Getting to Sleep While Tenting - Any Suggestions?

[Driver8]

So, on limited experience, it's a trend: I have a helluva time getting to sleep while outing. Happened my one adventure last summer, on a perfect, soft, level site, and again this past weekend. Just could not get to sleep. Part of it is the excitement and enthusiasm of being out hiking, part the discomfort and unfamiliarity of not being in my own bed.

But, bottom line, both times, in about as good a conditions as you could ask for camping out, I had a helluva time getting to sleep. I finally caught 2-3 hours of winks this past Sunday AM, from like 4-6:30, similar to my experience last July. Both times, I had not had a big day of hiking beforehand - I'm sure being good and tired after a long hike would help. As I recall, night 2 of last July, after the very hard hike on Boott Spur, I did seem to sleep better.

A long hard hike doubtless will help, but does anyone have any other helpful suggestions? Eat a bunch of turkey late, maybe? Warm up some milk? I don't load up caffeine, so that's not the problem - I think it's mainly nervous energy and discomfort - my bed and mattress are pretty doggone nice at home. Thanks in advance for any helpful input.

[WIAPilot]

What type of pad are you using and do you miss having a pillow?

[wornoutboots]

I personally never sleep good on trail until the 4 or 5th day? If I really put in the miles, say 25 or more & really wear myself out I can sleep better.

[rocketsocks]

Wow,thats a tough one,there's always alcohol,but not the best idea,some take nyquill,that has worked for me,but then 2 hours later,boom like clock work I'm up,and ain't nothing putting me back to bed but the chirping mourning birds.I'll be watching this thread for the same reason you are,same problem.

[WIAPilot]

Maybe the outside noises are keeping you up. Do you wear earplugs?

[rocketsocks]

mine is from Tinitis,plugs don't help.

[SCRUB HIKER]

It took me two weeks of AT hiking before I stopped being too excited each night to go to sleep. I remember on other long backpacking trips I'd taken before that, it was at least 3 nights until I could sleep well. It takes my mind a little while to adjust to the idea that outside is home, no matter how long I've been looking forward to it. So my only suggestion is give it time, if possible.

[Driver8]

What type of pad are you using and do you miss having a pillow?

I do miss a pillow. Maybe will pack a small one in my big pack for the next trek. I fashioned one, last summer and this past weekend, out of extra clothes in the sleeping bag container bag. Not a great substitute.

Last summer, I hated the inflatable pad, much like a swimming pool raft, a friend loaned me. Slept on the side of it on the ground, propping a leg on it. This past weekend I had no pad and was bothered by a rock or two under me even though the ground was soft in the lowlands along the East Branch of the Pemi. I'm hesitant to add weight and bulk with a pad but may find I have to. As for the outside noises, I found the river soothing this weekend, and I finally fell to sleep as the birds were starting to chirp at the early AM light, so noise was not the problem.

[Driver8]

It took me two weeks of AT hiking before I stopped being too excited each night to go to sleep. I remember on other long backpacking trips I'd taken before that, it was at least 3 nights until I could sleep well. It takes my mind a little while to adjust to the idea that outside is home, no matter how long I've been looking forward to it. So my only suggestion is give it time, if possible.

Thanks, my experience is similar, I reckon, Scrub, though I intend to hike only two or three day trips this summer, maybe with longer trips later in the season. I'm thinking a big, long hike will go a long way toward solving this problem, with maybe warm milk and/or turkey or a beer or two on first nights backpacking after short hikes as ways to ease towards slumber.

[leaftye]

I had the same sleeping problems too. I also identified the same reasons for the sleeping difficulty.

1. Unfamiliar bed
2. Excitement


There was also:

3. Soreness
4. Scary sounds
5. Altered bedtime routine


Here's how I deal with them.

1) Over the course of a few nights the unfamiliar bed becomes familiar, but that still makes for a rough first few days. I found that scent does a lot to help me. At home when my face falls into my pillow, the smell triggers something that causes me to rapidly get drowsy. It must be particular because swapping out pillows makes falling asleep much more difficult. I use my stuff sack as a pillow. Over the course of several trips my scent gets into the pillow, and then on new trips it tends to work like my pillow at home.

2) See #5

3) Ibuprofen or fish oil helps with soreness or twitchiness. Even when those feel like small factors, I found that it doesn't take much to keep me awake.

