sleeping aides on the trail

[Dogwood]

Fwiw, my use of sleep aids is almost entirely limited to the first couple days of a hike and hurricanes.

That may be the first time in recorded history that sleep aids, hike(s), and hurricanes have been correlated in the same sentence.

[Dogtra]

Personally I've never had a need for them. After the first week or so I'm used to the sounds of my fellow hikers and nature that I tend to pass out quickly. Not mentioning how tired I am too.

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1408713508.286089.jpg saw this on Facebook

[BuckeyeBill]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1408713508.286089.jpg saw this on Facebook

Nice, thanks for sharing. Of course, we already knew that didn't we.

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

Yup


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[rocketsocks]

I actually didn't know that...strange though, around this time each year (late Summer early Fall) my internal clock seems to reset. Maybe the Sun angle, maybe the Temp change...hmm. Love Fall, favorite time of year.

[2015 Lady Thru-Hiker]

...hmm. Love Fall, favorite time of year.

Would almost rather camp in the fall than any other time.



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[rafe]

For starters (and IMO) telling folks to "get over it" just isn't helpful. Hiking after a sleepless night is miserable, and I suppose it could lead to an unsafe day of hiking as well. But mostly it's just miserable. I suppose the insomnia we're talking about is more of an issue for occasional hikers than thru-hikers. I certainly have experienced it on short sections, of a week or less. Benadryl does the trick for me, though it's not something I'd want to take every night. Sometimes accompanied by an Ibuprofen. Last few (multi-day) hikes I've been bringing along a small quantity of brandy; a swig or two of that stuff in the evening seems to help.

Eating properly, and not overeating help. A few of those sleepless nights were due to too much trashy town food.

[shelb]

I have a problem falling asleep the night before I begin, plus the first night or two. I have this problem when I go on any vacation or section hike. I have found it helpful to take either Tylenol PM or muscle relaxers (doctor now prescribes me a small perscription per year to use on these trips.).

[July]

I have a problem falling asleep the night before I begin, plus the first night or two. I have this problem when I go on any vacation or section hike. I have found it helpful to take either Tylenol PM or muscle relaxers (doctor now prescribes me a small perscription per year to use on these trips.).

Hiking is The Best Medicine, I personally have ever found.

[OCDave]

Nothing better than an afternoon nap while on vacation. A poor night's sleep could be considered just priming for an enhanced afternooner.

I also find being awake during the night-time hours while remote from noise and light of a developed world to be exhilarating. I LOVE looking at the dimmer lights of the milky way until the wee hours. On the rare occasion that Northern lights are visible in MN I fight sleep for as many hours as I can. I choose campsites that will provide opportunities to enjoy the night-time sounds of wilderness, especially waterfalls, waves crashing on rocks, ect.

Perhaps, abandon trying to get to sleep sooner than natural and enjoy being awake.

[July]

Nothing better than an afternoon nap while on vacation. A poor night's sleep could be considered just priming for an enhanced afternooner.

I also find being awake during the night-time hours while remote from noise and light of a developed world to be exhilarating. I LOVE looking at the dimmer lights of the milky way until the wee hours. On the rare occasion that Northern lights are visible in MN I fight sleep for as many hours as I can. I choose campsites that will provide opportunities to enjoy the night-time sounds of wilderness, especially waterfalls, waves crashing on rocks, ect.

Perhaps, abandon trying to get to sleep sooner than natural and enjoy being awake.

LOVE IT! Different synapses firing on Trail for Sure...

[rocketsocks]

http://www.aol.com/article/2014/09/1...6pLid%3D527276
Popular sleeping pills linked to Alzheimer's

Commonly prescribed sleeping and anxiety pills, known as benzodiazepines, are now under scrutiny. Researchers found those who take drugs like Valium and Ativan have a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

KXAS: "Researchers followed a group of elderly adults who take Valium, Xanax or similar medications to treat insomnia and anxiety. Those who took these drugs for longer than three months were 51 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease."

The study looked at the medical records of more than 1,700 Alzheimer's patients over the age of 66 and 7,000 similar people without Alzheimer's. Researchers found those who had taken the drugs over long periods of time were far more likely to be in the Alzheimer's group.

