Going on a hiking trip can become very exciting yet overwhelming. At the end of the day, everybody just looks forward towards having a good night sleep in their camps. But many people like me feel very insomniac if we try to sleep in a new place.
The best which can be done is to improve the overall ambiance of my tent to get well rested because nobody will like to look or feel tired on the coming day of the trip. I have some tips for all those who would do anything to save their precious camping trip experience from restlessness.
Keep reading to get some really cool ways to make your tent more comfortable for sleeping:
1. Purchase a Suitable Sleeping Bag
It does not have to be the most expensive one. But take several considerations in mind before you decide which one you are going to take. Selection of the sleeping bag depends on many factors like the landform, weather conditions, size, and expected duration of the camping trip.
If it is a summer camp for one night in a dry place, you can buy any basic bag according to your body size and simple square style.
But if it is somewhere over the snowy mountains then you have to check the temperature thresholds too. And the mummy style will suit you because it will block the cold from coming in.
Temperature thresholds which are written on the package can be different from to actual thresholds so keep up to 50-80°F error margin while making the purchase.
It is vital to make the right choice if you love your sleep and care about it.
2. Search the best patch of land and set up your tent there
If you are not going without a trip advisor or guide, this can be a million dollar question to find just the right place. Not too over secured and shaded that it starts looking like your home and not too risky either, you are not a nature super-hero.
Find a place which is leveled enough to allow the tent to hold grip and stay put. You won’t want your tent to slip and turn into a boat or a roller coaster. If you fail to find such evened out place, then you have to do it manually.
Wipe aside all the rocks and pebbles before placing the tent so that your back does not get hurt or wounded with them. In my experience, the grassy areas hold the perfect grip.
Avoid a place which is too much under the trees because plants produce carbon-dioxide at night which can be harmful to sleep in.
And the last thing is, see if the place is near the restroom facilities so that you can go there any time of the night without any danger. In fact, pee before sleeping because pee is the enemy of good sleep.
3. Arrange a comfortable tent bed
Accelerate your sleep by cushioning yourself a little. A travel pillow, sleeping pad, and futon can increase the comfort of your sleeping bag. Sleep in such a posture that your head lies a little higher than your body so that the blood circulation remains good while you sleep.
Select the sleeping bag of your choice out of the air, egg crate mattress, closed-cell foam, and auto-inflating ones. Some are more light-weighted and portable and compact, and others are heavier and larger.
Do not forget to try and test it before taking it to the camping site. Tuck the futon under your sleeping bag and lie over it for a happier sleep. Bringing a tarp to the trip will also help in rainy weather or fog to keep you dry while you sleep.
4. Scare away the insects and moths
Ensure there is no way in for these little monsters to come inside the tent while you are dreaming. There are plenty of economical insect repellent lotions and protection sprays that you can buy.
Just make sure the fumes and smell aren’t pungent and stingy to your nose or else these can go bad. Keeping a battery-powered mosquito-killing racket or bug zapper can help you to clear your tent before getting into the bed.
Don’t spill or drop any eatables to avoid inviting them to a night party. And you will be good to go to sleep.
5. Cut out the noise
I know the struggle of sleeping in a camp around by noisy baby sisters and it ended up feeling so annoyed. So I tried to cancel out the noise by wearing noise-canceling headphones and playing some relaxing music to calm down my nerves.
Even if you go without any kids, nature is not that noiseless as they show in the Disney movies. Nature is noisier than that.
But if you are not that much of a fan of music, bring earplugs to tuck them in before sleeping. And if you think they are falling out over and over, you can keep warming ear muffs. You can find them easily on Amazon. But make there they aren’t to hurt your earlobe while you sleep.
If you are able to afford the white noise machine, go for them. You won’t have to wear it yet it can do the job for you. There are even some mobile applications for this purpose too however their performance can be shaky.
Cutting out the noise can help you in getting a deep sleep and your body won’t alert you when an unnecessary sound is made.
6. Darken The Tent Or Use Props To Block Light
Sometimes, in summers when we try to sleep in a camp under the moon, the moonlight can fall directly over the eyes to interrupt sleep. The light can also become annoying when the sunlight starts pouring around 7 AM in the morning and you went to sleep only 2 hours back.
The best way is to place your tent in a way that its opening faces away from the direction of the natural light. If it isn’t feasible to do that then you can use the eye-mask to wear. However, keep a torch under your pillow in case you need to go out to pee in the night.
Low lights signal the mind that it is time to sleep and relaxes the body so that you can sleep well.
7. Stay Clean And Dry!
Although it is so much fun to have a little chat with each other in bed, while you munch on your chips, but it might sting and disturb you while sleeping. Try to eat and everything outside the tent and avoid throwing or keeping any trash in the tent.
Keeping the tent clean and dry is very important if you are going to stay in it for a few days. A damp or untidy tent can irk you and you won’t be able to relax and sleep.
Especially, if you are surviving in temperature lower than 32 degrees Fahrenheit, even slightest of moisture in the camp can destroy your sleeping temperature.
If these precautions worked for me, I hope that they can work for you too. Try all these and tell us how it improved your sleeping and overall camping experience in the comments below.
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