Does sleeping in a tent/shelter on a mat ever get comfortable?

[Tie-dye]

Just finished hiking and camping along the Potomac and the whole night I was constantly waking up to rotate one part of my body that had fallen asleep. The same thing happens in shelters too; I am having very restless sleep wherever I stay.
I would like to experience a hike for more than two nights but, I just worry about never getting any sleep.
Does sleeping on hard surfaces (including mat) ever get easier?

[Tie-dye]

I use the blue closed-cell-foam thermarest and before that an old and heavy blow up mat. Would investing in one of those self inflating thermarests be helpful -- I am just skeptical that it would help given my already horrible sleep records.

[Tie-dye]

EDIT: that it wouldn't help my already horrible sleep records

[TIDE-HSV]

When I was younger, almost anything would do. As I've aged and developed more arthritic problems, I've had to change strategies. I presently use a Big Agnes foam/air mattress, and it allows sleeping on my side, when inflated properly. Without the BA, or something similar, I think I would be out of backpacking...

[snaplok]

I use a Thermarest Prolite 4 and sleep well but for added measure I carry a few Tylenol PM along with regular Tylenol with me just in case. Makes sleeping easier.

[TIDE-HSV]

I agree. Drugs help. Brandy also... :)

[Tie-dye]

Like you I always sleep on my side. What about trying out a camping hammock?

[Father Dragon]

I use the blue closed-cell-foam thermarest and before that an old and heavy blow up mat. Would investing in one of those self inflating thermarests be helpful -- I am just skeptical that it would help given my already horrible sleep records.

If you are not overly concerned about weight you could try a duel pad set up. I use a Z-lite with a self inflating pad in the winter and have found that it is very comfortable ... in fact I've been sleeping on it for the past few nights at home.

On the other hand your restlessness at night may have more to do with simply getting used to sleeping outdoors. I've noticed for myself that not being fully accustomed to something usually makes that which is mildly uncomfortable more so.

A little nip of hard drink or a night time pain reliever helps too.

[Tie-dye]

On the other hand your restlessness at night may have more to do with simply getting used to sleeping outdoors. I've noticed for myself that not being fully accustomed to something usually makes that which is mildly uncomfortable more so.

Ah good point.

[Bucherm]

I've always found that a super long hike is the best sedative, regardless of the comfort of the mat. When I started to get back into hiking I was pretty heavy and that made it more uncomfortable, but as I've lost weight it has gotten more comfortable. I also take IBprofen PM before I hit the pit, but my body is normally stiff and achy at that point anyway.

I haven't used a Hammock as a replacement, but I bet someone will come along and extoll the vitures of it.

[fiddlehead]

Many thru-hikers continue to sleep on the floor after completing their hike.
It's something you get used to and often prefer.

Maybe just camping more and more will get you over that uncomfortable feeling.
Like I have said before on this forum, my 75 year old mother in law always sleeps on the hard floor (tile) here in Thailand. We give her a mattress but she never uses it.

[QuebecRun]

I vote hammock. Tried one in 2007 and haven't been in a tent since. Too comfortable.

[Tin Man]

Since I switched to a hammock last year, I have been sleeping much much better... even thinking about hanging it in my bedroom at home. :)

[Daydream Believer]

I second the Big Agnes mattress. I love mine and I'm a side sleeper. I find it the most comfy camping mattress I've ever used...and quite warm also. Mine is insulated.

At bedtime after a long hike, I take some Advil. It really helps knock out the aches a bit so you can fall asleep. Another strategy I have is Melatonin which I take right at bedtime if needed.

[hellomolly]

I sleep on my side on the Thermarest NeoAir and find it to be... adequate. Not plush but not terrible either. Then again, in a pinch I can usually do the same on a Zlite.... but that's just plain uncomfortable. Plus once the Zlite's worn out, it's pretty much useless. Only moderately comfortable when completely fresh and new, unlike the NeoAir.

[hellomolly]

Oh, also, I second the melatonin. As long as you don't take it regularly, it will usually do a good job of knocking you out and keeping you asleep. Once you start taking it every day, though, it seems a lot of people develop a tolerance.

[chiefiepoo]

I use a therma rest 3/4 length self inflator. But before setting up the tent I take a few swipes with my boot sole to scribe out a few depressions in the soil that allow my hips and shoulders to rest in a shallow pocket in the surface. No major excavations, just enough to spread out the point of contact with those bony outcrops. OTC meds help too and avoidance of caffiene.

[bulldog49]

I use a Thermarest Prolite 4 and sleep well but for added measure I carry a few Tylenol PM along with regular Tylenol with me just in case. Makes sleeping easier.

Ditto. I use the same pad and take Ibuprofin before sleeping. I sleep comfortably, if only I did not have to get up to answer nature's call so often.

