Getting Into A Sleep Cycle...

[MrSnrang]

I've had trouble for the past few months.

I can't go to sleep before 11 even if I've had sleeping pills. The next day I'm barely awake but at night I am fully alert. If I go to bed early on very rare occasions I end up waking up at like 2 AM and being awake for the rest of the day and resuming my usual late-night sleep time.

Any suggestions to try and balance this?

[tutsiwarrior]

I've had the same problems and it is a major hassle if you're in a high paying job and expected to stay alert all day...google on 'sleep disorders' and you will find lots of info. A pre-sleep routine is definitely required without any food or drink after 7 - 8pm if yer wantin' to be asleep by 10 - 11. However, in my experience if there are stress related problems you must take care of them first or you will never get more than 3 -4 hours sleep per night; asleep at 10pm then fully awake at 1-2 am...and the effect is cummulative; I can feel sleep coming like an epileptic can feel a seizure approaching...it is relentless and uncontrollable, just go out like a light...highly embarrassing if you are in a meeting...

if there is treatment available I'd say get it now...I drink too much and that is a contributing factor but I haven't been working fer 5 months and can sleep when I want...

having to alter one's lifestyle in order to get a decent night's sleep is a piss off...but, what else can ye do? getting up at 6am to go to work is unnatural...I could never make it to school fer 8am and would always fall asleep in the pm...always got shit from teachers as they thought that nodding off was disrespectful...

good luck...

Edited February 28, 2007 by tutsiwarrior

[autonomous_unit]

Like tutsiwarrior says, the things you do in the evening have a big impact. I'd find it much easier to sleep early in Thailand, because the sun always sets early (like Autumn where I grew up, and I was usually a night owl in summertime when dusk came at 8pm). However, my wife gets home from work a bit late after commuting, and the end result is that we usually eat dinner later than I would like and end up staying awake too long!

I also find when I travel and have to adjust to jetlag (Thailand is +12-15 hours from US timezones), these things help:

1. forcing myself to "wake with the sun" and get real sun exposure in morning, noon, and late afternoon, using an obnoxious alarm clock to wake up even if sleepy

2. forcing myself to stay in bed and have catnaps at night from at least 11pm-4am if I cannot sleep solidly... a few nights, my only sleep might be broken into 45 minute bouts

3. getting some exercise in the morning (but not before 5am if I am unable to sleep)

4. trying to have my last meal by around 6-7pm each day

5. avoiding television after 9pm because it stimulates the brain too much when it is time to start getting sleepy

6. eat sensible meals, even if appetite is screwed up at first, e.g. real breakfast and lunch and not too large of a dinner

7. drink plenty of water, avoiding caffiene after lunch time

[Sheryl]

1. Reduce your caffeine intake as low as possible and none at all after about 10 - 11 AM (that includes cola drinks as well as coffee and tea)

2. If you are taking anu drugs or medications with stimulant effect, discontinue or (if absolutely necessary for your health, e.g. certain asthma drugs) take early in the day.

3. Stop all alcohol or at least reduce it to 1 drink 3 or more hours before you need to sleep

4. Get as much sun exposure and daytime exerciuse as you can

5. And - this one ios hard as it's not available in Thailand, but it really works -- take Melatonon (and only melatonin...stop any othert sleep meds). Can be mail ordered or is also sold in Cambodia and I think Hiong Kong and Singapore.

Start with 1 3 mg tab about an hour and a half before you want to become sleepy. If this doesn't work, try a half tab as soon as the sun goes down and then 1 tab an hour or two later.

Do all 5 things and you will surely be able to get to sleep earlier.

If you wake up during the night, it's OK to repeat a dose.

[wpcoe]

5. And - this one ios hard as it's not available in Thailand, but it really works -- take Melatonon (and only melatonin...stop any othert sleep meds). Can be mail ordered or is also sold in Cambodia and I think Hiong Kong and Singapore.

Start with 1 3 mg tab about an hour and a half before you want to become sleepy. If this doesn't work, try a half tab as soon as the sun goes down and then 1 tab an hour or two later.

I'm curious *why* melatonin is not available in Thailand? I went nuts trying to find it. Is it legal to bring in to the country on my own? If it's legal, why isn't it sold here?

[Sheryl]

It's not a banned or illegal substance, and you won't have any problem brining it in for personal use. It has just never been approved (or as far as I know, even reviewed for approval) by the Thai FDA. Presumably little perceived demand for it here. And because it is a hormone it falls under FDA regulations...it is not classified as a "nutritional supplement" here like it is in the US.

[wpcoe]

It's not a banned or illegal substance, and you won't have any problem brining it in for personal use. It has just never been approved (or as far as I know, even reviewed for approval) by the Thai FDA. Presumably little perceived demand for it here. And because it is a hormone it falls under FDA regulations...it is not classified as a "nutritional supplement" here like it is in the US.

Thanks for that bit of information. I once had a hard time at Japan Customs (NRT airport) when they found a plastic bag with white melatonin tablets. I speak basic Japanese, but had no idea how to explain what melatonin was. If I had said "hormone" they might have had an idea. As it was, I was escorted to a private room, my baggage thoroughly searched while they did chemical tests on one of the melatonin tablets. I watched them take scrapings off of the tablet (no rubber gloves, nor do I think the scalpel was sterile), and when they were through, they put the scraped tablet back in my bag with the rest of the tablets. <sigh...>

This was only about two years ago, and I was surprised they had no access to the internet. I wanted to google "melatonin" for them...

[alixjames]

3mg Melatonin tablets are available from MBK - you can get about 300 tablets for about 700bht if I remember correctly.

[WaiWai]

Melatonin is available in pharmacies in Chiang Mai.

[Grover]

I've had trouble for the past few months.

I can't go to sleep before 11 even if I've had sleeping pills. The next day I'm barely awake but at night I am fully alert. If I go to bed early on very rare occasions I end up waking up at like 2 AM and being awake for the rest of the day and resuming my usual late-night sleep time.

Any suggestions to try and balance this?

I used to do this when I was doing shiftwork: try not sleeping one night and stay awake into the daytime till about 8pm or at whatever time you want to sleep. It will be hard but you have to do it, preferably without coffee, etc. You will be so tired that you will be able to sleep at this time and your sleeping cycle will be reset.

worked for me anyway

[andyadam]

I've had trouble for the past few months.

I can't go to sleep before 11 even if I've had sleeping pills. The next day I'm barely awake but at night I am fully alert. If I go to bed early on very rare occasions I end up waking up at like 2 AM and being awake for the rest of the day and resuming my usual late-night sleep time.

Any suggestions to try and balance this?

I used to do this when I was doing shiftwork: try not sleeping one night and stay awake into the daytime till about 8pm or at whatever time you want to sleep. It will be hard but you have to do it, preferably without coffee, etc. You will be so tired that you will be able to sleep at this time and your sleeping cycle will be reset.

worked for me anyway

Agree with Grover, forget the meds. I still do this on a regular basis and usually get 2 days going from days to nights, it's a killer at first but after a few times it's really easy. You have to avoid the 40 wink temptation and I have to avoid beer or it's lights out for me!!!!!!!

[Sheryl]

3mg Melatonin tablets are available from MBK - you can get about 300 tablets for about 700bht if I remember correctly.

Where in MBK????