Red Eye Tips
06-23-2021, 08:12 PM
#11
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,188
Originally Posted by Snuffaluffagus
I use 3mg at home, if you use too much, your body can get used to it and stop producing it naturally. I take it 30 minutes to 1 hour before I want to sleep.
Originally Posted by DarkSideMoon
Nope. It’s a natural hormone your body secretes anyway. I do 3mg about 20-30 mins before I sleep. in my experience it lasts about 4 hours and no drowsiness afterwards. If you only have time for a 2-3 hour nap I would avoid it.
06-23-2021, 08:13 PM
#12
Moderator
Joined APC: Jul 2018
Position: Reserve
Posts: 641
I typically drink enough caffeine to get the caffeine sweats. That's when I know I'm ready to meet my show time. But in all seriousness, I find adequate hydration is extremely important. Trying to eat well and making sure I'm hydrated prior to a redeye or trip in general helps me a lot. Granted coffee de-hydrates you, it's a balancing trick.
06-24-2021, 04:23 AM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2014
Posts: 1,294
Originally Posted by Bike Handles
I typically drink enough caffeine to get the caffeine sweats. That's when I know I'm ready to meet my show time. But in all seriousness, I find adequate hydration is extremely important. Trying to eat well and making sure I'm hydrated prior to a redeye or trip in general helps me a lot. Granted coffee de-hydrates you, it's a balancing trick.
06-24-2021, 04:40 AM
#14
The NeverEnding Story
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,501
Sleep (as much as possible)
Eat (decently)
Exercise (cardio/HIIT)
As stated, stay hydrated with water and avoid caffeine 4hr before sleeping prior to the overnight duty period. After waking prior to the duty period, caffeine works great...the stronger the better.
As a cargo dog, 3mg melatonin doesn't seem to move the needle for me and really never has. I take 5 and sometimes 10mg with zero ill effect. It isn't Ambien, it won't put you to sleep and in my experience won't keep you asleep, but it will help you fall asleep. That said, I don't use it when I'm not working overnight and don't have issues sleeping without it.
YMMV, caveat emptor, etc...everybody's individual physiology is different and so are people's techniques for day sleeping and WOCL working.
Eat (decently)
Exercise (cardio/HIIT)
As stated, stay hydrated with water and avoid caffeine 4hr before sleeping prior to the overnight duty period. After waking prior to the duty period, caffeine works great...the stronger the better.
As a cargo dog, 3mg melatonin doesn't seem to move the needle for me and really never has. I take 5 and sometimes 10mg with zero ill effect. It isn't Ambien, it won't put you to sleep and in my experience won't keep you asleep, but it will help you fall asleep. That said, I don't use it when I'm not working overnight and don't have issues sleeping without it.
YMMV, caveat emptor, etc...everybody's individual physiology is different and so are people's techniques for day sleeping and WOCL working.
06-24-2021, 06:01 AM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: May 2009
Position: 787
Posts: 454
Thanks everyone, this is very helpful! I actually liked the flight itself…smooth air, direct routings, nice sunrise, finishing early on go-home day, etc. Just didn’t care for the negotiating with the sleep gods for the few hours before van time - melatonin it is!
06-24-2021, 06:12 AM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,030
My only problem with melatonin if I take it at bedtime is it wears off at about four hours and I’m wide awake; sort of like having a drink before bed, then waking up later.
I use it for a long nap when I’d like to crash for a few hours in the afternoon before a late show. For normal bedtime I go to sleep without it, and when I wake to use the restroom in the middle of the night I take one if I need to and have at least three-four hours before the alarm.
I use it for a long nap when I’d like to crash for a few hours in the afternoon before a late show. For normal bedtime I go to sleep without it, and when I wake to use the restroom in the middle of the night I take one if I need to and have at least three-four hours before the alarm.
06-24-2021, 08:56 AM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 10,031
I generally wake up early the day before. Since I'm getting in late, that usually is 6ish hours of sleep. I get up, exercise in the morning, get out and just walk around. I don't let myself go back to my room until after lunch. By about 3p, I make it dark in my room. I'll watch a few shows or a chill movie. Then it's devices down by 5p. I skip dinner and try to bring it on the flight. It's something to do for the first 30 minutes after climb out. Have a cup of coffee handy and maybe a soda but I don't do any caffeine within an hour of landing unless I'm absolutely dragging. Otherwise I get jittery.
To the person who said alcohol, I HIGHLY recommend against it. It can prevent your brain from going into REM. Better to abstain.
To the person who said alcohol, I HIGHLY recommend against it. It can prevent your brain from going into REM. Better to abstain.
06-24-2021, 08:59 AM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2015
Posts: 703
Melatonin works great and I used to take it. But a captain brought up a good point that maybe you all can debunk for me. He basically said if we were to have an accident, there would be a deep dive into everything we did prior to the event, and perhaps even go through our suit case and see we have melatonin. This creating a situation of perhaps having taken something we shouldn’t have, or at least within a time frame we shouldn’t have. Seems the FAA says to wait 24 hours between taking it, and flying, which pretty much negates the use of it unless maybe your doing international flying
06-24-2021, 09:23 AM
#20
The NeverEnding Story
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Posts: 7,501
Originally Posted by Broncofan
Melatonin works great and I used to take it. But a captain brought up a good point that maybe you all can debunk for me. He basically said if we were to have an accident, there would be a deep dive into everything we did prior to the event, and perhaps even go through our suit case and see we have melatonin. This creating a situation of perhaps having taken something we shouldn’t have, or at least within a time frame we shouldn’t have. Seems the FAA says to wait 24 hours between taking it, and flying, which pretty much negates the use of it unless maybe your doing international flying
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