A goods nights sleep

Bushwalking topics that are not location specific.
Forum rules
The place for bushwalking topics that are not location specific.

A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Fri 17 Nov, 2017 4:45 pm

I enjoy my over night hiking , but i sometimes wonder why I do it, as my nights are Terrible, I have all the comfy sleep gear, but yet that perfect nights sleep is still out of reach, one day hike I did was 24k's I was totally shattered, I thought tonite I'll sleep well, but still no luck, I do sleep well at home.
I'm curious to know do any of u guys, get a goods night sleep, I mean like a solid 7 or 8 hrs sleep?
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby wildwanderer » Fri 17 Nov, 2017 6:17 pm

Id like to say I always sleep like a rock for 8 plus hours but in reality I usually wake up about one to two times during the night. Ive noticed im quite sensitive to temperature when I sleep in the outdoors, if I get to hot or to cold i'l wake up.

Additionally it takes me a while to get to sleep if there is noise about the campsite either animals or companions snoring/moving about on their mattresses.

A number of people Ive camped with also mention sleeping challenges in the outdoors. Perhaps its a ancient hunter gatherer thing.. got to sleep lightly incase a wooly mammoth blunders into camp. :mrgreen:
User avatar
wildwanderer
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1640
Joined: Tue 02 May, 2017 8:42 am
Location: Out of lockdown \o/
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby rcaffin » Fri 17 Nov, 2017 6:34 pm

Yep, we sleep like a log, both my wife and I.
We think the secret is a GOOD air mat like the Exped Synmat UL7

Cheers
Roger
User avatar
rcaffin
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1223
Joined: Thu 17 Jul, 2008 3:46 pm

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby ribuck » Fri 17 Nov, 2017 6:42 pm

I'm with you, roopass. I'm lucky to get two or three hours sleep during what turns out to be a long night. That's despite feeling wonderfully comfortable in a great sleeping bag on a NeoAir mat, and going to bed feeling relaxed and tired, and not having any caffeine since breakfast (and I'm not scared of drop bears). And because I've been lying awake so much, I end up having to get up to pee, which doesn't help.

I've never figured out the reason I sleep poorly, but the pleasures of the rest of the day are more than enough to make up for it.
User avatar
ribuck
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1883
Joined: Wed 15 May, 2013 3:47 am
Region: Other Country
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby skibug » Fri 17 Nov, 2017 9:02 pm

I find I can sleep through fairly well, half waking if it rains or gets windy, or when i need to roll right over for comfort. I also sleep better the 2nd (and subsequent) nights than the 1st, presumably as the fatigue accumulates. I always sleep really well the first night home, so I don't think my sleep quality is the same. I use a S to S Comfort Plus mat, rarely get cold, usually feel quite comfortable.

Skibug.
skibug
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 156
Joined: Tue 13 Mar, 2012 7:13 pm
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby CasualNerd » Fri 17 Nov, 2017 9:09 pm

I toss and turn all night, but that's just the sleeping on a very flat surface, my back can't handle it. With a plush mattress and high pillow at home it's fine.

Try working out what makes a difference - I know raising putting my pack under my legs creates a bend in my back that lets me get better sleep for example, or stretching etc.
User avatar
CasualNerd
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 495
Joined: Wed 03 Aug, 2011 3:33 pm
Region: Tasmania
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Hallu » Fri 17 Nov, 2017 9:58 pm

It depends where I am. Usually I'm waking up when roos stomp nearby, or wombats eat the grass (it resonates through the ground, it's really noisy). Having noises close to your head when you're sleeping seems to be a real alarm trigger and you wake up. I've had good nights camping in the US and Canada though, where there aren't many mammals jumping around at night. In Oz, the best night sleep I had was probably at Trial Harbour in Tassie. There's a nice grassy spot made for camping (it's free) right by the ocean. Very soothing. As a general rule for a good night sleep, it's probably best to sleep on the beach. The animals usually don't go there at night since there's no food, so it's all nice and quiet, with the gentle sound of the waves.
Hallu
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1865
Joined: Fri 28 Sep, 2012 11:19 am
Location: Grenoble
Region: Other Country

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Orion » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 2:28 am

roopass wrote:I enjoy my over night hiking , but i sometimes wonder why I do it, as my nights are Terrible, I have all the comfy sleep gear, but yet that perfect nights sleep is still out of reach, one day hike I did was 24k's I was totally shattered, I thought tonite I'll sleep well, but still no luck, I do sleep well at home.
I'm curious to know do any of u guys, get a goods night sleep, I mean like a solid 7 or 8 hrs sleep?