4) Getting to camp early really helps, especially early in the trip or in drastically different places. It gives me a chance to see what's making noises so that they become familiar non-scary noises. I also store my food far enough away from camp that animals could try to get it all night and I won't know anything about it, so I never worry about getting up to defend my food or prevent a critter from chewing through my pack or tent. I've had a mouse chew through a food bag that was sitting against my head, and shooing it away several times during the night wasn't enough to stop it.

5) At home I read to fall asleep, or rather I read until I can't. Doing this on the trail really helps too. Usually I'm scanning the maps, town info and water report for the days ahead. Sometimes I have to break out a book. I also bring a light with extremely long battery life (and maybe a spare battery too) so that if I forget to turn it off, I don't need stress about the battery going dead.





I haven't found headphones or ear plugs to help except when I'm in noisy crowded campgrounds.

[moytoy]

The first night or two out I take a Tylenol PM, after a couple of nights it's not needed. If a coyote is howling to close I might also take one. It's probably not the best solution but if I don't get some sleep I can't hike. I have been known to stop in the middle of the day to take a nap.

[10-K]

What boots said - I have a hard time sleeping the first few nights then I can sleep. I still wake up several times a night and eventually I'll get up between 4:30 and 6:00 and am almost always hiking before daylight.

[Mrs Baggins]

I use either Advil PM or Benadryl - depends on how achy I am at the end of the day. I use ear plugs to block out the noises of the night, and my clothing bag is my pillow. I sleep on a Neo Air mat that is very comfy. I sleep fairly well in my tent, but if I'm in a shelter I need to be up against one side wall. If I'm one of the sardines in the middle I won't sleep at all.

[verasch]

I had the same problem, so I bought a hammock, thinking that would solve all my problems. While I think the hammock is far more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, I still was too anxious to get to sleep.

So i started to take regular naps in the hammock prior to the trip, so my body adjusts a little better when I'm out there. Since others are saying that by the fourth day or so they get used to being out, doing something like this might help you get a little head start.

I mean, you don't need a hammock; that isn't my point. You just may want to replicate the situation so your body knows its okay to sleep in a different location.

[hikerboy57]

first off,unless you're john muir, bring a pad. youre not helping yourself thinking the weight savings justify "slight discomfort", especially on a multi day hike or section hike. youll be glad you brought it on day 3 when your body is hurting the most(its not the 2nd day it aches so much as the third). it usually takes me a few nights to get used to the sounds of the night, earplugs are a must in shelters and huts, make sure you hydrate well in the pm and go to the bathroom before you snuggle in. your adrenaline from your daily work out also helps keep you awake longer, so setting up camp a little earlier to allow your body to cool down well befor bedtime helps too. I usuallly bring advil pm for both the aches and relaxing the first few nights. after that im fine.

[Monkeywrench]

You just need to spend more nights out in the woods. Once you get used to it and feel comfortable there, you'll sleep like a baby.

[stumpknocker]

Three different things seem to work for me.

I used to journal regularly, so when I stop hiking for the day (usually about dark) I'll spend about an hour journaling. I can hardly keep my eyes open near the end of that hour.

I stopped journaling when I started walking out west. On the CDT I found I walked until almost dark, then spent about an hour looking over maps to see what I had coming up the next day. I can hardly keep my eyes open after that hour.

I am a light sleeper, so if it's windy or raining hard I'll listen to The Dead on my cell phone. Hard to believe, but I'm usually sound asleep before the end of Scarlet Begonias.

I find I sleep way better in my tent than at home. I'm lucky to get 6 hours of sleep a night at home, but will get 8-9 hours of good sleep in the summer in my tent and sometimes up to 12 hours of good sleep in the winter in my tent.

You need your own routine....maybe one of these will help.

[WingedMonkey]

Maybe you need to analyze why you are afraid to be alone in the woods.

[cabbagehead]

I use silicone earplugs and a homemade blindfold.

[Slo-go'en]

First, you need a pad. Maybe not an air mattress type, but something. The Theramreast "Prolite" type are more commfy than just a Blue pad from Wallyworld, but doesn't have the bounce an air mattress like the Neo-air has.

I guess sleeping in the woods does take some getting used to. The only trouble I have is reseting my bio-clock. I tend to be a night owl, staying up to all hours at night. This can be a problem on a short one or two night trip. I have to lay there for hours before my normal sleep time comes around. Then have to get up well before I'd like to. The amazing thing is, even if I don't get a lot of sleep (or just think I didn't), just laying down for 10 hours is enough to replenish the body.