Sleeping on the trail?

imported
#1

I am starting to get more into backpacking and am throughly enjoying it. I have been out on probably a dozen or so overnight and weekend trips. My question is this, Does the sleeping out on the trail or in the open get better? My sleeping while out is still the only thing I can’t seem to master and get a good nights rest. I have a good sleeping bag, thermarest pad. I guess it’s similar to getting your trail legs, the longer you are out the more accustomed your body gets to sleeping outdoors or on the ground. I read some before bed, listen to music and have even thought of some kind of sleep aid (which I have never used even at home)Any tips anyone might have would be greatly appreciated.

Xman

#2

For me, the longer I’m out the more easily I’ll sleep. There are other factors as well. Altitude, temperature, mosquitos, shelter, other hikers, etc. There are places, like the Sierras, where I sleep soundly right from the start. Then there are places like the Long Trail where sleep never came easily. In general though, your body begins to get used to your surroundings.

It sounds like you’re doing a lot to stimulate your mind before going to bed - reading, music, etc. Does this work for you at home? I’ve found that these things just wind up my imagination, whereas journaling for a while begins to unload my thoughts of the day and create the barrier between wakefulness and sleep.

Tumblina

#3

Tumblina,
Thanks for the input, I never really thought about the reading or music actually keeping me awake. I do read some at home before bed and it never really seems to keep me awake. You might be right about the music though, I will try next time to go with out the music. I like the journal idea, but always kind of thought those were done by thru hikers and not weekenders. I might try that also. I have always slept in a tent or on the ground and have had others near by that kept me awake (horrible snoring). Ear plugs might help also. :lol Thanks again for your input. :cheers

Xman

#4

Xman, my problem is I stay on the computer (trailforums) until late at night. When I’m hiking I go to bed 4 hours earlier and therefore my body clock is off. I normally only sleep 6 to 7 hrs and on the trail that causes me trouble getting to sleep and then I wake up early and have to pee. Then I toss and tumble for a couple of hrs before sunrise. But by the end of a week or so, my clock changes and I’m able to go to sleep earlier and sleep a little longer. Also, in the beginning I take 2 benedryl an hr before I go to bed. ZZZZZ

Sweet Dreams!

Papa Smurf

#5

A couple of shots of whiskey might work! :cheers

No seriously, I’ve read that a lot of hikers like Papa Smurf use benedryl as a sleep-aid till the brain/body adjust. You might also want to try progressive relaxation. Starting from your toes up to your head.

I have problems sleeping at home, and this forces my head to stop “thinking” and focus on one (really boring) thing. I rarely make it up to my face, but the key is to slow down your breathing and go very slowly.

Michele

#6

You don’t have to thru-hike to keep a journal. I journal whether I’m on the trail or off - it helps me process my life and keep it in perspective. The process of writing allows me to step back from my own life and look at it objectively.

An added bonus on the trail is that I can use it to vent my frustrations if I’m having a bad day, without making hiking companions miserable.

To be fair, journaling doesn’t work for everyone. I’ve watched many people struggle with feeling that they aren’t ‘doing it right’ - are they supposed to have deep thoughts? record every gnarled root on the trail? I’ve found that there is no ‘right’ way. Sometimes a gnarled root captures your imagination. Sometimes you want to throttle the guy snoring next to you in the shelter! Just forget ‘rules’, put your pen to paper and write any old nonsense. Seems to work for me.

Tumblina

#7

Thanks everyone.
Papa, the Benedryl sounds like a good idea. I have used antihistimine before because of allergies however, it has usually been like Claritin or Allegra which are both suppose to be non drowsy. :rolleyes I might go back to the Benedryl. I like the whiskey idea too Michele. :lol Tumblina, I think I’ll start trying the journal just to see if it helps. I love reading everyone’s journals from the trail and your right, you don’t have to be a thru hiker to keep one. I don’t think I could keep on for everyday life though. My wife does a pretty good job of keeping things in prespective for me.LOL Hopefully one day I can keep one as a thru hiker and then post for others to read and draw information from. Thanks again to you all. :cheers

Xman

#8

Journaling doesn’t have to be on this forum Xman, get yourself a notepad and start writing. That way your thoughts are private.

JT Williams

#9

Walk real hard and long 'til you get real tired. Cook supper and go to bed. No tv, no computer, to newspaper no phone. Journal, Wingfoot or Yogi study, yes. You and the night sounds of the Trail . PSmurf, and all you enlarged prostate old geezers, get you a pee bottle; the best one, in my opinion is a “Little John” available at Campmor or your local truckstop. It takes some practice. "Am I dreaming that I am pissing in the tent ? Does this thing leak ? But once you have mastered rolling over and peeing in yer Little John, you never go outside the tent in the night rain bugs and snow, you just roll over and go back to sleep. Muleskinner

Muleskinner

#10

Just curious, Xman…ever tried sleeping in a hammock?

Mule

#11

:lol @ Williams, it does seem like everytime I ask a question it’s long enough to be in a journal.
Mule, I never have tried a hammock. I of course have set in them around peoples homes before but never out on the trail. Do you cover it with a tarp for rain if needed or use a net for the mosquito’s if needed? Where did you get your hammock Mule?

Xman

#12

My first night out, I toss and turn more than I sleep–possibly because at home I sleep in and stay up late. By the second night, my body’s rhythm seems to start adapting to Hiker Time. By the third night, I’m up with sun and in the bag with dark. Many of us call that Hiker Midnight.

The more consecutive nights you stay out, I’m thinking you’ll find it easier to sleep. Especially if you are doing good miles every day and not just set up in a basecamp situation.

Skyline

#13

Xman, check out a couple hammock websites: www.hennessyhammock.com and www.junglehammock.com. Have read lots of journals & forums and never heard of anyone complaining about trouble sleeping in their hammock. That’s what I plan to use when I eventually (not soon enough) start my hikes.

JohnM

#14

I sleep much better on the trail than in some babylonian sh*thole. Nothing stimulates sleep better than the beautiful vastness of space raging over me… or rain bouncing off my tarp. I still camp two nights a week in my normal life… plus I live in what basically is a four sided shelter deep in the northern Califonria woods the other five… I find the fresh air extremely pleasant for sleeping

aswah

aswah

#15

Thanks again to everyone for all the great input. There are some great ideas for me to try next time I’m out. My next outing is not until the week of July 4th.:mad
I’ll be headed to Colorado again. :cheers

Xman

#16

600mg ibuprofen, and reading helps me- and I have a 22" Thermarest pad.

1/4 of the way

#17

I’ve got a Hennessy hammock, I think it’s the “a-Sym” model. It comes with a sewn-in mosquito net, and a rainfly for rainy nights. I started out with a tent, and had the same problems as you not being able to sleep worth a darn. Once I got the hammock and got used to it, I slept much better.

Mule

#18

i know my excitement to be out on the trail just throws me so off that it just is dang near impossible to eat or sleep. It’s normal. Hammock may help ya with the comfort level, but in the end, the week long trips are just not enough to settle down into the experience…

one thing i do is to stop at water features where simple tunes of the woods lull me to sleep like a baby. this is where a tiny trickle sound of a small water fall or stream just off the beaten path can play many rewards. I also hammock, so i can stop anywhere and enjoy.

for ground cover…maybe take extra time hunting soft patches and collecting a lot of last fall’s leaves to pack into a make shift feather bed…the extra cushion may be all you need. also balling up extra clothes into a stuff sack into a make shift pillow may be just the ticket as well.

Burn

#19

THE answer…Ambien!

Eric G.

#20

Eric G.,
Do you have to have a prescrip for that? Or is it over the counter?

Xman