]

This is very good advice..Sorry I can't say the same for those that are recommending a prescription sleep aid...But each to their own and their health care providers choice/advice...

 

I'm sure you don't mean to come across as condescending and presumptuous, but to imply that anyone suggesting a sleeping pill is not giving good advice, well, it does indeed come across that way. :rolleyes:

As you said subsequently, it is really up to the individual and their doctor to decide what the best option is. :)

 

For me personally, I simply cannot sleep in the relatively upright seats in economy (and can't afford a seat in BE) without a sleeping pill. FOR ME, and certainly some others, it is better to take a sleeping pill and sleep, rather than stay awake for 24 hours and try to function the next day.

Beyond that, it also helps (as others have suggested) to try to stay awake until bedtime, and get as much sunshine as possible upon arrival; they say that helps to adjust your internal body clock.

[ducklite]

I did post this question on our roll call as well. I travel about 26-30 weeks a year but normally its not more than across 1-2 time zones and its East to West. I have learned that melatonin and chardonnay help with the jet lag. But what about going West to East? Flight time from wheels up from Austin to wheels down in South Hampton is looking at about 22 hours. Any suggestions on how to deal with it?

 

I'm guessing you aren't flying non-stop between the two. So in reality you'll probably be on a two hour flight from one of the eastern US gateway cities (my money is on ATL) to someplace in the UK--I'm not sure you can go direct into Southampton. So in reality you'll have a 1-3 hour flight, then a 1-2 hour layover, then an eight hour flight, than a 1-2 hour layover, than a one hour flight. It's not a 22 hour flight.

 

As others have mentioned, begin to adjust your body clock a week or two before you travel. Get up 10 minutes earlier each day. That will put you three time zones ahead before you even leave.

 

Your flight to the UK will be overnight. I like to have a large dinner in the terminal (not fast food but a good sit down meal--pasta or a steak and potato) before I board. I have a glass of wine with it. Then I have a second glass of wine after we take off. If the flight is at 7:00 pm, my body clock is already set for 10pm, so 45 minutes into the flight, I'm relaxed and sleeping like a baby.

 

I bring my neck pillow and a light blanket, I don't like the ones the airline provides, skeevy.

 

I can generally get a solid five hours on a trans-Atlantic flight, which is enough to get me through my first day. Freshening up once I land makes all the difference in the world. Even if you can't shower, wash your face, brush your teeth, change your clothing, you'll feel energized.

[ducklite]

One thing about sleeping pills...

 

You need to try them at home before on a flight. The last thing you want is to have an allergic or psychological reaction to them at 35,000 feet over the Atlantic.

 

But perhaps more importantly, be sure that they don't knock you out so hard that you can't be alert and moving in a couple of seconds should there be an on board emergency.

 

Speak to your health care provider. Discuss the risks. And look at the smallest dose possible.

[Zach1213]

I travel a bunch, just as much internationally as domestically, so I've perfected my way of coping. It almost always works for me, and did as recently as Wednesday when I flew back from India. East to west, yes, but it also worked going TO India, which was west to east.

 

I try to take the latest flight possible, while still waking up at my normal time and also doing as much normal stuff during the day as possible. The night before, I also try to get a little less than normal sleep. What does this mean? By the time I get on the plane, I'm exhausted, and after the meal, my body basically says "I don't care where you are, you're going to sleep". On a 15 hour LAX-Hong Kong or LAX-Melbourne flight, I can get 8 hours no problem. On a Dallas or Chicago to London or Frankfurt flight, I can get 6 hours no problem. I've never once taken a sleeping pill on a plane, but I notice a glass of wine (no more, lest I risk dehydration) doesn't hurt. Also, bringing something to block out the light is a plus...with my routine, I am usually so tired that I am ready to fall asleep before the cabin lights are dimmed, so having my own blanket to put over my head does wonders.

 

When I get to my destination, usually in the morning, I keep going - whether it be doing business, seeing some sights, whatever. Go to bed a bit early, and by the next morning I feel like I am at home, time-wise...like I never even left. Works like a charm, and works both directions.

