Poster: A snowHead
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I have recently spoken with many people who (like me) suffer from poor nights sleep whilst on ski holidays due to low humidity induced dry throats and nasal passages.
I have always suffered from this whilst on holiday and have tried all sorts of things to raise the RH in the apartment at night (pots of hot water by the bed, filling the bath, leaving pots of water on slow simmer on the cooker etc.) This year we cracked it and through trial and error perfected the Heath Robinson humidifier.
You will require
2 large towels
1 small towel
1 basin of hot water
1 radiator (NOT the electric convection type)
3-4 drops of Olbis oil (optional)
The following procedure should be performed 2-3 hours prior to bed time.
Take the three towels and soak in hot water.
Drape the two large towels over the radiator ensuring one end reaches the floor.
Take the small towel and fold until it is about 12" wide. Lay this on top of the radiator (this will help keep the other two towels in place and ensure long slow release of water vapour)
Now place the basin of hot water on a low stool in front of, and touching, the radiator and place the ends of the two large towels in it (the towels will draw water up from the basin as the upper part of the towels dries out).
For added comfort place 3-4 drops of Olbis oil on to the top towel.
Now close all window and doors in the room and leave until bed time. Leave the system in place all week and add water to the towels as and when required.
This make an awesome difference my sleep on vacation as I no longer wake up every 30 mins for a drink of water.
Anyone else got any top tips?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1. Drink 2 pints of water before going to bed (helps reduce hangover as well)
2. Melatonin. Knocks you out for a good night's sleep.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Melatonin? I haven't heard of that before. Is it prescription?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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You can buy it in supermarkets in the US. I've not seen it over here. I use it to help get over jetlag.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I thought it was the altitude that caused the sleep problem. Is it the lack of humidity that causes the weird dreams, or is that altitude.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I thought it was just me. The dry air makes me snore which gets me beaten up and cold-shouldered by the wife. I find lots of water helps, but still need to top up in the night.
I'll try the wet towels thing, thanks.
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I find 10 large beers and 8 tequilas helps me drop off......
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The towels sound very effective. Bread pans filled with water, placed on radiator, will also help.
A quite simple solution I adopted during the New Year's week ski trip:
1. Keep window open at night (just a crack will do unless lodgings egregiously overheated).
2. Wet your top sheet (with water!) Sleep with wet top sheet covering your face.
If that doesn't work, a dose of cortisone 2x a day for 4 days!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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When we arrived in hotel room this year, turned off radiator and it didn't go back on all week! Leaving window open helped, but still managed to wake up at some unearthly hour and then couldn't get back to sleep without the obligatory drink of water. I think that part of the problem as WTFH says, is that alcohol dehydrates as well, and if your too smashed to remember to drink water BEFORE you go to bed, so have to replace it at sometime or another. Ah the pain we have to go through, just to go ski=ing!
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How do hotel staff take to these various measures?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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What are they going to do - take all your towels away?!?
It's not as if you're actually doing anything to damage them...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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I'm really interested in this thread - I suffer appallingly from this - no sleep, totally dried out, constant nose bleeds, dizzyness, giddyness etc etc keep the tips coming.
Stew ... sorry Mr Hat! - i remember that melatonin now - we used it to get over jet lag from trans-atlantic flights in a previous job. I guess you could get it over the web?
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Info on Melatonin here: http://www.melatonin.com/. Never tried it myself. I turn off radiator, drink lots of wine and take a sleeping tablet (for last item you will need friendly GP - I reccomend Zolpidem: gentle and short acting so no effects left come next morning; quite safe for a few days).
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You know it makes sense.
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This is so encouraging.... I had nooooo idea that others suffered from insomnia while skiing. Last time I went 5 days with hardly any sleep. Richard - I tried your approach - (well... a few glasses of wine anyway...) dropped off for a couple of hours then wide awake - then I tried no alcolohol and NOTHING seemed to work. I thought I was just so buzzed up and full of adrenalin.... Will try all these suggestions....... xx
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Turning off the radiator or opening the window only makes the room cold(er) it cannot raise the RH as it's the bitter cold outside that causes low RH.
I've found that the towels work so well because they churn out loads of moisture in the first few hours and then you get a steady but lower o/p of moisture during the rest of the night as the top towel and the wicking effect up the big towels from the basin kick in.
In resort I usually consume about a litre of water during the night.
It took us 3 night to perfect the towel system and once complete none of us woke during the nigh for a drink of water or had dry throats and nasal passages. Drinking loads (water) pre bedtime is very important also.
WRT drugs from the US - I've found that tylanol are superb taken just before bed and just after breakfast to ease the aching limbs.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I also thought it was the excitement of being on holiday which was the reason for poor sleep.
Will make a more conscious effort to drink more water in the evenings...
(p.s. mentioned on a different thread but worth reiterating here - had a small hydration backpack for the days with tubey thing attached - definitely resulted in drinking more water than stopping to open bottles of water..)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Boardski, Isn't Tylenol just a US brand name for paracetamol? They might whack some codeine in there as well - that could be why it makes you feel good.
I'd stay away from any narcotic analgaesics (such as codeine) personally unless I really need them - they can be habit forming and can cause constipation. Don't mind chucking a few ibuprofen down during skiing holidays, but they're relatively innocuous.
If you're desperate to get it over here, try solpadeine - 500mg paracetamol, 30mg codeine plus a bit of caffeine to get it all absorbed a bit quicker. There have been issues with dependency though...
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Nice to have a dealer we can refer to
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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No need for a dealer - get it OTC at your local Lloyds or Boots!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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On refelection I think I'll just stick to lots of beer in the evenings to help me sleep, and lots of water the next day to prepare myself for lots of beer again. etc , etc
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Don't think Tylenol is *just* paracetamol as it is a nighttime cold/flu remedy. Also a decongestant. It probably has paracetamol in it though. I could check as I think we have some somewhere,...but not sure where.
Anti-hystamines(sp?) should help you sleep, too. However go for the generic ones and not the "non-drowsy" formulas. In fact a lot of "sleep aids" tend to be anti-histamines anyway, but branded and cost more. Hopefully no dependency probs with those.
Adam Holt - Your conditions sound a bit more serious. It might be worth checking with your GP or looking up altitude sickness symptoms and alleviants, in case you're susceptible.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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skanky, glad the branding works - some of us would have been out of jobs had it not!!
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It may have been a placebo effect but I found that they were better at numbing those pre and post ski aches and pains than ibuprofen.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As always, it's a case of "whatever works". I tell my girlfriend that massages are the only thing to help easy my aching muscles!
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