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El Gallo
03-26-2016, 20:08
I don't care what sleep position I use most of the time I have a hard time sleeping. Can't get a sound sleep. Does not matter whether I am motorcycling or backpacking I just have a hard time getting ZZZs. My sleeping pad, bag etc is comfortable and I am not cold. At the end of the day after a few days I just pass out from lack of sleep . If the insects are doing their thing earplugs help at little. Could be the physical exertion but it never happens after a day hike. I am not overly worried about critters. Strange but the only time I sleep well is if it is a nice rain.

Anybody else have this problem ?

denimlabels
03-26-2016, 20:23
You should sleep more on a boat. I got the best sleep of my life living on a boat. Water slapping against the hull all night. As for backpacking or camping in general a boring book will usually put me right to sleep.

Slo-go'en
03-26-2016, 21:16
I think the change in environment and sleep schedule plays a big part in it. Sometimes I think I haven't gotten much sleep, but am well enough rested. Maybe simply from having been laying down for the past 10 hours or so :)

TKE402
03-26-2016, 22:46
I have the same problem. No matter how tired i am i have trouble sleeping on the trail. I'm normally a lite sleeper at home. I think it's the noise (trees, insects, rain, frogs, etc). I have recently taken Melatonin and earplugs that has helped.

Hikingjim
03-27-2016, 00:21
I have some nights where I wake up 50 times and the night seems to take forever. And yet I'm still ready for the trail and rested enough most days in the morning
But if I'm at home and wake up 2 times during the night, I'm certainly in a bad mood and tired for work!

Stitches
03-27-2016, 06:43
Perhaps it's a deep-brain kind of thing. Evolutionarily speaking, some part of your brain needs to be alert when you sleep at night outside to sense danger. On a conscious level, you are not over-worried about critters, but there is a part of your brain that is ready for fight-or-flight in unfamiliar situations. Not sure how you would turn that off without chemicals, and not sure you should. Maybe catch naps in the sunshine in the afternoon when your brain doesn't associate dark with danger.

Starchild
03-27-2016, 07:34
Had this problem, got a more comfy sleeping pad (1 inch self inflate to 2.5 in inflatable), slept much better.

CamelMan
03-27-2016, 10:15
For home at least, maybe try a white noise generator or something like this: https://simplynoise.com/ (they have a rain track). Outdoors, maybe with headphones and played on a Sansa clip or something?

climbingbear
03-27-2016, 16:45
At home I always keep a fan running while I'm sleeping. It acts as a white noise generator. It blows air away from where I'm sleeping.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

nsherry61
03-27-2016, 17:00
I find that I generally need two or three nights outdoors before I start sleeping well. After that, I do quite well.

Mudsock
03-27-2016, 18:56
Older people have increasing sleep difficulties.

Vegan Packer
03-27-2016, 19:09
Strange but the only time I sleep well is if it is a nice rain.

I bring an MP3 player with me on the trail. One of the tracks on it is a 60 minute rainfall. I put that on loop, set the timer for a few hours, and that works. Maybe you can give that a try.

mortonjl
04-02-2016, 05:41
Try a hammock.

Malto
04-02-2016, 06:56
I have this problem and I have a very comfy pad and sleep system. Two things have helped, one I like one I don't. EXhaustion and Advil PM. This is the main reason that I am the anti-tipi. I am much more likely to push big miles at the end of the day vs. sleeping in the woods.

Carbo
04-02-2016, 10:01
White noise, crickets in the warm weather, rustling leaves in a light breeze, or a fan at home all help. While overnighting at the Mashipacong shelter I was worried about recent bear activity until a group of boy scouts arrived and camped about 50 yards away. Their laughing and chatter put me right to sleep... no bears to worry about that night!

Hangfire
04-02-2016, 17:19
I still dream about the incredible sleep I was getting out on the trail for about the last 3 months of my thru hike. Most nights I could get 9-10 hours of sleep with a single pee break mixed somewhere in the middle. I guess the continuous wear and tear of the trail will eventually catch up to even the most fickle sleepers which I consider myself to be right up near the top of the list. I'm always jealous of those people that can fall asleep at the drop of a hat though most of them also have tremendous snoring habits...

CamelMan
04-03-2016, 17:57
I'm looking forward to living with the natural daylight and night pattern, and the natural sleep that I get on trail after some adjustment. Just this thread makes me sleepy.

I wonder if people start experiencing that "bifurcated sleep pattern" which I don't think I ever really got to unless, yes, you count the pee breaks. But I didn't know about bifurcated sleep pattern until recently so I'll see if it develops this time. I do expect to finally get some rest on trail.