I am overseas on a work trip and I just cannot sleep. Like AT ALL. WTF am I supposed to do?

[ThroughTheRedDoor]

I am abroad with 2 colleagues i don't know very well. In a fancy hotel. I am delivering some presentations at an international conference.

I got here on Sunday night after an 8 hour flight. I had 3 hours sleep the first night. I had to have nap in the middle of Monday (wasn't presenting) for an hour and got about 5 hours on Monday night. I slept for 3 hours last night. Have come back from the conference, having done the first presentation. Thought I'd have a cat nap before we meet for dinner. I can't get off to sleep.

I am here until Saturday. Time difference is minimal (4 hours ahead here). I have a full day of work on Friday.

I am recovering from a nasty cold but just have the cough left. Could it be that? I am starting to panic. Which I am aware will not be helping.

I am starting to think i will never sleep again. Whats going on? And what on earth do I do? Help!

Can you go out for a walk or to the gym if there is one to tire yourself out a bit, then go back to your room and have a shower or bath to relax and read a book or listen to some music/watch TV?

Try not to just focus on how much sleep you aren't getting as that is all you will fixate on and your mind will go around in circles.

Go to a pharmacist and buy melatonin over the counter

Pharmacy for nytol is what I'd do

Melatonin is your friend

Not be crude, but i'd masturbate in that situation, usual helps to get to sleep.

Yep, melatonin, definitely!

Is there a pharmacy you could get some antihistamines/herbal sleeping tablets from? Or a shop selling herbal relaxation or sleep teas (such as camomile/lavender/valerian root/ skullcap/lemon grass), these can be helpful.

Agree with what @Upintheairnow said.

Try and take a short break from trying to sleep, and when you do have another go try not to fret about not nodding off straight away.

All easier said than done, sometimes you just have to accept you've got to power through

Go and buy some phenergen from the pharmacy. It is also called promethazine.

www.nhs.uk/medicines/promethazine/about-promethazine/

The focusing on the lack of sleep is probably the cause of not being able to fall asleep. Maybe see if you can get something over the counter to help or have a glass of wine with dinner (do not do both!). To be honest though you sleep pattern sounds a bit like mine when I am away.

But you are sleeping? Just not much. It's not fun, but as an otherwise healthy adult you should be totally fine to soldier on for a couple days on a few hours a night.

Get some daylight first thing, preferably with exercise. Avoid booze 😔

Do some yoga nidra podcasts then you’re getting some deep rest even if no actual sleep (and you might fall asleep). Sounds like a survivable amount of sleep for a few days anyway although you’ll probably get ill on the journey back so maybe plan some rest days.

Over the counter sleeping pills. Alternatively, stop worrying about it, we can all manage on broken sleep for a few days.

Ditto what the others have said, just accept you might not sleep that great whilst away. It’s not ideal but you won’t die. Not sure if you’ve got kids but if so, you’ve definitely functioned on less sleep!
I used to get really fixated with not getting 7hrs, but then I realised worrying about it was making it much worse.
Focus on giving your body rest, rather than sleep. You’ll be fine! (And probably sleep much better when you stop worrying about it so much).

And if you’re normally a good sleeper at home, I certainly wouldnt start taking any medication now. It will make you feel like shit and you’ll feel worse for your presentation.

I recommend trying to read an audit tax manual (or anything very technical from HMRC). It sends my DH off to sleep within minutes at any time of day!

Lie on your bed and tell yourself you are not allowed to go to sleep! Force yourself to lie with your eyes wide open, focus on your breathing and you will drop off in no time at all. I confess that I've only used it once but it did work!

I think you're overthinking this. A four hour time difference is far from minimal, it's easily enough to disrupt your sleep rhythm. Worrying that you will never sleep again is crazy catastrophic thinking!

Personally I'd try to relax about it (easier said than done, I know) and accept the fact that you're not sleeping brilliantly, but it will pass. Focus on resting rather than sleeping. Listening to audiobooks really helps me.

I believe there is evidence that if you cannot sleep, the next best thing is to simply lie in a relaxed state. I'd pop on some soothing music and just lie in bed if you cannot actually go to sleep.

OP you 100% need melatonin but probably not why other people think.

When you get a virus the virus attacks your melatonin production pathway (as if you can't sleep, your immune system can't crank into gear to get rid of it...this the virus lives on longer! Big win for the virus, but it means you won't sleep).

If you take melatonin you'll a) really support your immune system and get healthy faster and b) will be able to sleep. Add some slow deep breathing too, to calm down your nervous system (you'll probably now have a tiny bit of sleep anxiety-this should deal with that).

Melatonin never worked for me, but phenergan does.

i just lie in bed and listen to the most boring podcast or YouTube channel I can find. Boring history for sleep channels do the trick although some of them have some good stories and then I get invested which defeats the object really 😂I never sleep well when I’m away and I should imagine the time difference hasn’t helped you op

Lots of good advice here.

I would also say that just resting with your eyes closed will do a lot, even if you don't sleep. It's possible to feel surprisingly ok with surprisingly little actual "sleep," as long as you've spent a good long time resting. So don't feel pressured to drop off as such. Resting is fine.

Thank you all so much.

I have just reread my op and I was (am!) definitely catastrophising. And whoever said that I am getting sleep is absolutely right. I am not normally prone to drama, honestly. But this afternoon I did feel a bit like I might pass out (or worse. I dont know what i thought worse might look like, mind) And I really don't want to seem like a weirdo in front of my colleagues, or pass out in front of them or my audience!

I like the idea of telling myself that I cant sleep! I am totally trying that tonight. And if that doesn't work....well a wank might!

I dont think that the pharmacies here sell melatonin or much else like that and I have been in one.

I can sleep at the drop of a hat at home. And often do. So this is quite alien to me. And it has reminded me how rubbish the days of sleep deprivation were when the kids were small.

Ive come to bed, tired out from a long working day and an evening of sight seeing. Fingers crossed for some sleep!

I am really grateful for all of the replies. Made me feel like my mumsnetter community had my back! I needed that. Thank you.

Where are you, OP? Vaguely, I mean.