Post: #51

For the people that take a Xanax or two for sleeping purposes have you ever been hassled for having a few pills and no prescription? If being searched

Post: #52

A couple years ago I used the CVS brand sleeping aid to help fall asleep, but I only felt worse waking up. Not gonna do that again. I can't seem to find what it was, but I want to say it was Diphenhydramine HCL.

Melatonin seems to help with sleep once I reach my destination, but doesn't really help while on a flight.

I'm hearing good things about Unisom. It looks like there are two kinds: Doxylamine succinate and Diphenhydramine hydrochloride.

Anyone have a similar bad experience with OTC sleep aids, and ended up finding one which worked? Would appreciate any input here.

Post: #53

(08-01-2016 11:15 AM)thoughtgypsy Wrote:  A couple years ago I used the CVS brand sleeping aid to help fall asleep, but I only felt worse waking up. Not gonna do that again. I can't seem to find what it was, but I want to say it was Diphenhydramine HCL.

Melatonin seems to help with sleep once I reach my destination, but doesn't really help while on a flight.

I'm hearing good things about Unisom. It looks like there are two kinds: Doxylamine succinate and Diphenhydramine hydrochloride.

Anyone have a similar bad experience with OTC sleep aids, and ended up finding one which worked? Would appreciate any input here.

Diphenhydramine is the generic name for Benadryl. Buying generic Benedryl is often cheaper. They also normally come in 25mg tablets where the sleeping pill versions are often 50mg.

Diphenhydramine sometimes (often) leaves me groggy for much of the following day, I don't always metabolize it fast enough. Figure out what works for you.

Post: #54

(08-01-2016 12:42 PM)chicane Wrote:  

(08-01-2016 11:15 AM)thoughtgypsy Wrote:  A couple years ago I used the CVS brand sleeping aid to help fall asleep, but I only felt worse waking up. Not gonna do that again. I can't seem to find what it was, but I want to say it was Diphenhydramine HCL.

Melatonin seems to help with sleep once I reach my destination, but doesn't really help while on a flight.

I'm hearing good things about Unisom. It looks like there are two kinds: Doxylamine succinate and Diphenhydramine hydrochloride.

Anyone have a similar bad experience with OTC sleep aids, and ended up finding one which worked? Would appreciate any input here.

Diphenhydramine is the generic name for Benadryl. Buying generic Benedryl is often cheaper. They also normally come in 25mg tablets where the sleeping pill versions are often 50mg.

Diphenhydramine sometimes (often) leaves me groggy for much of the following day, I don't always metabolize it fast enough. Figure out what works for you.

I've tried all the OTC, and Ambien is so much better it's not even close. Well worth the hassle of telling your doc you have insomnia and getting a prescription.

Post: #55

(11-19-2015 06:41 PM)Laner Wrote:  My notebook and pen. When I catch just the right buzz, the plane is quiet, I seem to be able to get a good flow of ideas and can often write for hours straight.

I can second this. I've had some of my best ideas on the plane. Solutions to problems that had plagued me for a long time just came to me. Something about the forced isolation from distractions plus the hum of the engines. Yes on earplugs, too.

Post: #56

earplugs, neck pillow and sleeping mask are a must or else it makes sleeping hell.

I'm also starting to think paying the upcharge for a seat with extra legroom is worth it.

Ive been starting to fly more and more often back to the US from Europe.

Post: #57

Check the plasma half-life of whatever you take. Most sleep aids fall into one of two categories: benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium, also the z-drugs hit this receptor, zopiclone for instance) and antihistamines (diphenhydramine, doxylamine). The latter have the added advantage of being antiemetics, sedatives and anti-allergy medicine rolled into one and are mostly freely available. Disadvantage: 8-12 hour half life. Benzodiazepines are anxiolytics, sedative and hypnotics. Short half life examples are triazolam (2hrs), alprazolam (Xanax) with 10-12 hrs. Diazepam and clonazepam have enormous half life spans up to 70 hrs, leaving you groggy and impaired for a long time without you necessarily noticing. Simply tell your physician about fear of flying and they should prescribe some lorazepam or alprazolam. I personally hand out triazolam but this requires some creativity since it is not permitted for any other use than insomnia.

Post: #58

After a certain point (total travel time to destination) do you guys consider breaking up the journey with a stop somewhere..... Or just tough it ?

Planning a winter vacay and looking at 20+ hours to my destination....

Post: #59

(09-10-2016 12:29 PM)Kaizen Wrote:  After a certain point (total travel time to destination) do you guys consider breaking up the journey with a stop somewhere..... Or just tough it ?

Planning a winter vacay and looking at 20+ hours to my destination....

There are some airlines who offer you a free night at a hotel if you have to wait for a certain amount of time (e.g., 10 hours) between flights. While this doesn't change anything about your flights, it does allow you to break up the trip without adding significant costs. The important thing is that you have to make sure there are no possible flights between your intermediate and ultimate destinations with that airline with a shorter layover.

