Something To Help Me Sleep (one off occasion)

[ChrisB87]

Hello all and Happy New Year!

I will be going on a long drive this SongKran (8 hours) with my wife and child. We must leave 1am(ish).

I will need a good days sleep before to make sure i am fresh and can drive safely. Though, i fear i will not be able to get such sleep naturally during the day.

Where i can buy something to aid my sleep? I understand it isn't easy to buy sleeping pills from pharmacies here, right?

Any ideas?

[cdmtdm]

8 hour drive is no big deal , just stick to your normal routine with perhaps an afternoon nap thrown in..... dont take sleeping tablets as you will be groggy the next day , set your alarm for 11.30pm drink a good strong coffee and a heap of water ... whatever you do , dont consume a massive meal of carbs that evening or during your drive , in fact while your driving dont eat carbs , water and caffiene will keep you awake and focussed ....

[h90]

I would say, go sleeping a bit earlier than normal. Maybe start the days before to wake up earlier and go sleeping earlier.

If you can get a 4 hours sleep it will be good enough to function. Don't eat too heavy. Have some red bull in the car if you get too tired on the last few km.

[ChrisB87]

Thanks for the suggestions! Good one about not eating too much!

[h90]

Thanks for the suggestions! Good one about not eating too much!

But eat something...something not heavy. Chicken-Rice, or Musli. Not too fat, more like carbohydrates.

And don't drink too much alcohol on the day before.

If you tend to get very tired it helps having someone speaking with you, so she/he notice when you tend to fall asleep. It is better to sleep an hour at a gasoline station than falling asleep at 120 km/h.

[cdmtdm]

Thanks for the suggestions! Good one about not eating too much!

But eat something...something not heavy. Chicken-Rice, or Musli. Not too fat, more like carbohydrates.

And don't drink too much alcohol on the day before.

If you tend to get very tired it helps having someone speaking with you, so she/he notice when you tend to fall asleep. It is better to sleep an hour at a gasoline station than falling asleep at 120 km/h.

No Carbs......

[meatboy]

Thanks for the suggestions! Good one about not eating too much!

drink 10cans of john kepplers.

[Sheryl]

The only thing you can get legally without a prescription is Atarax but you take a risk with it of being groggy the next day.

Personally I would not chance it. If you do decide to take it, do so at least 10 hours before you have to leave.

[cdmtdm]

The only thing you can get legally without a prescription is Atarax but you take a risk with it of being groggy the next day.

Personally I would not chance it. If you do decide to take it, do so at least 10 hours before you have to leave.

how does that help the OP ? a drug to help him sleep that may make him sleepy the next day ? why even mention it ? something is badly missing here ..common sense !!!

[chubby]

diphenhydramine, anti-histamine. but, search internet for sleep hygeine. as anything that would work, for this type of 1 off , would have to be too strong to then drive,

force yourself to stay up to 4 or 5 am for a few nights, might be better than a chemical

Edited January 18, 2015 by chubby

[cdmtdm]

its only 8 hrs drive ...its nothing really

[NickJ]

30b.....all pharmacies....Dramamine . The motion sickness pill. Take one sleep 8 hours wake up...no drowsiness. Works wonders....its even otc in the States.....dont scoff until youve tried it.

[NancyL]

You'll probably be so wired the day before the trip that it will be difficult to get to sleep early anyway.

Dramanime could make you drowsy earlier than normal, as could benadryl (Diphenhydramine citrate) , a common antihistamine, although both make me drowsy the next day.

[wilailuk]

Melatonin, much better, no sideeffects.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/613478-melatonin/

[Satcommlee]

6 large chang's does the job for me!

[wilailuk]

Hit by 6 large Changs, hehe..!

But not like the "old days" with 640 Cl and 6 or 7% alcohol, can´t remembwer, on my 5th Chang now.

Check the bottle, 630 Cl and 6%.

[bkkgooner]

The only thing you can get legally without a prescription is Atarax but you take a risk with it of being groggy the next day.

Personally I would not chance it. If you do decide to take it, do so at least 10 hours before you have to leave.

Are they the little red pills that are about 3 baht each in Thai pharmacies?

A pharmacist gave me that about 6 months again and I was literally falling asleep on the boat on the way to work the next day, couldn't keep my eyes open sitting at my desk either

What is a good alternative?

[Sheryl]

I have no idea what the red pills you got were.

