Camping and any outdoor activity are supposed to breathe new life into us as we engulf ourselves in the soothing beauty and power of nature. But how can you get a good nights sleep when camping?If you aren’t sure how to have sufficient rest while you’re out for adventure, you’ve landed in the right place. We are sharing some tips on having a good nights sleep while camping!
But before that, do you have the right sleeping gear? Let’s first look at what an ideal camping sleep system setup should look like for getting the best sleep quality possible.
The Ideal Set Of Sleeping Gear
As much as possible, you should aim to have complete sleeping gear inside your tent before your next camping trip to have a well-rested body for the next day.
Here’s a sample checklist of an outdoor sleeping setup in case you’re looking to fill out what’s still not on your backpack:
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Pillow
- Eye mask
- Earplugs
Take note that you can skip the other items on the list in case you have specific preferences when sleeping (e.g., you don’t want to wear eye masks or earplugs).
If you’re all good with your setup, it’s time to learn how to get the best sleep possible while camping!
How to get a good nights sleep when camping?
Considering you have packed right for your trip, the first step toward a blissful sleep is choosing the right place to set up camp, and it isn’t as hard as you think! You only need to find an area on a flat, stable surface cleared of any debris like rocks and sticks.
Before you go to sleep, keep all food and scented toiletries securely outside the tent while abiding by the food storage rules of the park. If camping in a park or trail where bears are active, we advise you to change to your comfortable sleepwear since your clothes may have absorbed food odors. And most importantly, avoid littering and keep all your trash in one place.
Some campers, particularly women, recommend going to the restroom 20–30 minutes before bedtime and again before jumping into their sleeping bags. Following this can help prevent midnight trips and contribute to uninterrupted sleep.
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Get Comfortable And Follow Your Usual Sleeping Routine
Your clothes may already be dirty or sweaty, aside from the food odours that we mentioned, by the time you are about to sleep. For your camping sleepwear, you will never go wrong with a clean, long pair of underwear, top and bottoms, and clean socks. Avoid overdressing; put drape items like your jacket over your sleeping bag to improve insulation.
Aside from a comfortable sleeping attire, we suggest you follow your nightly habit before dozing off since routines trigger a feeling of normalcy despite being in unfamiliar surroundings. So if it is your practice to read your favorite book before calling it a night, then do the same in camp!
Remember when we listed earplugs on items to include in your camping backpack? It is in case you ever feel anxious about every little sound you hear outside your tent. Small critters can sound large at night, so try to relax or put on those earplugs. But if you’re lucky enough, the white noise of a rushing stream nearby can help lull you to sleep.
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Keep These Things Within A Distance For Some Situations
In our homes, there are times that we wake up in the middle of the night for some reason. Unfortunately, this can happen even in camp. Let’s look at the situations that typically occur outdoors.
Some nights, we wake up feeling dry and thirsty. And we all know the quick fix for this — water. To quench the thirst and go back to sleep quickly, keep your water bottle or tumbler within reach of your sleeping bag.
However, there are nights that you may wake up because of a bathroom emergency, loud sound, or anything that requires you to get up and check them out. For these circumstances, you should have a light source (e.g., flashlight & headlamp) nearby, ideally beside your water bottle. Your footwear should also be ready on your tent door if you need to go outside in the middle of the night.
Summary
We know, we know. These bits of information might be too much for you on a single reading, so we put the highlights in this section, and you can go back up if you want to read anything in detail. When packing for camping, make it a point to bring a complete outdoor sleeping setup or at least what you think will help you sleep soundly.
Here are the tips that we listed above in general:
- Find a durable and neat place to set up camp.
- Avoid littering, and securely store your food and scented toiletries outside the tent.
- Go to the restroom at least two times before you sleep. (Or, as needed.)
- Change to clean, comfortable sleepwear and avoid overdressing.
- Follow your usual sleeping routine.
- Keep these things handy in case you need them in the middle of the night:
- Drinking water bottle
- A functioning flashlight or headlamp
- Shoes or sandals
Getting enough rest during a backpacking trip is one of the keys to enjoying nature to the fullest. So be sure to sleep well and come back home in one piece!