 

Everyone is different, and what works for me may not work for you, but...that's what works for me :)

[Gardyloo]

We now try to take the morning flights from the east coast (BOS, JFK, EWR, IAD, also ORD) to Heathrow. Leave around 8 or 9 AM, get into LHR around 9 PM. Sleep in a bed at a Heathrow hotel, rather than "sleeping" in an airplane seat. Since we're coming from the west coast, we usually overnight somewhere near JFK, so it does add some hours to the trip, but we find it better being human the next morning in England rather than being zombies. YMMV.

[bluesea777]

We fly overnight to the UK a lot (and to BCN twice) - we often arrive early in the morning. We try but do not sleep well on the plane so when we reach our destination (hotel or house) we set the alarm and head straight to bed for NO MORE than 3 hours - this is to catch up on the sleep lost on the flight over. When the alarm goes off we force ourselves up and get on and about for the rest of the day, more awake.

 

Then in the evening we go to bed normal time and often sleep well.

 

This works well for us. It's no good trying to stay up all day going around in a zombie-like and cranky state - you'll end up going to bed early in the evening.

 

When we were in BCN last October we did the usual 3 hour nap at hotel, and then went out for lunch - tapas and sangaria. Walked around and did a bit of shopping. In the evening we went out for a paella + wine dinner and stopped at an outdoor cafe for lovely coffee and brandy on way back to hotel - we were able to stay awake until after 11 pm.

 

At dinner we chatted with a couple at next table and they were surprised when we told them we'd arrived in BCN that morning from Bermuda and USA - we were so awake and enjoying our dinner.

 

Try this method. We have been here for over 30 years and have parent/relatives in the UK so we cross the pond 1-2 times a year.

[jbuch02]

Read all these posts with interest.........

 

I'm a former military pilot with lots of long haul experience in tactical jet aircraft and multiple trips to Europe and Asia. You're in an ejection seat for 12+ hours; we were prescribed stimulants to stay awake then absolutely crashed for 15 hours with drugs that brought us back down when we got to where ever we were going. It sucked.

 

I'm now a practicing Physician Assistant in Altanta, GA preparing for long haul trip from ATL to SIN via LAX in November (E to W). My most recent trip is ATL to Rome via Amsterdam. The science of traveling through time zones has adapted but not much. The military isn't using meth (uppers) and barbiturates (downers) like it did for long haul pilots when I was on active duty. Nevertheless long haul traveling is hard and everyone handles it differently.

 

Your body has established biorhythms that can be changed when you travel. The idea of adjusting your body gradually a week before you travel is an excellent plan and is consistent with the current approach taken by the military for long haul (> 10h) flying. Dietary changes and eating times are part of that change. Limit carbohydrates and fats. Move meal times to your destination time zone. Hydrate.

 

There are two sedative hypnotics (prescription sleep aids) commonly prescribed in the US: Lunesta and Ambien. Zopicalone (mentioned above) is in this class of drugs but I believe it is marketed and prescribed in Europe. Over the counter sleep aids almost always contain sedating or Class I antihistamines like Benadryl. Benadryl is pretty safe but not terribly effective. Tylenol PM is an example.

 

Great advice to give all of these medications used as sleep aids a trial run before they are used at 35,000 feet. Psychotic behavior is a known side effect of all the sedative hypnotics and its not rare. It's also not unusual for you to do things you do not remember when taking them, such as getting up out of your seat, making odd remarks to another passenger and then going back and sitting down, never remembering what you did .... and that's just one type of behavior. Use your imagination. You are hypnotized on Ambien (Zolpidem Tartrate). Use it with caution and wisely.

 

I have used Ambien CR (controlled release and it tends to last longer) 6.25mg, one tab shortly after I boarded (1530 EDT), recently, and woke up in Amsterdam when I touched down, 9 hours later (0830 AM Local) ready to roll. I also used ear plugs, a blind-fold and neck guard. It was nice. They act quickly (5-15 minutes). You need 7-8 hours minimum flight time to take these or you'll wake up groggy or worse not be able to respond to an inflight emergency safely. Ambien 5 and 10mg is immediate release and it lasts for a shorter period of time but is still quite effective. It's also risky to take these drugs if you have any kind of hyper-coagulation issues, such as history of pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Even being on birth control pills can increase your risk for PE/DVT. People who have these conditions need to get up and walk around or use special lower extremity compression devices while on an airplane and seated for a long period. Choose the use of sedative hypnotics wisely.

