Sleep Aids

[P&H]

Hi Doc (or anyone else with any ideas),

Is there anything you can recommend that would assist in being able to fall asleep earlier than your body clock is used to so as to get a full night's sleep and be ready for the early show times at work? When I have 5AM shows, I don't really get more than 4 hours of sleep. Needless to say, I feel like hell the rest of the day.

I'd like to stay away from pills. Any herbal sleep aids or any old-fashioned methods?

[TheWife]

I have found this site to be helpful, http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm click on the helps for insomnia, it may help you also get to sleep earlier when your body doesn't think it's ready.

[My Flight Surgeon]

There is no magic. Cut out the coffee, exercise and learn to relax.

[Doug Taylor]

You know, that absolutely worked for me.

[sdfcvoh]

This may sound really cheezy - but I found a relaxation MP3 a long time ago that really is pretty good. Its sort of a hypnosis thing with a very calming female voice. So... for what its worth. You might find it helps you.
http://www.calmingwords.com/audio/Relax_on_cue.mp3

[FlyOrDie]

A little afternoon delight helps to relax you for an early bed time also.

[ASpilot2be]

I like melatonin pills

[P&H]

Sorry about the late response. I've been on a trip and managed to get a bit of sleep this time.

Thanks for the tips.

Doc, you mentioned exercise. Could you elaborate on that? Simply exercising can help you get a good night's rest?

I don't drink coffee/caffeine, either. Occasionally, I'll have a black tea but that's very occasionally.

[My Flight Surgeon]

30 minutes of exercise will help you sleep. It can be any type of exercise.

[TheWife]

But don't do it in the evening because exercise before bed will actually make it harder to sleep for most people.

[My Flight Surgeon]

Oops, forgot one thing to help sleep
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SEX

[sdfcvoh]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

30 minutes of exercise will help you sleep. It can be any type of exercise.

I think the first post cleared that up .

Now to work on the 30 minute part.........

[FlyOrDie]

Originally Posted by My Flight Surgeon

Oops, forgot one thing to help sleep
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SEX

Would 30 minutes of sex count as exercise and therefore be doubly good?

[jima7011]

Originally Posted by ASpilot2be

I like melatonin pills

I fly a lot (not as a PIC) through many timezones and I take melatonin--all natural-no lingering effects , cheap and reliable. Helps me adjust to different timezones as well as fall asleep fast--

[TheWife]

FYI-Melatonin side effects may include daytime sleepiness, dizziness, headaches and abdominal discomfort. Confusion, sleepwalking or nightmares also are possible. Some studies suggest that melatonin increases the risk of seizures, but others disagree. Melatonin may interact with various medications. The optimal dose of melatonin isn't certain, and the long-term effects are unknown. Talk to your doctor before taking melatonin, especially if you have any underlying health conditions. If you decide to take melatonin, make sure the supplements are manufactured in a lab, not derived from animals.

[jima7011]

Melatonin side effects may include daytime sleepiness, dizziness, headaches and abdominal discomfort. Confusion, sleepwalking or nightmares also are possible. Some studies suggest that melatonin increases the risk of seizures, but others disagree. Melatonin may interact with various medications.

Heard about the nightmare thing but I have never experienced any issues. Of course I only take them when I travel and the dosage is really really small.

[CirrusMonkey]

Originally Posted by jima7011

Heard about the nightmare thing but I have never experienced any issues. Of course I only take them when I travel and the dosage is really really small.

I use melatonin as well. I have not experienced any of the above mentioned side effects.......Yet.

[Doug Taylor]

Originally Posted by CirrusMonkey

I use melatonin as well. I have not experienced any of the above mentioned side effects.......Yet.

I've been a passive user of Melatonin for about a year and I've experienced no issues whatsoever.

Besides, of course, a great night of sleep, wake up well-rested and end up talkative and a little hyper much to the chagrin of my fellow crewmembers.

[SeanD]

Is melatonin over or under the counter?

[Doug Taylor]

Gotta buy it in the local crack den for the most part.

[Doug Taylor]

I'm kidding, I'm kidding! Nah, you can buy it OTC in most health food stores.

It doesn't work for everyone, but it works great on me. When I'm off my normal bodyclock time over in Europe, I'd wake up every two or so hours when I'm down for the night. With the melatonin, it smoothes out my sleep cycle so I can get a good, solid block of sleep rather than the normal:

Wake up.
Take a pee.
Turn on BBC.
Back asleep.
Wake up
Take a pee
Turn on BBC
Back asleep.

[SeanD]

Is it similar to Calms Forte? I take that on occasion when I need sleep and cant get a wink. I also found Sleep MD to work pretty well.

[Doug Taylor]

Never tried it!

[germb747]

Most of the "sleep pills", while they give me my 8 hours of sleep, make me feel worse the following day than I would had I just got 4 hours sleep w/o the pills.

[Doug Taylor]

What are you taking? Generally, if it's got the 'hang over' affect, it might be disqualifying as an airman.

Tylenol PM is verboten.