[sbhikes]

I believe you get used to it. After both my 3 month section hikes, where I slept on a Z-rest without a pillow, I had a hard time getting used to a bed and pillow when I came home. It's a great feeling to know you don't need a lot of stuff just to get some sleep.

[Panzer1]

I usually take a small aspirin before going to sleep. It helps dull the aches and pains you get from hiking all day and allows you to fall asleep faster.

Panzer

[Many Walks]

Recommend you head to an outfitter that has samples blown up and lay on them on their floor. It sounds like you may be a good candidate for a Neoair.

[Ladytrekker]

No but it can be improved. I use a neoair it is my luxury item and it has changed my sleeping life. You can blow it up then let air out to contour the mattress to your body is does crinkle but I sleep better on it than anything I have found.

[unclemjm]

For me it's the hammock option nearly every time. If I am hiking where the possibility of hanging is limited, I'll bring my Exped DAM 9 DLX (http://www.rei.com/product/780366)for the most comfortable sleep possible. It's bulky and heavy, but worth the good night's sleep. It also works well for bottom insulation in the hammock.

That combined with a long tiring day of hiking and either Ibuprofen or booze does wonders for my sleeping.

[Blissful]

Self inflating is the way to go. I am using the Big Agnes air core one, but just ordered the Thermarest neoair.

If I am really sore, Aleve overnight helps.

[Cool AT Breeze]

The BA and Neoair are not self inflating. They take about three minutes to blow up.

[Bearpaw]

A couple of decades ago, I could get a decent night's sleep using body armor for a ground pad and my helmet for a pillow.

Nowadays, not so much.

I found a self-inflator on top of a 3/4 foam pad tolerable on a hard wooden surface. A basic pad of any kind is OK on the ground. But I mostly avoid either approach now that I hammock. It's at least as comfortable as my bed at home (and even moreso during hot weather when I roast in a bed).

[SGT Rock]

I use a hammock.

[slugger]

My first few hikes I didn't use any pad and slept okay. After getting my Big Agnes insulated air core I sleep better then I do in my bed at home, granted my bed at home has a broken box spring....

Tried a hammock for a few minutes once, I almost fell asleep during the demo....

[Manwich]

I have extremely bad bursitis in one of my arms from sleeping on my side.

Hammock was the cure.

[SmokeHouse]

Ditto on the hammock. I'm a side sleeper and no problems.

[Kerosene]

If you're in a tent, tarp or lean-to, then I'd recommend the NeoAir short pad with your pack under your feet.

I loved sleeping in my Hennessey hammock, but I haven't been able to reconcile the weight penalty when the temp dips below 60F. I can sleep on my side or on my back, and the lack of any pressure point keeps me from having to turn over all the time.

I rarely sleep very well the first few nights out. Earplugs and a lot of miles help.

[Jonnycat]

An air mattress is your friend.

<--- uses one of teh insulated 2.5" thick jobs, like this one (http://pacoutdoor.com/sleeping-pads/view/ether-thermo-6)

[garlic08]

As you can see, there are many good options out there. One I haven't seen listed yet is looking for a natural soft bed. On much of the AT, it's pretty easy to find deep leaf duff to tent on, and a bed like that, a foam mattress just gets in the way. In many sites, I had to dig pits down to the dirt so my tent stakes would hold.

Air mattresses and hammocks are nice, but in cold weather you need to have some kind of insulation below you. The ground tends to be warmer.

Sleeping on plank floors in shelters is one of the worst conditions I can imagine, just one small step above sleeping on concrete. They're cold in winter, too, with cold air circulating below the planks, normally.

[Bags4266]

You can buy a cheap hammock, Grand Trunk Ultralight, their $20 bucks take it out for a spin see if you like it. But going to a hammock requires many extras! Ex: Under quilts or pads, over quilts, Tarps, suspension designes, bugnets. Everyone has their own style on what works for them and their enviroment so there's alot of studing up to do.

[snaplok]

As you can see, there are many good options out there. One I haven't seen listed yet is looking for a natural soft bed. On much of the AT, it's pretty easy to find deep leaf duff to tent on, and a bed like that, a foam mattress just gets in the way. In many sites, I had to dig pits down to the dirt so my tent stakes would hold.

Air mattresses and hammocks are nice, but in cold weather you need to have some kind of insulation below you. The ground tends to be warmer.

Sleeping on plank floors in shelters is one of the worst conditions I can imagine, just one small step above sleeping on concrete. They're cold in winter, too, with cold air circulating below the planks, normally.

As a scout, I got use to sleeping in lean-tos and yeah the planks are murder, even for a youngster. We use to lay our clothes underneath our sleeping bags for padding. When I switched to a tent I use to roll up a sheet of foam rubber from an old twin fold out bed; it was better but heavy. Years later I still miss the foam but then again I was carrying half my body weight in gear. A hard way to learn that "Be Prepared" doesn't also mean be in pain.

