I want to help you get a good nights sleep on your next camping trip.
A very successful camping trip can soon turn into a scary one as soon as you slide into your sleeping bag and get terrified of the nighttime horrors that Mother Nature offers.
But there is a way to avoid all of this, and that’s what I will be talking about in this article, I’m going to explain how to sleep well while camping.
I want you to sleep soundly so you can have a big sleep, all night along, and avoid the possibilities of a jump scare in the middle of the night!
The secret to falling asleep soundly and staying asleep is by being relaxed as possible and being prepared for the entire night, that’s it, but more on that below 🙂
Comfort Is #1 Priority
First and foremost, you need to realize that it will be much harder to get to sleep if you’re lying on the bare floor of your tent, or if your sleeping pad is as hard as a rock.
Even your sleeping bag needs to be up to par, and that’s why you should not overlook the quality of your equipment.
Be sure to do more research on a piece of equipment before you purchase it, and if people are saying it’s comfortable, then it most likely is.
Things you need:
- A comfortable sleeping bag (car camping bag for the traditional camping trip, or a mummy-shaped sleeping bag for backpacking, since they are lighter)
- A comfortable sleeping pad
- A comfortable pillow
- A flat area to sleep on, so make sure you pitch your tent on a leveled surface and not a hill, where your feet may be elevated higher than your head, causing you to be uncomfortable!
Wear Yourself Out During The Day
If you do a lot of activities throughout the day, you are going to be way too tired to care about the nighttime noises.
That’s what you should be doing anyway.
You are camping, meaning you need to PUT THE PHONE DOWN and take in the freshness of the outside world by EXPLORING.
Explore with your friends and family, play games that you wouldn’t usually play.
You will then slide into your sleeping bag at the end of the night and sleep like a baby as soon as your head hits the pillow.
Trust me!
Note: Don’t be afraid of the noises coming from outside your tent. They are only small critters that are stepping on twigs and breaking them.
And remember, SMALL CRITTERS can sound large at night, so just relax and take deep breaths to get that heart rate back down!
Pitch Near A Stream
If you pitch your tent near a stream or river, the white noise that it provides can really relax your body, causing you to sleep much faster while you forget about all the scary stuff!
Use Earplugs
If the above method still doesn’t work, your paranoia might be way too high for you to even care about sleeping.
I would recommend a pair of earplugs to put inside your ear, ultimately blanking out the noises coming from outside.
If you still can’t get to sleep, then consider using earphones and listening to some soothing music.
Don’t Overdress Thinking You’ll Keep Warm
A huge misconception: People think dressing up in a bulky jacket and pants is going to keep them toasting warm for the night.
No no no! Your sleeping bag is designed to trap the heat and keep it applied to your skin.
When you are wearing tight-layered clothes, you are stopping the heat from getting to your body.
Instead, you can place the jacket over top of your sleeping bag for that extra insulation that you want.
Having trouble keeping warm during the night? See my top tips for staying extremely warm inside your sleeping bag, all night too!
Bonus Tips To Get You Prepared For Nighttime Surprises
- Keep a light near you at all times, you never know if you’ll need to get up for a midnight pit stop
- Place some camp shoes on the inside of your tent, but near the door, just in case you need to pee in the middle of the night
- Keep a bottle of water near you too, it saves you having to get out of your toasting sleeping bag at 2 AM just because you have the dry horrors
- Follow your normal, pre-bed routines – brushing your teeth, peeing, wearing pyjamas, even saying goodnight to everyone. It gives you a feel of ‘normalcy’ and helps you get some shuteye
- Make sure you have a footprint cover too. If you get a rainstorm that passes through the night, you can avoid a puddle from forming under your sleeping area simply by using a tarp (Remember to fold all excess material under your tent to stop rain from pooling under you)
- Stay as clean as possible before you crawl into bed. Wash yourself down with a jug of water and a sponge, because you will sleep much better when you’re not sticking to yourself
My Final Thoughts
These tips will work like a charm if you’re struggling to get some all-important shuteye.
Your main focus should be on “chilling out” while you’re in the great outdoors.
And that doesn’t just include when you are trying to get to sleep either.
Being relaxed before the camping trip and during the trip (as you’re exploring and having fun with friends and family) will make getting to sleep so much easier.
Stressing out over little things, complaining to your family, and all that jazz, will only make it incredibly harder for you to get to sleep at the end of the night.
And that’s why you should not let the negative things get to you, especially if they’re only small.
Instead, make an emphasis on having fun, enjoying yourself, and staying positive.
If you do that my good friend, I have no doubts you will have a great camping trip, while you will hit that pillow and fall asleep in a matter of seconds!
I hope I helped you discover the easiest ways to help you get to sleep while you’re out camping in the wilderness.
And if you did, please leave a comment below, I’d love to hear from you 🙂