Comments on: Should You Take Ambien When Flying?

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:15:58 +0000

Reasons not to take Ambien on your flight today:
1. You will pee all over the lav floor and then snuggle up to two girls, neither of whom are your girlfriend who is sitting 10 rows up.
2. You will decide you are hungry and not tired and eat, fall asleep with food in your mouth and then fall into your chicken.
3. You will walk out of the lav with your pants at your knees.
4. You will be beligerent to other passengers and crewmembers on the plane and not remember a word of it.
5. You will try to open exit door and wake up in handcuffs and again not remember a thing.
From, A flight attendant

By: Katie

Katie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:58:02 +0000

I had insomnia for years. Always unable to shut off my thoughts and worries for the night. If I awoke during the night, my mind would start racing again. The only sleep I ever got was by taking Ambien CR. I would sleep walk, eat, talk in my sleep. After my husband took off, (the biggest source of most of those worries) I decided to quit the Ambien to be fully alert if one of the children awoke. My doctor instead prescribed a muscle relaxant, since muscle spasms were waking me frequently. The first night, I realized that I had a dream, and it occurred to me that I had not been dreaming for many years. Now I greatly prefer taking a Zanaflex and having my dreams back, and still being able to fall asleep at night.

By: Sleeping on an airplane? - Travel -airfare, hotels, car rental, backpacking, resorts, cruises, vacations, airplanes, international... - Page 3 - City-Data Forum

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:56:00 +0000

[...] complete stranger sitting next to you! For those considering Ambien, you might find this useful: Should you take Ambien when flying? | Maiden Voyage Yes I can. Because I have done it. I'm not saying I guzzle a bottle of wine with the pills, I [...]

By: Travelling Tips - Travel with Ease - 1 | The Colors Magazine

Travelling Tips - Travel with Ease - 1 | The Colors Magazine — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:49:48 +0000

[...] take medication in order to get some sleep. About one of these talks Emily Gerson in the post Should You Take Ambien When Flying? at Maiden [...]

By: Emily Gerson

Emily Gerson — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:30:36 +0000

Stephanie, I think you might be referring to Simply Sleep? I’ve used that before, it’s an over-the-counter sleep aid (if not that one, it’s very similar). That helps me sometimes on sleepless nights. However, sometimes it makes me a bit groggy the next day.

Jack, I sleep well on anti-histamines like Benadryl, but even after a full night I still feel groggy. Haven’t tried an anti-histamine-based sleeping aid, though — just anti-allergy ones.

Because these tend to last a long time and make people (at least me!) groggy in the morning, I’d be worried about taking it for a plane flight unless I knew it was long enough to get the equivalent of a full night’s sleep.

I just tried the prescription sleep medication Sonata for the first time — I really liked it because it’s meant to help you fall asleep quickly, but not to keep you asleep during the night, so it’s short-acting (my doc said only 3-4 hours). Seems like something like that could be ideal? I’d be interested to hear a doctor’s perspective….

By: Jack - eyeflare travel

Jack - eyeflare travel — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:56:00 +0000

Another choice could be anti-histamine based sleeping aids such as SleepEeze in the UK. Milder, and not a narcotic sleeping aid so no risk of becoming dependent/addicted on it.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:23:29 +0000

i forgot to add that you can buy the tylenol pm sleeping aid without the actual tylenol in it so you aren’t taking unnecessary drugs. Can’t remember what it’s called off the top of my head but you can find it at target and it’s gotta be cheaper than ambien.

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:55:00 +0000

Hmm I’ve never taken Ambien while flying but I do find it impossible to sleep naturally on planes and for long haul flights ill sometimes pop a tylenol pm. The amount of medication is much lighter (I assume) so you can wake up and be alert if neccesary, but it gives me that extra push to fall asleep. If I took anything heavier I’m afraid I’d be super groggy disembarking and going through customs (a good time to have you wits about you).