To be clear, those involved in the study had been using benzodiazepine at least five years before they were diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Researchers seem confident benzodiazepine use is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's, writing in the study, "The stronger association observed for long term exposures reinforces the suspicion of a possible direct association."

However, as NBC points out, not so fast - the medication might not be to blame.

"It's not clear whether the drugs are causing the Alzheimer's directly, or if people perhaps use the drugs to treat other symptoms that may be early signs of Alzheimer's, such as depression or insomnia."

And the age of the participants may also have something to do with it. The National Institute on Aging says most people develop Alzheimer's after the age of 60, which is within the age range of the people researchers looked at in the study.

The study says "unwarranted" long term use should be a "public health concern." That could be worrisome, as millions of people take these types of drugs daily.

[OCDave]

A separate thread posted just yesterday: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...liff-and-lives

I'd bet dollars to donuts he was a sleep aid user.

[Mr. Jowee]

I had problems sleeping in a tent. I would wake throughout the night, toss and turn, and fall back asleep. I just considered it part of the hiking experience. It was never very restful until I switched to a hammock. There is a learning curve in figuring out how to sleep one (i.e., which position world best for you), but now I'm out like a light for 6 or 7 hours, and wake up refreshed. I hate to be one of those guys that says "try different gear", but it's what worked for me.

[Blue Mountain Edward]

After a restless night or two you will sleep good and need no drugs to calm you.

[WolfCBP]

I am one of the lucky ones who can take melatonin. Doesn't work for everyone though. Within 30 minutes of taking it, my eyes start to get that tired burn and I am out for 6-7 hours. Perhaps that is an option for you.

[rocketsocks]

The Dangerous Link Between (Lack of) Sleep and Cancer

By Eric Cohen, MD
Published Oct 1, 2014
How much sleep do you get every night?
Your answer may have deeper implications than simple tiredness or lack of concentration. In fact, lack of sleep could be linked to the development of cancer cells in your body.
In 2003, researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston found a correlation between risk of breast cancer and melatonin, a hormone produced by the body to promote continued sleep. When levels of melatonin decrease, the body produces more estrogen, which is a known risk factor for breast cancer.
Since 2003, other studies have examined the relationship between sleep and other cancers.Prostate cancer is yet another that has been linked to sleep issues. In fact, moderate problems with sleep have been shown to raise the risk of prostate cancer twofold, and men with severe sleep problems are three times as likely to develop cancer as men who get adequate sleep each night.
Barriers to Sleep: Cancer Treatment and Anxiety

Beyond the obvious reasons to sleep regularly and well (better mood, healthier immune system, stronger mental capacity), we now know that regular, positive sleeping habits can help fight the development and spread of major illnesses, including cancer. Proper sleep may even improve chances of cancer remission, which is a great blessing after an unwelcome diagnosis.
The difficulty patients face is that the treatments and anxiety that come with cancer contribute to poor sleep, which can develop into sleeping problems. That’s why it’s essential to maintain the best sleeping habits possible when you’re ill with cancer.
If you do have trouble sleeping, try these tips to help you rest better:

• Develop a regular pre-sleep routine that helps to calm you
• Avoid excessive alcohol or caffeine consumption
• Find time for daily exercise
• Try relaxation techniques, like meditation or yoga

I cannot stress enough the importance of getting your needed rest every night, especially as it is now clear that sleep patterns can impact cancer growth and development. It is worrying to know that sleep problems can contribute to a higher cancer risk. But it’s also heartening to know that those who are at risk of developing cancer can help ward it off with and effective sleep regimen. The better you sleep, the stronger your immune system and the more balanced your body chemistry. With your hormone levels in balance, your ability to fight off developing cancer cells increases exponentially, especially in the case of breast and prostate cancer.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/column...6pLid%3D540913

[ChuckT]

Stop sleeping long enough and I'll die. Got that

[rocketsocks]

Stop sleeping long enough and I'll die. Got that

Strangely, that make sense to me. Twas a good death.