Take any meds to fall asleep after a medium size hiking day?

Ordinary sleeping pills will work, but they can suppress respiration somewhat. If you happen to be at high elevation, that's not a very good thing. So, I sometimes carry the mildest pills that are still effective for me, and that is Melatonin 3mg, which is a standard OTC medicine.

Normally I am so tired that I fall asleep without any help.

–B.G.–

I sometimes take Zolpidem. I experience no drowsiness in the morning compared with benzodiazepines. To avoid dependency I never use it for more than 3 consecutive nights.

Generally, no. Once in a while, I will want a heavier sleep than is normal, like the first night out on occasion, or, if I am excited about tomorrows hike/planning a long push (25-30mi) the next day. I take a tylenol PM with supper (~1900 or so.) I cannot say I ever woke up with any type of drugged hangover. (But, I am soo logy in the morning that I doubt I would notice anyway…before the first cup of coffee I am like a walking zombie.)

Melatonin, especially in winter to help pass the long nights

I take a hammock.

The hammock performs wonders. +1

Other than that I just sleep.

The first few nights that I'm in grizzly country, I have a bit of trouble getting to sleep. A couple of 25 mg generic Benedryl tablets do the trick (diphenhydramide, a mild antihistamine).

What Would John Muir Do?

I have to take allergy medication anyways so +1 Benadryl for me.

I've been a lighter sleeper since I've had kids. Things that go bump in the night is normally a 9 y/o stumbling to the bathroom with the flu etc so it doesn't take much to wake me up.

Hiking to exhaustion doesn't work for me. I'll usually wake up 6 or so times every evening without a sleep aid regardless of the day's events. When I was spending a 1-3 weeks every month in the woods, my subconscious was used to the noises and I had no problem sleeping. Now I'm lucky to go backpacking twice a month so it's harder for me to find quality sleep out there.

I usually take Tylenol PM because I'm a little sore anyway. I sleep a little better when I do that, I tend to toss and turn and wake up a lot if I don't take it.

At home my wife sometimes takes melatonin. I've taken it a couple of times when I've had trouble falling asleep and it really knocks me out and I don't wake up much during the night.

Adam

The thought of taking medication to sleep never occurred to me.

I need something that will put me to sleep right away,
allow me to sleep soundly for 4 hours,
then wake me up instantly with no grogginess or other side effects.

do any of these solutions work for just 4 hours ?

The only time I have trouble falling asleep is when my nose is stopped up for some reason. Mouth breathing is torture, especially when it's cold. So Benadryl is the go-to solution. It only takes one pill–I could probably get by with a half or quarter–to really knock me out. I can never take the stuff during the day.

+1 on the Melatonin; nature’s hormone. It’s a little less harmful than other drugs.

And a few times, if I need a knock out and curb some muscle pain, the Tylenol PM (Vitamin T) does wonders for me.

Even if I go out every weekend, the first night out is antsy for me. I’m not sure why. It could be I’m with a different group of people and that causes me anxieties. Or the anxiety could be from unfamiliarity with the trail I’m tackling.

May everyone have a good night’s rest.
-Barry
-The mountains were made for Tevas

Like Nick, it has never occurred to me to take medication to sleep. Having said that, I often use ear plugs which seem to help stabilize my breathing and help me fall asleep.

I have a hiking buddy who takes Tylenol PM. We were once caught in an unexpected fall snow storm, each using tarps as shelters. I spent most of the night banging snow off the walls. He spent the night sound asleep as I (ME!) banged the snow off his walls. Suffocation sucks.

…that's 'cause I use an hammock.

If I was really having trouble? 44 ml of a 90% ethanol/10% dihydrodgen monoxide solution, taken orally with one glass of water, will usually do the trick. ;)

Hammock + Advil PM.

Full-length Thermarest 40'th Anniversary pad (2" thick), a pillow of some sort, and Breath-Rite strips on my nose help a lot.

I have used Benedryl when I really wanted a solid sleep. It works well and was in my first aid supplies. I find that 1/2 a pill does the job and doesn't leave me very drowsy the next morning. A full pill makes me quite groggy in the morning.

I think it's best to use drugs as a last resort, after first addressing other issues such as comfort, relaxation, etc. More coffee than my usual 2 cups or caffeine after mid-morning often affects my sleep that night. If I drink alcohol I go to sleep just fine but often wake up at 2:00 AM

"I need something that will put me to sleep right away,
allow me to sleep soundly for 4 hours,"

Art, that is why I have taken Melatonin a few times. It seems to have the effect of putting me to sleep starting about a half-hour after I take it. But then the effect seems to wear off within two hours, at least for me.

–B.G.–

I sometimes use a product called "Midnite" to help me stay asleep. I can fall asleep so fast I often don't remember the process, but I tend to wake up and have hard time going back to sleep. These are taken without water, listed as non habit forming, and a half a pill does the trick for me.

I believe MidNite is basically melatonin with a bit of different flavoring added.

"…If I was really having trouble? 44 ml of a 90% ethanol/10% dihydrodgen monoxide solution, taken orally with one glass of water…" -John A.

Careful! Mountain stream water is quite high in naturally occurring DHMO (dihydrogen monoxide) so you are effectively getting a double douse in your concoction. A DHMO overdose can be fatal: http://www.dhmo.org/facts.html

…

I'm with Nick G. Two things I never understood were eating problems and sleeping problems. I'm also with Roger D. – a little night time toddy is likely the best medicine for ails you (or doesn't). One thing that has always helped me since I was a child (and my dad tried this wisdom to get me back in bed) was appreciating the fact that you (a) are getting physical rest which is not to be disregarded, and (b) can appreciate that you are where you are lying there. Today I take some additional consolation in the fact that no phone will ring, nobody will require my assistance, and I likely have nothing to do but lie there. Honestly, I'd hate to sleep through those rare moments. So, once I stop worrying about not being able to fall asleep, I'm out like a light. Every time. Maybe some folks have it worse.