Sleep well outdoors: Some tips

Simply pitching camp and sleeping under the stars, once a pleasing prospect, no longer appeals to me.

These days, I try to plan extended journeys where my day ends fairly close to a town. I rest much better in a controlled environment with a nice, comfortable bed, adequate bathroom facilities, heating and air conditioning and accessibility to a shower.

But when hunting down the nearest hotel is not possible and stretching out under the stars is required, I take precautions to avoid waking with sleep deprivation and feeling that I had lost a brawl with an MMA fighter.

How then does one prevent waking tired, stiff and sore?

For one thing, I try to avoid sleeping directly on the ground. I’ve yet to find an outdoors spot perfectly level or not riddled with rocks, limbs or other debris that might detract from a night’s sleep.

Occasionally walking into my sleeping quarters, I’m not allowed the luxury of carrying along extra weight. However, I enjoy an inflatable mattress when I camp near my vehicle.

A cot is acceptable during the summer months but not when temperatures are cold. The key to happiness on frigid winter nights is to avoid allowing any air to circulate between you and the ground.

I have grown attached to my hammock, conforming to one’s body and allowing one to sleep in a restful position. I’ve never awakened sore or stiff after sleeping in a hammock, though some serious setbacks arise during cooler months of the year.

As with cots, hammocks allow air to circulate between the camper and the ground. Feeling cold even with temperatures in the 70s, I’ve found that placing a thin, self-inflating mattress in the hammock provides ample insulation to keep one warm on cool nights.

But I learned the hard way that self-inflating mattresses are of little help on those frigid nights when the temperatures drop to near or below freezing. At such time, insulated sleeves made to encompass the hammock provide great insulation. They are rather costly but well worth the price.

Some other things will lend to a better night’s sleep. It’s essential to change one’s socks before hitting the sack. Although not always noticeable, one’s socks are somewhat damp because of perspiration and the least bit of dampness lends to cold feet.

One might also wear a beanie or some other type of warm headwear during wintertime overnight excursions in that a great deal of body heat is lost from one’s cranial area. But also strive to avoid sweating, having determined adverse effects of perspiration during one’s attempt at sleep.

I’m confident there’ll be future nights when I find myself far from a hotel and sleeping under the heavens. And I suspect a portion of those reading this article have some nights under the stars in their future. So, why not take a few precautions to ensure our extended stays amongst Mother Nature are as comfortable and restful as possible.