Surviving red eyes

[dojetdriver]

Regional guy here but with the kind of schedules we run, thought I'd offer my tip for falling asleep early...melatonin. Will gently get you to sleep for about 4 hours after which, oddly, you'll wake up totally refreshed. Your mileage may vary.

I'm definitely in the YMMV demographic.

I can fall asleep for 4(ish) hours with/without melatonin and feel pretty good, but not for long. There's NO way I can do a 12-14 hour duty period (I KNOW, NOT a red eye style duty period). But any way you cut it you're going to go into a sleep deficit.

 

[typhoonpilot]

Easiest way to get used to the short red eyes in the USA is to fly the long ones of international flying. Once you've done a 10 hours leg with 2 pilots in the middle of the night you won't complain about a short 4-5 hour leg. Or even worse the sub-continent turns out of the Middle East. Four hours south to Traivandrum' couple hours on the ground; then 4 hours back. A 12 plus hour duty day from midnight to noon.


TP

 

[waveflyer]

Yeah TP, - on the same token, the best way to get used to a little bit of cocaine is to have a whole bunch of it

 

[typhoonpilot]

Yeah TP, - on the same token, the best way to get used to a little bit of cocaine is to have a whole bunch of it

The more correct corollary would be: The best way to say that a sprint triathlon is easy is to have done ironman triathlons.

I remember thinking how horrible the Las Vegas to Charlotte red eyes were. If I had to do them today I would consider it a walk in the park compared to some of the night flights I've been doing in the last 11 years.



TP

 

[BentOver]

On the day before many 8 hr red eyes from Asia I have a tried and true technique for napping.... I close my eyes and fall asleep... Works wonders.....

YMMV



If that doesn't work look at a lot of porn, tire yourself out, get your core bod temperature to 89 degrees, wrap a towel around your nuts and pray for hypothermia to settle in... Then hide under your bed, throw some earplugs in and pretend your in an ancient temple looking for lost treasure.... When you find the treasure you can then proceed with the nap.

 

[pilotyip]

don't forget controlled napping in the cockpit to stay alert for the approach into your destination.

 

[dhc8fo]

Thanks guys. Good stuff. I will try some of what was suggested (except the towel/balls idea...interesting but not how I roll :laugh.

I'm talking about the east to west late night, and then all day layover, leave late back to east coast into the early hours.

 

[General Lee]

I usually fly allnight with three or even four total pilots (over 12 hours needs 4), so when I get tired, I go back to the rest seat and take a 3 hour nap.(I try to get second or third break) When I used to do domestic allnighters, I would stay up as late as possible and then sleep in as late as possible. I never could take small naps before a flight.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[crxpilot]

Find yourself a nice whore, that usually gets you tired out!

 

[TheCheat]

I find Melatonin works to help me fall asleep earlier than I'm used to. But in return, I dream more vividly and seem to miss out on deeper sleep. Like you said, YMMV.

 

[B6Busdriver]

As has been stated getting up relatively early on west coast time works best for me. Excercise is critical, IMHO too. A light lunch and by 4 pm I'm usually ready to crash.

 

[Ty Webb]

Find yourself a nice whore, that usually gets you tired out!

I find Melatonin works to help me fall asleep earlier than I'm used to. But in return, I dream more vividly and seem to miss out on deeper sleep

Hmmmm, which club does Melatonin work now? Is she still dancing her way through Law School? :laugh:

 

[SLUF4]

eating in-n-out burger and then take a melatonin

 

[Andy]

There is no 'one size fits all' solution.
When I flew red eyes out of LAX to the east coast, they were easy. The hard part for me was getting to my hotel room before the sun came up. Once sunlight hit my skin, it kept me awake. I read a scientific article on it years ago, but can't find it right now.

For those times that I 'woke up' at sunrise, I'd stay up a few more hours working out in the gym and walking around. After that, I'd get three or four hours of sleep before the flight. It was enough to get through.


When I flew international to South America, we'd fly all night and arrive in the AM. I'd stay up for most of the day and then get a good 10 hours of sleep before the flight.

I always carry an eye mask and ear plugs when having to fly trips where I bounce around the clock.


My best recommendation is that you keep a journal for a while and figure out what works for you. Be safe.

 

[dojetdriver]

I find Melatonin works to help me fall asleep earlier than I'm used to. But in return, I dream more vividly

My dreams are weird as sh1t when I take melatonin.

Seems to be pretty common.

 

[SWA Bubba]

One or two Benadryl (pink OTC allergy pills) will make you drowsy enough to fall asleep, generally in two hours or less, regardless of time of day. No other side effects, other than making you impervious to cat allergies. Alcohol intensifies this.

OR....

You could just turn off the lights, lie quietly in bed under the covers, ... and rub one out. Then close your eyes and you'll fall asleep faster than your wife could bitch at you, if she were there.


Or so I've heard......

Bubba

 

[waveflyer]

The more correct corollary would be: The best way to say that a sprint triathlon is easy is to have done ironman triathlons.

I remember thinking how horrible the Las Vegas to Charlotte red eyes were. If I had to do them today I would consider it a walk in the park compared to some of the night flights I've been doing in the last 11 years.



TP

No, it's a good analogy
Sleeping less than 6 hours is incredibly detrimental to your health-
(So is sleeping on average more than 9 but I've never seen anyone accomplish this)

There is a healthy objective reality you should be striving toward- and that's at least 6 hours sleep every 24 you're alive.

Doing something harder doesn't make functioning on 4-5 more healthy, though i concede, it may appear that way

 

[Dan Roman]

Along the line of fatigue management on a trip, I would say don't forget the importance of staying hydrated. I make sure I drink a LOT of water, I throw in cocoanut water and try to eat a banana (potassium) and don't overdue coffee.

 

[Dan Roman]

Speaking of coffee, it's great to use if you don't overdue it. A one to two cup a day habit makes it easy to forego if you want to get sleepy and then when you do drink it you get the uplift from the caffeine. If you are a heavy coffee drinker it's harder to skip it to induce sleepyness ( you get headache) and the caffeine bus doesn't work as well.