Too hot? Too cold? Too awake? Sleeping in the outdoors can be a tricky business! If you're having trouble catching Zzz's in the backcountry, read on for some useful tips to help you drift off to dreamland.

TOO COLD
Getting cold in the night is a familiar annoyance to campers and in certain cases it can be downright dangerous. If you are shakin’ the night away, try some of the solutions below.

• Make sure your sleeping bag is dry and has an adequate temperature rating for the conditions you are in. Remember, down sleeping bags are lighter than synthetic fill bags but they lose a good amount of insulating ability when wet. Women are generally colder sleepers and may want to invest in a women’s specific bag, which is tapered to fit her body and usually includes a bit more insulation in the foot box.
• Use a sleeping pad! The way your body stays warm is by trapping warm air in the loft (or filling) of the sleeping bag. When you sleep on the ground, the cold earth sucks away that warmth and can make for very uncomfortable conditions. Closed cell foam pads are a good solution, but an even better option is an inflatable sleeping pad, such as those made by Thermarest. These keep you off the ground and the insulated air-filled chambers provide additional warmth.
• The human body loses most of its heat through the head and, less conspicuously, the neck. Wearing a winter cap and neck gaiter will increase your overall warmth, as your body will not have to constantly replace lost heat from the head/neck region.
• If your feet are chilly, fill a 32-oz. leak-proof water bottle (i.e. a Nalgene bottle) with hot water and put it in the foot of your sleeping bag. Not only will this be heavenly for your froze toes, it also keeps your water from freezing in the night.
• Don’t over-layer in your bag! A warm, dry layer of wicking long underwear is your best bet as the fabric is insulating enough to keep your skin warm but thin enough to let heat escape your body where it will be trapped in the loft of the sleeping bag and thus keep you warm!
• As always, make sure you are not dehydrated. Hot drinks and high-calorie snacks are a good option for pre-bedtime nutrition, for example a cup of caffeine free hot chocolate and a Snickers bar.

TOO HOT
Is it hot in here or is it you? Often it IS you. The main problem with hot sleepers is that they can heat up so much they become sweat soaked and then run a risk of hypothermia once they exit their bags (or the bags get too wet on the inside.) The simplest solution is to get a sleeping bag with a higher temperature rating. My 20 degree F sleeping bag has kept me warm at temperatures close to 0 degrees but keep in mind I am a very hot sleeper! Make sure to use a sleeping pad at all times; though rolling off it might cool you for the moment, it’s very easy to go from hot to cold while you sleep on uninsulated ground. If you are so inclined, sleep in the buff! Sleeping nude (or nearly nude) is a good way to ensure you don’t overheat from stuffy layers. Finally, make sure your tent is well ventilated and has decent air circulation. And it goes without saying, do your best not to get Poped.

One last thought on hot sleepers. If you crawl out your bag in the night because you are too hot, then wake up in the middle of the night because you are too cold, make sure to drink fluids before crawling back in your bag to rewarm yourself. Your body has worked hard while you were half out of the bag to keep you warm and woke you up as a last resort. At this point you are probably partially dehydrated and it will be a lot easier to warm up when properly hydrated. An energy/candy bar will help as well.

TOO AWAKE
Insomnia is another common problem. Some people in unfamiliar sleeping settings become edgy and will be awakened by the slightest noise. Sounds are amplified on a still night in the woods, making a chipmunk scurrying over dry leaves sound like a hell-bent Tyrannosaurus scavenging for fresh meat. Take all precautions to eliminate as much sleep-stress as you can. Make sure your camp area is clean and all your food is bear-proofed at least 250 ft. away from your sleeping area. Nocturnal critters will be curious if they smell Cheez-Itz crumbs coming from your tent. Keep a headlamp/flashlight nearby in case there actually IS something to worry about outside. Eliminating the main causes of animal intrusion will ease the mind and put you in a more relaxed state to sleep.

The use of over the counter sleep aids (such as Sominex) is acceptable, though the side effects may make you groggy the next day. Try them at home before experimenting with them in the backcountry. While most people would rather fall asleep naturally, a loudly snoring sleeping companion or aggressively windy night could warrant the use of sleep aids.

SLEEPING AT ALTITUDE
At altitude, your body has to figure out how to deal with the decreased amount of oxygen in the air. As a result, both respiration and metabolism increase. This can make it hard to get into a steady sleeping rhythm. Your doctor can provide prescription medicine to aid with acclimazation, such as Diamox. It is advised to avoid sleep aids, as altitude related sicknesses (as unpleasant as they may be) are something you will want to consciously treat. Because of increased metabolism, you may want to sleep near the tent door, as the body will create urine at a faster rate, making for more frequent pee-pee trips under the stars. Altitude related issues much too broad to be covered in this article, but the above mentioned information will help clue you in as to why altitude-induced insomnia occurs.  

Sleeping in the outdoors is an art and with enough experience you will find out what works best for you. Because we are all individuals we all have different nuances to deal with in our sleeping style, though I feel I may be the only person who has the Pope-Denny’s-inspired sleeping situation.

Last Updated: Feb 24th, 2006 - 14:18:11
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