Atarax itself is white but there are a number of generic equivalents to it about. Haven't seen any that are red, though, and would never advise taking any medication you do nto know the name of and haven't researched ahead on in terms of contraindications, side efefcst etc. Canot rely on either pharmacists or doctors here to do that for you.

Any pill that induces sleep risks making you groggy the next day, though people vary in their responses. It also varies with dosage and how long before wake up time you take it.

Never a good idea to take a new sleeping medication the night before you need to be awake and alert. If you must try something, test it out on a night when you can sleep in the next morning.

There is also no sleeping medication that is safe and effective to take every night -- all of them need to be reserved for occasional use, even Atarax. And all of them you will build up a tolerance to so that they don't work as well if you take them often, again even Atarax.

[cdmtdm]

The only thing you can get legally without a prescription is Atarax but you take a risk with it of being groggy the next day.

Personally I would not chance it. If you do decide to take it, do so at least 10 hours before you have to leave.

Are they the little red pills that are about 3 baht each in Thai pharmacies?

A pharmacist gave me that about 6 months again and I was literally falling asleep on the boat on the way to work the next day, couldn't keep my eyes open sitting at my desk either

What is a good alternative?

diet and exercise is a much better alternative to sleeping pills ....

[ChrisB87]

So, the drive is on Sunday. We leave in the very early hours. I would like to sleep about 5pm (wake up about 1am) the day before. I am actually gonna try that today to get me in that cycle so that tomorrow it won't be as hard.

I may take an Atarax today to help me, but tomorrow will definitely be a natural sleep.

Edited April 10, 2015 by ChrisB87

[uptheos]

The only thing you can get legally without a prescription is Atarax but you take a risk with it of being groggy the next day.

Personally I would not chance it. If you do decide to take it, do so at least 10 hours before you have to leave.

Atarax is absolutely awful!!

It makes you REALLY groggy without aiding sleep and the grogginess continues far into the next day.

Why they don't take it off the shelves as well is beyond me, I wonder how many have taken it thinking they will get a good nights sleep and feel refreshed, only to wake up in ICU after falling asleep at the wheel?

Avoid at all costs!!

One xanax of 0.5mg will do a 'one off' far better, but I can't advise you where to get it.

Edited April 10, 2015 by uptheos

[FBN]

Best not to take anything as you may not know what the particular effect the medicine you take may have on you or how long it may last. Get to sleep early the night before and make frequent stops during the journey; pull over and take a short nap if you do feel sleepy. Coffee and lots of water agreed; the full bladder will result in frequent stops as well...

[Chivas]

I would love to find a sleeping tablet that made me groggy in the first place let alone the next day !!

I can take for example 10mg of Diazapam and the effects are over after 30 minutes let alone 12 hours later

Last trip I ended up going to Pattaya Inter Hospital thinking yes big bill but might find something that actually works. Load of crap didnt work whatsoever !!

[Sheryl]

Responses to these drugs are very individual. What works for some people will not work for others.

[tlcwaterfall]

There is not a snowflakes chance in hell I would drive in Thailand at that hour. (1am)

There may well be less traffic on the road but I would think that it is much more dangerous to drive at night than during the day.

Added to that you will be driving when you would normally be asleep.

Seems like a recipe for disaster in my humble opinion.

Just realised you have already left. I hope you made it to your destination safely.

[ChrisB87]

So the journey was fine, though tiring. Not to mention crazy given it was the "7 deadly days". Won't be doing that again.

I didn't take anything, just tried to rest earlier than usual. On the way down we left at 3am and it took 10 hours. Probably averaged about 80km/h. Wasn't tired at all, but the drivers were completely insane, even for Thailand. A lot of accidents.

On the way back, we left at 4pm and it took 12 hours! Probably averaged about 60km/h. The roads were quieter but also darker, very poor visibility, so i had to drive much slower and more carefully. Still had some crazy drivers driving up the wrong side of the road, but less so than the journey down, lol. Didn't see any accidents.

In terms of tiredness, the journey back was worse. I had to stop more frequently and even had 30mins shut eye.

Anyway, thanks for all input and i am glad i headed advice here. Drinking lots, eating less, and frequent stops were very helpful.

But i ain't driving anywhere during Songkran next year. Either fly somewhere, like BKK or abroad, or stay in our village.

Thanks again!