The airlines I know of who do this are Turkish and Emirates.

Post: #60

(09-10-2016 12:29 PM)Kaizen Wrote:  After a certain point (total travel time to destination) do you guys consider breaking up the journey with a stop somewhere..... Or just tough it ?

Planning a winter vacay and looking at 20+ hours to my destination....

Unless you can stay for a day or two at the location in a hotel, never break up a long flight.

Post: #61

GET THE WINDOW SEAT!!!!

Can't emphasize this enough. Book in advance and I who cares how unfavorable the section of the plane may seem, if you have the window it makes a whole world of difference. When I am on a long flight and stuck in the aisle and looking over to the sides, I get jealous of those that are enjoying the comfort of the window! Sleep, rest your head, look outside whatever. Don't get pissed off sitting in the middle. At some point you will wish you can rest your head for hours. Impossible without the window! It's too hard to do for 18 hours. Unless you are disabled, need to access the bathroom etc. But who will give up the comfort of the window seat just to avoid having to pass passengers when you get up. You spend all or nearly all your time seated so if you are in a middle seat it sucks. You won't get any sleep there.

I will book my flight in about 2 weeks. Window seats all the way. When I got seats on Cebu Pacific, I chose window seats although it hardly matters with the flights lasting an hour and a half or less to/from Manila. But will take whatever window seat I can get when returning to America.

I also bring my thin blanket I bought in Davao instead of putting it in the checked baggage since it is not too big for carrying on board. This has 2 benefits. First is that I have extra space in my small compact luggage I also bought in Davao. Second, it further helps you rest and sleep on the plane and avoid feeling cold. So....
Window seat + blanket carried on = good flight. If you are in a middle seat with no window to relax your head and neck and got no blanket either, its gonna feel like hell. Well for me it is!

The only time I have been able to sleep well in a non window seat was when I took a long distance bus in Mexico. The seats reclined far and I slept like a baby even on the bumpy ride!
Any other buses and planes, I can't sleep without a window to rest on.

Post: #62

(08-02-2016 03:30 AM)kirdiesel Wrote:  earplugs, neck pillow and sleeping mask are a must or else it makes sleeping hell.

I'm also starting to think paying the upcharge for a seat with extra legroom is worth it.

Ive been starting to fly more and more often back to the US from Europe.

Ditching a non-window seat for one with window will be the biggest improvement you will get.

Let's say you have a seat booked without added leg room and no window and they have a paid one available with added leg room but no window or option for a regular window seat with regular leg room but also no added cost, this latter will do much more wonder. Sleeping requires you to allow yourself a way to rest and not firm yourself in a straight position. At least myself I found it impossible to sleep sitting straight up. I will just fall on the person beside me! Unlike the bus I said about in Mexico, most buses and planes, the seat has such a lack of angle/recline that you can fall towards the person beside you. We are not horses or zebras! we can't sleep stiff and upright so easily! So window seat has the great advantage at no added cost.

Post: #63

Carry on. Don't check a bag.

Eat light beforehand, if at all. Don't spend your flight digesting a big meal.

Tuck a sleeping mask into your pocket. When you sleep, it'll keep sunlight, reading lights, headrest monitors, and other visual stimuli from awakening you.

In addition to the sleeping mask, carry a cell phone charger, keys if you need them, money wallet, document wallet, and cell phone. I sometimes travel with a laptop but it's often added bulk that I don't want to worry about or carry, so I try to leave it behind. Ideally, you won't need a laptop on an international trip.

Time your consumption of coffee to match your sleep cycle. Set aside time to take a deuce if needed.

Undersleep beforehand so it's easier to fall asleep on the flight.

If cabin pressure changes and hurts your ears, pinch your nostrils closed, shut your mouth, and inhale/exhale to force pressure through your eustachian tubes.

If you're using a phone to listen to music, save power by turning down brightness, turning on "Battery Saver" mode, and closing background apps.

Wear shoes that slip on/off easily. If you're wearing boots, leave them unlaced.

Be cool to the passenger next to you, even if it's just a couple words or a gesture of respect for his/her personal space. If you're asleep when the snack cart comes by, s/he can snag an extra for you.

In choosing your clothing, be mindful of chilly temperatures at your destination and while airborne.

Post: #64

I am a big believer of using noise cancelling headphones on long
flights. This is one of the most important things you can do to improve
your flight if its a long one.

I keep them on the entire time.

You also want to make sure to watch what you eat. I can never
drop a deuce on a plane....20+ hours and you will be constipated
guaranteed.

Eat light before you leave as well as on the plane. Avoid meat and
other foods that are hard to digest.

(11-19-2015 10:53 AM)Kaizen Wrote:  Hate long flights and am looking for some flighthacks from the pros on here

Break it down for me.

What are you packing?

Movies: Airplane vs Your own.

Books: Kindle vs ipad vs other.

Pharmaceuticals: Which ones?

And so forth...

