Cannabis sir.
Cannabis sir.
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned pillows. I tried a bunch of blowup hiking pillows and none worked. Turned out all I needed was a decent pillowcase to put over my clothing stuff sack, which I discovered at the outfitter in Franklin. Thermorest makes it. After that, I never had any more trouble falling to sleep than I do at home. It would be easy to make one.
Also, benedril helps.
All day to get up
all night to get down
nick knack paddy whack
give yur dogs a break
time to git up again
oh for pete’s sake
Time to make the doughnuts!
It takes me two or three days, and then I sleep like a log, but the first day or so, there are worries about the next day, the weather etc that keep me up.
Deep breathing is a practice that I have used at home that translated well into camping. I've talked to people who have taken the dive with some green herbals but I have not done it personally.
I actually have more problems sleeping at home than I do while hiking. I use a hammock on the trail and I know several people have hung hammocks inside their homes, but my home doesn't quite incorporate a hammock as part of its decor, I gues is the best way to put it.
Blackheart
I primarily use a hammock. Doesn't get me anymore sleep, but it's much more comfortable to lay awake in a hammock then on a sleep pad. well, as long as it's not freezing cold out...
You can walk in another person's shoes, but only with your feet
Melatonin, ibuprophen, ear plugs. If ya gotta pee, don't put it off. If yer cold/hot, take care of it now. If the air mat isn't comfortable, let some air out.
The Five Basic Principles of Going Lighter ~ Cam "Swami" Honan of OZ
What Uriah said.
All this helps me: quitting coffee on trail, I might drink some matcha though in the a.m's, consuming all stimulant supplements before 5 p.m. ie; ginseng complex, ginkgo, B vitamins- B2, B12, acetyl-L-carnitine, maca, huperzine-A, vinpocetine, alpha lipoic acid, ...), chocolate, high amounts of omega 3 fats containing foods, although I switch it up as a night hiker, chamomile tea, light reading, ditching electronics after 7 p.m., belly breathing,...
I try to start hiking early before sunrise and going until after dark...like a chugging along at a moderate pace but enduring diesel locomotive. I like rest stops to get my mind off moving though focusing deeply on Nature at these times. This gets me tired for sleep. When I stop hiking I'm in my bag within 20 mins and asleep within an hr after a warm meal. If I'm not tired enough to sleep I keep hiking until I'm ready for it. Hiking for 20 hrs straight is not out of the question. Stealth camping solo helps cut down on sleep distractions. A small warming solo campfire helps me sleep.
One thing I wouldn’t do while hiking is take ambein...that stuff made me groggy and my gate was that of a potato head. If I really can’t sleep I design my dream home in my head, the more detail the better. I got houses all around the world, I just finished a one room log cabin over looking the White House.
I am similar to you only I design various custom cars. I did read a story about an American POW during the Vietnam war who designed his dream house while being held. By the time he was released he knew exactly how many board feet of lumber he needed in each sized, how many sheets of dry wall and even how many nails. Since he had no other family, he had a rather large sum of pay awaiting him upon his release. He found the perfect lot and bought all the supplies just as he remembered and built it with a little help from friends.
Blackheart
My understanding of this technique is that it works because you are focusing on a linear thought wth a start and finish. Insomnia is often described as feeling spun, one or more thoughts coming to mind over and over without resolution. It is an excellent technique for calming your mind.
You can walk in another person's shoes, but only with your feet