There is nothing quite like earning your sleep. This is the case with most days I have on trail. I earn; I deserve a good night’s sleep!
After a long day of knocking off big miles, when every cell in your body is satisfied from the movement and the air is crisp with the scent of pine and dirt, your mind and body yearns for rest. This immersion in existence is one of the profound rewards of an active outdoor life.
Yet, often, the transition to sleep in a tent is often not the perfect, instant repose we anticipate. We are lying on a small pad, surrounded by strange sounds, and dealing with temperatures that fluctuate wildly. It’s an environment that is quite different from sleeping in our own bed. This can lead to what hikers call "zero sleep nights," where we wake up feeling like we never closed our eyes.
For us, the intentional pursuit of quality rest is should not be underestimated or unplanned. Our bodies—the only form of transportation we have through this trail life—require diligent care and commitment. A good night's sleep is not a luxury; it’s an investment in performance, safety, and joy. It is an intentional act that ensures the hard work we put in during the day is rewarded, allowing our bodies to recover and be ready for the next day.
Don’t give in to the idea that our nights in the wild should be anything other than restful. Here are a few simple, intentional tricks to ensure your rest is deep, restorative, and readying you for the miles ahead.
1. Regulating Temperature
Temperature regulation is the single biggest thief of sleep in a tent. If you are cold, your body spends all night shivering and attempting to regulate core temperature, which means zero real rest. My feet are often cold and will keep me up all night if I don’t take appropriate action before getting in the sack.
Actions
- Don’t go to bed cold. A sleeping bag or quilt is designed to trap your heat, so the trick is to give it a boost. Be warm before you get into your tent. I will often put on my night cloths and then walk around camp for 10-15 min until I feel comfortably warm (not sweaty).
- Water bottle trick. If it’s going to be a very cold night I may have a hot water bottle in my sleeping bag. Boil some water and pour it into a tough, leak-proof bottle (a Nalgene bottle is perfect for this). Screw the lid on tight, then wrap the hot bottle in a sock or your extra layer of clothing. This prevents burns and helps the heat radiate longer. Bringing the temperature inside your sleeping bag up just a few degrees can make a big difference.
- Properly rated bag. Use a properly rated sleeping bag or quilt. My sleeping bag is typically rated 10-20 degrees higher than what I’m expecting as the coldest temps for my trip. This means doing a check of the temperature forecast before your trip is necessary. For instance, if the temps will get down to 40 degrees F, my sleeping bag (or quilt) will be rated for 20-30 degrees.
- Extra Layers. You could also take a sleeping bag liner with you as a layer inside your bag. Don’t put layers on top of your down sleeping bag, this will diminish the insulating benefit. Or you could wear a layer of wool or insulated cloths.
2. Keep a Tidy Tent
Anxiety, even low-level, ambient anxiety, can nag us at night and rob our sleep. Every bump, rustle, or uncertainty about the safety of your food or gear keeps your mind on alert.
Action: Perform a final sweep of your immediate area before settling in.
- Sound Control: Move anything loose inside the tent to a spot where they cannot be accidentally bumped or rubbed against. These unexpected sounds can wake you.
- The Bear Bag Check: Double-check that your food and scented items are properly hung or stored outside of your sleeping area. This removes a major source of anxiety about animals approaching your camp.
- Set the Exit: Place your headlamp, water, and warm jacket in a consistent, easily accessible spot near your head. Place your shoes in an easily accessible place. Knowing exactly where your essentials are for a middle-of-the-night emergency (or just a bathroom break) allows your mind to rest.
3. Extra care for extremities
Many experienced hikers carry a set of dedicated sleep layers—items that never get worn during the day. This simple commitment prevents grime and moisture from robbing your warmth. Focus your warmest layers on your extremities, which are the hardest areas for the body to circulate heat to.
Actions:
- Bedtime Hat: Wear a beanie or a balaclava. You lose a disproportionate amount of heat through your head. Keeping it covered is one of the quickest ways to warm up your entire body.
- Dry Socks: Slip into a fresh, thick (but loosely fitting), and absolutely dry pair of socks. Avoid wearing the socks you hiked in. Dry feet make for a happy sleeper. This simple ritual signals to your body that the work is done and it is time for rest.
- Light Gloves. If your fingers are hard to keep warm, a light pair of wool gloves or mitten liners may resolve this issue.
- Neck Gaiter. A good amount of heat escapes up from our core through our neck area. I like to wear a neck gaiter to bed. It helps keep my core warmer, which in turn will keep my extremities warmer. And if my nose gets cold, I can pull it up over my face when needed.
4. Put your Mind at Ease
Get your mind ready for sleep. A busy head will keep you up. Put it all to rest.
Actions:
- A spot of tea. One thing that gives me a little extra comfort at night is a warm cup of non-caffeinated sleep promoting tea a half hour or so before getting into my tent, like chamomile, lavender, or Valerian root teas. Don’t boil the water, it will reduce the effectiveness of the tea ingredients.
- Journal. Sometimes writing down the day’s activities and, especially, lingering thoughts or ideas will close out the day and leave nothing to linger in your head all night. Recounting the joys and challenges of the day will help close out all the ‘what if’s’ and help you celebrate accomplishments and settle on ideas for improving your next day. Leave nothing unresolved that might keep you tossing and turning all night.
- Plan. Look at maps and secure your plan for the next day’s activities. Decide on when to start the day, options about how far you’ll go, and any major goals or tasks the need to be completed the next day. Making these decisions ahead of time will ease the mind and reduce anxiety.
Sleeping in the wild is absolutely different than sleeping in our bed at home. But this doesn’t need to translate to a bad night sleep. These few tips will go a long way toward getting a great night’s rest in the fresh air after a long day on trail so we can have another rewarding day on trail again the next day. Happy, restful trails!