g1ant

I'm back in the UK after a trip tp Texas.

I've been back exactly a week now and I am still having sleep problems. I'm knackered during the day, fall asleep for about two hours every night in front of the telly and then I'm wide awake again by midnight.

Any ideas? It's driving me potty.

Lion in Winter

Drugs.

No, seriously. Antihistamine works for me - here the brand is Benedryl, actual chemical is diphenhydramine hydrochloride. Stick sharp spikes into yourself or whatever is necessary to not fall asleep in the daytime, then take one these things before going to bed at a reasonable time. Sleep like a baby.

CaliforniaBride

This looks useful

http://www.thetravelinsider.info/2002/0517.htm

ScousePete

Melatonin - Works wonders, it's natural and cheap! WEB MD

rincewind

I always soak in a tub. I read some where that jet lag was caused by dehydration so the best thing was to soak in a tub.

I tried it after one Atlantic flight and it worked.

g1ant

But you can't buy it in the UK.. 1:07am and still wide awake

rincewind

Excedrin PMs knock me on my arse. Try those or any PM brand.

But you're in the UK, so scrap all that

g1ant

I'll take a couple of paracetemol+coedine, they usually make me sleep and you can get those in the UK.

ScousePete

Next time I'm over you'll find me on the street corner selling black market Melatonin. I'll make a killing!

g1ant

I think my missus gets it from Germany. I'd ask her now, but of course SHE is fast asleep.

NC Penguin

Well, it's probably a bit late for you now since you've been back a week but...

wherever you land, you should go to bed at the time where you are, not where you were.

i.e. if you've landed in the UK, go to bed at British time. You'll struggle to stay awake but fight it and go to sleep at the British time.

I've been followed this method successfully for at least five years including non-stop 11 hour flights.

If this fails, get some magnesium glycinate (note spelling). I take 3 of the 600mg capsules about 45 mins before when I want to go to sleep. I fall asleep and don't wake up in the middle of the night.

My doctors suggested I take these for insomnia (well, not being able to fall asleep in the first place). I don't know if you can get this in the UK but I had to go an old fashioned apothecary type place where they make the capsules themselves. Cost $20.00 for 100 but this magnesium glycinate works and doesn't appear to have any side effects (not on me at least).

Pimpbot

8 redbulls.

Wintersong

I'm with NC Penguin on this one - I find that forcing myself to stay awake until normal bedtime on my return really helps. I spent 5 and a half weeks in California over the summer, left there at about 11am and arrived in the UK at about 10am the following day after little or no sleep on the plane. I was shattered but resisted the impulse to fall asleep as soon as I got back home. I stayed awake until about 9pm, had a really good night's sleep and was fully back to normal with no jetlag at all the next day.
Compare this to my trip there in April, when I listened to my body and slept when I got back... I had about a week of staying up until 3 or 4am then getting up for work at 6.30, sleeping on the couch in the evenings... it's a vicious circle that's really difficult to break.

Duncan Roberts

I ususally take a 15-20 minute nap around lunch time the first day then get up, do something and around 11:00-12:00 pop a herbal nytol. Works for me, just make sure that you do stuff during the day to keep you occupied and go to sleep at 11:00ish

g1ant

I did all that. It usually does work, but this time for some reason things have gone wrong.

Tonight when it gets to about 8 and I'm usually falling asleep in front of the TV, I'm going to go out for a couple of hours then bed at about 10:30. I'm hoping a couple of days like that will get the body clock back in sync.

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