[TIDE-HSV]

I have extremely bad bursitis in one of my arms from sleeping on my side.

Hammock was the cure.

Sleeping on your side does not cause bursitis. Who told you that?

[Tipi Walter]

I believe you get used to it. After both my 3 month section hikes, where I slept on a Z-rest without a pillow, I had a hard time getting used to a bed and pillow when I came home. It's a great feeling to know you don't need a lot of stuff just to get some sleep.

I agree with this point. You may want to throw your favorite pad down on your bedroom floor and completely dispense with the bed for several months. It takes some time to really get used to living and sleeping on a small backpacking pad.

Another point: Most of the pads Thermarest makes are available in large at 25 inches wide. This helps to keep your elbows and knees on the pad. Comfort is subjective, and there is nothing wrong with carrying a 2 inch inflatable pad at 77x25x2 inches. There's nothing quite like sleeping on a 2 inch Thermarest Base Camp in the winter. In the summer I use either the Prolite 4/Prolite Plus or the Trail Pro. Perfect summer pads.

[FritztheCat]

I started with a foam pad (thermarest I think) and found it was uncomfortable. Probably would have been fine in my younger days. I bought a Big Agnes inflatable pad and have had wonderful sleep. Initially, I was blowing the pad up too much and it was like sleeping on a rock (surprising how hard air is). Eventually I found just the right amount of air and now have no problems.

Becoming accustomed to sleeping outside may also be a factor.

My first night anywhere away from my normal bed is usually restless simply because it isn't my normal spot. After the first night, things settle and I can sleep.

[TIDE-HSV]

I started with a foam pad (thermarest I think) and found it was uncomfortable. Probably would have been fine in my younger days. I bought a Big Agnes inflatable pad and have had wonderful sleep. Initially, I was blowing the pad up too much and it was like sleeping on a rock (surprising how hard air is). Eventually I found just the right amount of air and now have no problems.

Becoming accustomed to sleeping outside may also be a factor.

My first night anywhere away from my normal bed is usually restless simply because it isn't my normal spot. After the first night, things settle and I can sleep.

I always over-inflate my BA just a bit, then bleed a bit of air, if necessary. In cooler weather, it tends to get a bit softer as my breath inside it cools down...

[remington79]

I have alsways gotten a good nights sleep on my Thermarest. the only other time I have gotten better sleep is when I sleep on a waterbed. After going with my Thermarest I could never sleep on a foam pad again.
I always over inflate my pad by just a hair. I'm not sure what model (dark green no slip top and dark brown nylon bottom) I have or what the R value is. I bought mine back in the early to mid 90s before they included R values. I use it year round with no problems and haven't even had to use a foam pad under it in the winter.
If you find a good that works for you, you should be able to get a good nights rest.

[Old Grouse]

When I was young I could sleep on a rock as long as I took off my boots. Now I'm a confirmed hammock snorer.

[weary]

I thought I would never be able to sleep comfortably on a thin pad. But then we bought a stiff mattress for use at home, and after a few weeks of getting use to the mattress, I haven't had a problem since.

Though I don't backpack much any more, my life revolved around sleeping in the woods and hills for many decades. I practiced nightly, using minimum possible bed covers to lighten my sleeping bag needs, and using only a minimal pillow. My wife was never an avid backpacker, but she went along without major complaints. We're still together after 48 years, anyway.

Weary

[BigFoot2002]

I've found that if I'm tired enough, I can, literally, sleep on a rock.

But on a good day, I really prefer my hammock.

[Marta]

I can fall asleep on just about any surface, if I'm tired enough. On a thin mat on a wooden floor, however, I will wake up quite a few times during the night, with something aching. A Therm-A-Rest on top of a CCF pad makes for considerably better sleep. A 2 1/2" Big Agnes is at least as comfortable as sleeping in my bed at home.

[Czechtrecker]

I'm also a side sleeper and suggest the Thermorest NeoAir. Besides comfort it is also light weight (I believe 9 oz) and packs small. The only down side I can think of is it takes a few minutes to inflate.

[TIDE-HSV]

It's obvious that sleeping habits are as widely spread on the trail as at home, where people swear by many different mattress makes and models. However, here, and in other forums where the question has come up, the NeoAir, Big Agnes and hammocks seem to lead...

[Tin Man]

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]It's obvious that sleeping habits are as widely spread on the trail as at home, where people swear by many different mattress makes and models. However, here, and in other forums where the question has come up, the NeoAir, Big Agnes and hammocks seem to lead...

thats cuz the neoair and big agnes fans never tried a hammock :banana

[TIDE-HSV]

thats cuz the neoair and big agnes fans never tried a hammock :banana

How is stomach-sleeping in a hammock?