Anything to make that time pass

Thanks

Post: #65

(09-12-2016 09:49 PM)Cogon Wrote:  Ditching a non-window seat for one with window will be the biggest improvement you will get.

Nah man, middle seat is where it's at. By the time you land, you can already have two new HB8s in the pipeline.

Post: #66

I used to just drink the whole flight. But now the gotdamn beers are 10 fucking dollars on the plane. And I swear to Jesus that they started banning liquids in your bag just so I can't smuggle vodka onto the plane and have my own stash.

So now I spend my time reading the barfbag and listening to the crying baby in the seat next to me.

Post: #67

I used to take Zolpidem(Ambien) around 3-5 times a week to sleep. After a bit of experimentation I found out that if you split a 10mg tablet in half take the first half and then wait 20-25 min to take the other half it knocks you on your ass!

Earphones are a must

Kindle

All that jazz, you get it!

Post: #68

Some new items on my list.

Silencio soft ear plugs.
Alcohol wipes and or pure alcohol dropper in the form of ear drops.
Small flashlight.
flip flops to move around the plane

Post: #69

I kind of like aisle seats more.

Being anti social I prefer not having to ask every time i wanna get up.

Plus the free space on one side helps me feel a bit more free.

And you have easier access to the hostesses! Not that i ever gamed one in flight

Post: #70

I've had the worst luck on 10+ hour long flights being seated next to or within the vicinity of the most annoying passengers and would like to hear how you would handle these situations that I constantly encounter:


1. Mother with baby constantly crying throughout the flight -> usually i just confront them head on and tell them to go to the back of the plane


2. People (usually old folks) who grab/yank the back of your aisle seat as they slowly walk along the aisles for exercise -> i prefer aisle because of the extra legroom plus im the first one with access to the overhead compartment and exit.. still my head constantly gets yanked from behind without notice by these idiots


3. Idiot who keeps his extremely bright light on (or window open) throughout the entire flight even as the whole cabin is in sleep/dark mode -> i call a flight attendant to tell that idiot to shut if off

Post: #71

Get a pair of Bose Noise cancelling headphones... game changers

Post: #72

Long flights can be brutal. I am 6'4, naturally restless and mildly claustrophobic. The travel routine I have nailed down through the years is to basically be comatose for the duration of the flight. Go to your physician, tell him you travel long flights frequently for work and you have a fear of flying. Explain you have used Xanax in the past which alleviates this fear and makes flying bearable. I have done this twice with different doctors, both of them gave me a full scrip of 30 Xanax without batting an eye. I stay up the entire night before the flight. When I arrive at the airport, I order a couple shots and sip on a few beers, take 2 Xanax one hour before boarding. If you're an herb smoker, eat a pot brownie or something also. By the time I board I am in a pretty fucked up state, but by no means belligerent or stumbling. The lack of sleep, combined with the Xanax and the intensifying effects of the booze makes me sleep like a G. My last flight from LAX to Japan, I passed out before take off and didn't wake up once until the wheels touched down, about 10 hours pure uninterrupted sleep. For shorter flights I suck it up and deal with it. If you get anything less that 7-8 hours of sleep using this method you'll wake up disoriented and feeling like dog shit.

Post: #73

I fly alot, and some long ones. I can't sleep.

I try to break long trips with a layover in a fun town, get off and party and rest and do the last leg. 8-9 hours is all I can handle without an overnight.

I usually go the Aisle for the extra shoulder room.

and good headphones to drone out morons and screaming babies:

Post: #74

I cant sleep on long flights (at least not in economy) for more then 5-10 minutes here and there no matter how tired I am. Getting on the plane exhausted with the idea of getting any quality sleep is out of the picture for me. Hour or a few hour connections are a huge pain in the ass. So my approach is:

- Get the best night sleep possible before the flight. Book the flight for morning-noon so I can basically wake up grab my shit and head off to the airport and get on the plane.

-Comfortable shoes and clothes, rolling bag, easier on the body.

-Window seat in a 2 seat row on the long flight so I can bury myself into the corner and look out the window and only have to bother one person when I want to get up.

-I brought the J travel pillow on my last flight, didn't help me sleep but it helps you get comfortable. Cant really use it while your wearing headphones though.

- Break up long flights by booking shorter one way flights with full day or multiple day stops. Being in airports is no different then being in the plane, I cant smoke/vape, cant lay down and sleep, its loud, cant relax really, so something like a 2 hour flight > 2 hour connection > 15 hour flight > 4 hour connection > 4 hour flight with commute time on top of that is fucking misery. Next time I fly to SEA I'll fly from Boston/NYC to Seattle/Vancouver first (from what I know those are the 2 cities with the shortest distances to Asia and the flights are usually cheapest), stay for a day and then fly to Japan/Taipei or wherever a cheap short flight is available and stay there for another day or more and then fly to wherever I'm going. I don't care if it takes more time and costs more money.

Post: #75

^ That's an interesting take.

It's very personal. Right now I prefer to suffer and get to my final destination ASAP.