Cabin crew suffering insomnia

[vbsydcc]

Hi, was just wondering do any cabin crew suffer with insomnia? I have been flying domestically within Australia for the last three years and if I have an early sign on (say 5am) I'll sleep for about two hours then be restless and won't sleep for the rest of the night/morning - does anybody have any advice on tips to sleep? Had no problems in my old job at a bank as worked the same hours and went to sleep around the same time each night. Have tried OTC sleep aids, phenergan but they rarely seem to work - any advice would be appreciated :- )

[Vizsla]

Melatonin 5 mg tablets

[Jetlagged Purser]

After 32 years as a flight attendant, I am always awake after 5 hours sleep and can usually go back to sleep after an hour or 2 on days off. On nights before an early check-in, I almost always take an over-the-counter sleep aid that we have available here in the US that contains diphenhydramine. Taking it gives me a minimum of 8 hours sleep, sometimes more. I have other medications that I use on other occasions for getting less sleep that I get from my doctor or on foreign layovers. The downside, according to many of my co-workers, is drowsiness after waking up or becoming too dependant on medication.

You'll have many flight attendants tell you that they never take anything to sleep, but, for me, a good nights sleep is essential to do a good job. I'll do pretty much anything to be well-rested to be at the top of my game on the airplane. On the other hand, I never take anything to sleep on my time off from work, because, as I said, I am lucky enough to always get back to sleep.

For me, sleep aids have helped me avoid the problem that the OP mentions of waking up too early & wise use of medications can make the life of a flight attendant much easier. :)

[AirResearcher]

Be careful what meds you use so you dont break any rules, some countries /airlines / authorities etc ban the use of some - eg Melatonin. Check with your company's HR dept, or your Dept manager if in any doubt.

Best tip I can give you is get some books on insomnia, theres loads of tips about what and when you eat, how to plan your sleep, how important it is to block out sunlight when you try to get a brief sleep during the day etc etc etc.

Hope this helps

[Trolley-Dolly-Jo]

I am the same after a few days rest. It is always the hardest thing getting a good nights sleep before an early and due to a long commute a 5 am start for me means getting up at 2:45 am.

Do the obvious and avoid caffeine as much as possible throughout the day before. Try not to eat too late also. I always find setting my alarm on my last day off to get up early can help so that it's a bit easier to get to sleep that night. Try something strenuous also as you will feel warn out enough to sleep.

I don't like to take any medication to help sleep and even herbal remedies have made me feel worse the next morning if I have taken them. Just try not to put too much pressure on yourself to get to sleep, relax with a good book for half an hour before you turn the lights off and whatever you do, don't clock watch!:rolleyes:

[givemewings]

I posted a thread on something similar in the medical & health forum, and got some advice there so you might want to take a look.

Being an Aussie, you should check Civil Aviation Safety Authority - Home (http://www.casa.gov.au), they should have a list, or you can call up and ask about any medication you are considering taking. They can tell you if it's allowed, allowed only with prescription or not at all while flying.

One thing I did read recently that sounds a bit crazy, but actually worked, is to use a cold pack on your head for a for minutes, apparently it cools your brain down a bit and this can help some people fall asleep more easily. Weird but true, I tried it!!

A friend of mine who is qualified in this sort of thing told me that the melatonin you get commercially in Oz is pretty much useless & a placebo in the amounts it's sold in. He said the ones from the US are better but are not allowed for sale here so I guess there's a reason for that. Getting some sun during the day will have the same effect and can be helpful to 'reset' your body clock. (It can also prevent becoming vitamin D deficient which is common in winter and can give that 'constantly tired' feeling)

I've been finding that if I get up early on my last day off as suggested that I've been sleeping better at night.

Blocking out all light (however small) seems to help too. You might need to use eye shades to start with, after a couple of years I could fall asleep in bright daylight and have only recently been having problems getting to sleep.

Hope you find something that works & sweet dreams!! :ok:

[Di_Vosh]

G'day vbsydcc,

I'm an Eastern FO and almost all of our overnights involve a 5:00am wake up. It's very common for us to either:

Go to bed at 10:00pm (say) and lie awake in bed until around 2:00am;

or:

Got to sleep at 10:00pm and wake up at 2:00am and not get back to sleep.

Flight crew and Cabin crew alike.

The only crew immune to this are the ones who are parents of young children.

If I get 5 hours sleep or more on an overnight I consider that to be a win.

Not much consolation, but better than taking pills/powders/etc.

DIVOSH!

[VS-LHRCSA]

Restsavit works for me.