Should you take melatonin, sleeping pills, or OTC sleep aids for flights?
Sleep experts share what to know before trying sleep aids.
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When it comes to travel, the worst part is often the flight.
But how safe is it to use these for a single trip?
How much should you take?
neurologist and sleep medicine specialist
We spoke to the experts to find out.
Whats the difference between sleeping pills, OTC sleep aids, and melatonin?
Many OTC sleep aids utilize specific forms of antihistaminesthat work like sedatives to make you sleepy.
Prescription sleeping pills typicallytarget and activate GABA receptors in the brainfor a calming, slow-down effect.
But are these safe?
We spoke to the experts for their best advice.
You really should only go for these if you actuallyneedthe pain relief component, says Dr. Ngo-Hamilton.
Instead, for just sleep, Dr. Wu recommends checking with your doctor first.
However, Dr. Wu also notes that this might not be the best bet and doesnt recommend this.
neurologist and sleep medicine specialist
The best thing to do is discuss with a doctor, as with all supplements.
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Chamomile Tea
Another natural recommendation from Dr. Wu and Dr. Harris is good ol chamomile tea.
But otherwise, youd be throwing off your circadian rhythm to do so.
A good reference range is between 0.5 and 3 mg, says Dr. Holliday-Bell.
But with a sleeping pill, you could take it closer to when youd like to actually fall asleep.
Pack accessories
Permission to go hog wild in that one travel section of TJ Maxx, granted.
Well, kind of.
Sharkey, Katherine M, and Charmane I Eastman.
Melatonin phase shifts human circadian rhythms in a placebo-controlled simulated night-work study.American journal of physiology.
Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiologyvol.
282,2 (2002): R454-63.
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