Sleeping pills in China

[Brian US]

Anyone have experience with buying sleeping pills in China? I did a quick search of 安眠药which seems to show it to be pretty easy to get from any pharmacy. Would anyone trust the over the counter stuff or has anyone gotten a prescription from a doctor for it?

[gato]

Have you tried melatonin?

Also consider whether your sleep is affected by computer/smartphone use, particularly at night. The light from the display could be interfering with natural melatonin production. If so, switching to a black background on your computer/smartphone would help.

Take a look at these articles below.

http://onlinelibrary....20543/abstract

Association between duration of daily visual display terminal work and insomnia among local government clerks in Japan

http://news.sciencem...the-bodys-.html

Vision Cells Help Set the Body's Clock

by Gretchen Vogel on 12 May 2010, 2:00 PM

The study authors also say that evening exposure to dim light sources, such as dimmable lamps or computer screens, could delay melatonin production, making it harder to fall asleep and to wake up feeling alert. Lockley says researchers had assumed that non-blue light had little effect on wakefulness, “but it’s not as safe as we thought” for people who are trying to avoid insomnia.

http://everyonedelet...white-on-black/

iPhone Accessibility: High contrast “White on Black”

http://www.microsoft...ghcontrast.mspx

High Contrast: Choose a High Contrast Color Combination to Improve Screen Resolution

http://www.microsoft...alize/look.mspx

How to tune your screen's appearance

[xiaoxiaocao]

I've got Lorazepam (劳拉西泮) from the doctor before. Cost around 10 RMB for a small box. The only sleeping pills they sell over the counter are herbal or Chinese medicines. I've always been a light sleeper (5-6hrs) and sometimes want more!

[xiaocai]

Most drowsy antihistamines (Dramamine, Phenergan) can be bought over the counter. They work pretty well on many people. As they are cheap I think it is worth trying provided there is no contraindication. All benzos are prescription only and most of them are only available in hospitals.

[rezaf]

All benzos are prescription only and most of them are only available in hospitals.

No wonder. Once we massacred a lot of mice with them.

[wedge]

I bought imported 10mg melatonin (I think Nature's Bounty) from a supermarket in Sanlitun Village in Beijing. It's definitely real.

[Brian US]

I read some of the wikipedia on melatonin, which kinda makes me an expert, but are there really valid concerns for 3 months+ usage?

Staying up with a computer definitely has an effect, but my biggest problem is with Wednesday/Thursday classes. I start class at 8am and recently my teacher keeps us until 10pm only to start again 8am Thursday. I pound so much caffeine to get me through Wednesday that I have a hard time getting to sleep.

[gato]

Melatonin is relatively harmless compared to other sleeping aids. You should try the suggestion of switching to a dark background for your screen, though, as that would help with your body to produce melatonin naturally. The default white background of most screens fools your brain into thinking that it's daytime even though it's already night.

You could also try staying from coffee after 4pm. But since I made the screen background switch, I find that I am not bothered by coffee in the late afternoon as much any more.

[rezaf]

Then don't drink coffee! The only way I can get through long days in class is by taking a short nap during the breaks. I know that it's theoretically just 10 minutes but seems like an hour.

[anonymoose]

Or just 入乡随俗 and sleep in class.

[xiaocai]

No wonder. Once we massacred a lot of mice with them.

Using benzos to kill mice? That sounds hardcore. Kind of like killing a dog with paracetamol...

There is a 2 mg slow release melatonin tablet available, which has been scientifically proven to be effective in improving sleeping pattern (search with Circadin and you can find plenty literature). You may want to have a look around to see any pharmacy keeps that.

[skylee]

How about turning off the computer?

[wedge]

There is a 2 mg slow release melatonin tablet available, which has been scientifically proven to be effective in improving sleeping pattern (search with Circadin and you can find plenty literature).

I would love to try this. I neglected to mention that even though I bought 10mg melatonin, 10mg is WAY more than I need to get to sleep. I end up using 1/8 chunks per night.

The only drawback I've noticed with melatonin is that I tend to wake up very early afterwards (for ex. sleep ~1am, wake ~6am) so this slow release seems like the perfect solution.

[gato]

There is an MIT study that showed that 0.3mg was the right dosage for melantonin rather than the 3mg more commonly found.

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2001/melatonin-1017.html

"According to our research, the physiological dose of melatonin of about 0.3 milligrams restores sleep in adults over the age of 50," said Wurtman, lead investigator in the study. "The adults who would normally wake up during the second and third thirds of the night were able to sleep through the night with the 0.3 milligram dosage."

The researchers also discovered that the typical health food store dosage of melatonin, which is about three milligrams (or 10 times the dosage in the study), is less effective in treating insomnia. In addition, the higher dosage can cause potentially serious side effects, including hypothermia (low body temperature). The study also showed that the higher dosage elevated plasma melatonin levels during the day, which can cause a "hangover" effect in some of the subjects.

"Our study has shown that less is more as far as melatonin is concerned," Wurtman said. "Adult patients who suffer from insomnia and are considering melatonin should consult with their doctor about the appropriate dosage. We have demonstrated that with the correct dosage, melatonin can help an older person experience a restful and uninterrupted night of sleep."

How about turning off the computer?

That would be even better if you can do it. Maybe read a book instead of surfing the web after dinner.

[xiaocai]

I would love to try this

I am not sure how it is marketed in China. But I think you can write a letter to the manufacturer (well, pretend you are a health professional, ), and they may be able to help you to locate the suppliers in China.

[roddy]

I tried to buy sleeping pills once when I was sleeping stupid hours and couldn't get back to normal. Went to the chemist over the road and several middle-aged ladies bullied me into spending my hard-earned cash on some 定神丸 or something like that. I got over the sleep issues, but still have a phobia of Chinese pharmacies.

[Brian US]

I was disappointed to find that master's students don't sleep in class at my school, even though half my classes go 3.5 hours and sometimes 4 hours. A lot of show for the teacher with most classes literally ending in applause and students not leaving until the teacher leaves.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll try out melatonin and my computer screen is now dimmed. I will never give up coffee, I've even pushed myself away from taking pinches of Nescafe and tucking it into my gums.

[gato]

Another idea is try lower strength coffee. For example, instant instead of Starbucks.

[rezaf]

Using benzos to kill mice? That sounds hardcore. Kind of like killing a dog with paracetamol...

It was supposed to help them against strychnine poisoning but I don't know what went wrong. Apparently we poisoned some of the mice with diazepam before injecting strychnine.

[xiaocai]

Oh, killing with strychnine? That reminds me of A Study in Scarlet and The Sign of the Four.

I need to take sleeping medicine occasionally too. Benzos are not bad if you use them sparingly and occasionally. They do not only help you sleep better but also promote relaxation if you can't sleep well because you are stressed about upcoming deadlines and exams.