 

Another option, especially if you are a nervous flyer, are drugs like Xanax or Klonopin. These are Benzodiazapines but both are short acting with a typical 4h half life. They'll get you to sleep, again quickly, but for a shorter period and they don't drop you into a hypnotic state like Ambien does.

 

Hydration and avoidance of alcohol are good ideas. A glass of wine isn't going to hurt you from a hydration standpoint but over-doing it (whatever that is for you) will.

 

The advise of living in the new time zone is also excellent and a good diet will aid you getting there. Limit alcohol consumption, fats and carbs again after arriving until you have your feet on the ground. Small portions and get some exercise at the same times in the new time zone that you did in your home time zone. Then its party time!

 

There's no getting over jet lag but there are ways to lessen the impact of it on your trip. Some good ideas from experienced travelers in this thread

[Dr H]

I fly from Atlanta to Europe 2-3x a year, on very short trips, with absolutely no time for jet lag. My secret: noise cancelling headsets plus very short acting sleeping tablets. Headsets, they all work, but I fly with Bose. They are the most expensive, yes, but they are absolutely the best, and they work. Next, as a medical examiner for the FAA, I know better than most about onboard safety issues. You have to be able to evacuate the plane within 90 seconds, which means NO time for sleeping pill hangover or drug induced confusion. I recommend sonata/zaleplon which is the shortest acting sleeping pill out there (and why I never prescribe ambien or xanax for travel!). It kicks in in about 30 minutes, and is out of your system in about 90, but you remain asleep. My headsets go on, I take 2 tabs 90 minutes into the flight, put on my sleeping mask and the next thing you know, it's morning, I'm refreshed with a good 5-6 hours or real sleep, and no jet lag.

 

Also, NO alcohol before or during the flight, no coffee or tea, and try to get a good night's sleep the night before.

 

As someone pointed out, don't experiment on board, try any medication before you launch, make sure you tolerate the stuff on the ground. And when you speak to your physician about possible sleeping pill, make sure you ask for the shortest acting stuff out there - sonata is the brand name, and it is available generically.

 

Sweet dreams. hope this helps. (And safety issues: never, absolutely never take off your shoes before takeoff! In the highly unlikely event that your aircraft goes splatt, you will be running as fast as you can, potentially through burning jet fuel. Wear your shoes until the seatbelt sign is turned off. Another little FAA tip, that is never mentioned)

[kenish]

(And safety issues: never, absolutely never take off your shoes before takeoff! In the highly unlikely event that your aircraft goes splatt, you will be running as fast as you can, potentially through burning jet fuel. Wear your shoes until the seatbelt sign is turned off. Another little FAA tip, that is never mentioned)

 

A reporter on a travel blog was on a flight where the takeoff was aborted and they had to use the slides. She was glad she hadn't made herself comfortable and still had her shoes and jacket on. It was in subzero weather, and she had to run across frozen ground and was outside for 20 minutes before heated buses arrived. Some passengers were not dressed or shod for that, and it would have been more serious if there were a fire or sharp debris on the ground.

[jbuch02]

...... I recommend sonata/zaleplon which is the shortest acting sleeping pill out there (and why I never prescribe ambien or xanax for travel!). It kicks in in about 30 minutes, and is out of your system in about 90, but you remain asleep. there - sonata is the brand name, and it is available generically.

 

This is good medical advise. I had not thought of Sonata/Zalepon ..... it is a Benzo like Xanax but much shorter half life. (4h v. 1h). While I have used Ambien CR and had a sound sleep, I think the risk of being out of it on these sedative/hypnotics during an emergency is much higher that any derived benefit of sleep.

 

You'll arouse from a benzodiazapene like Sonata if you need to be awakened.