Do you have any idea why you aren't sleeping well? Is it noise or maybe the silence? Is it the way your mat or sleeping bag feels? Are you nervous about night monsters? Is your body sore from carrying a pack? Too much or too little ambient light?

If you can figure that out you might be able to take steps to solve, or at least reduce, the problem.
Orion
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1963
Joined: Mon 02 Feb, 2009 12:33 pm
Region: Other Country

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 5:31 am

rcaffin wrote:Yep, we sleep like a log, both my wife and I.
We think the secret is a GOOD air mat like the Exped Synmat UL7

Cheers
Roger

We'll aren't u a lucky pair Rog, good to hear:)
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 5:35 am

wildwanderer wrote:Id like to say I always sleep like a rock for 8 plus hours but in reality I usually wake up about one to two times during the night. Ive noticed im quite sensitive to temperature when I sleep in the outdoors, if I get to hot or to cold i'l wake up.

Additionally it takes me a while to get to sleep if there is noise about the campsite either animals or companions snoring/moving about on their mattresses.

A number of people Ive camped with also mention sleeping challenges in the outdoors. Perhaps its a ancient hunter gatherer thing.. got to sleep lightly incase a wooly mammoth blunders into camp. :mrgreen:

Makes sense Wild, u do feel more alert at night
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 5:38 am

ribuck wrote:I'm with you, roopass. I'm lucky to get two or three hours sleep during what turns out to be a long night. That's despite feeling wonderfully comfortable in a great sleeping bag on a NeoAir mat, and going to bed feeling relaxed and tired, and not having any caffeine since breakfast (and I'm not scared of drop bears). And because I've been lying awake so much, I end up having to get up to pee, which doesn't help.

I've never figured out the reason I sleep poorly, but the pleasures of the rest of the day are more than enough to make up for it.

Good to hear I'm not the only one , well not for u Ribuck :), but true I tend to forget the night before when back on the trail
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Flipper Hands » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 11:31 am

Not for everyone, but I pack a couple Restavit (over the counter sleeping tablets) for just that situation.

First night only, and can make you a bit dopey in the morning. Take one a few hours before you go to sleep.

YMMV
Flipper Hands
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 84
Joined: Sun 06 Dec, 2015 9:32 pm
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Moondog55 » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 1:04 pm

Hydrate! Hydrate well. I can't sleep if I am even a little dehydrated
Ve are too soon old und too late schmart
Moondog55
Lagarostrobos franklinii
Lagarostrobos franklinii
 
Posts: 11067
Joined: Thu 03 Dec, 2009 4:15 pm
Location: Norlane Geelong Victoria Australia
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 8:50 pm

Moondog55 wrote:Hydrate! Hydrate well. I can't sleep if I am even a little dehydrated

Thanks moon:)
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sat 18 Nov, 2017 8:51 pm

Flipper Hands wrote:Not for everyone, but I pack a couple Restavit (over the counter sleeping tablets) for just that situation.

First night only, and can make you a bit dopey in the morning. Take one a few hours before you go to sleep.

YMMV

I'll keep that in mind , flipper
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Rileyr » Sun 19 Nov, 2017 7:16 am

I find I sleep better the 2nd night if I had a less than ideal 1st night.

It can be a bit of a shock to the system going from all the modern luxuries to having almost none of them in a completely new environment, but maybe the more time spent out there the more natural it would become.
Rileyr
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon 23 Oct, 2017 5:40 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby South_Aussie_Hiker » Sun 19 Nov, 2017 7:49 am

I also sleep better the 2nd (and subsequent) nights than the 1st, presumably as the fatigue accumulates.


I’m exactly the same, skibug.

Doesn’t matter how tired I am, I never sleep well on the first night. I’ve just learnt to accept it.

I’ve done the first day of the OLT, including summits of both Cradle and Barn - a pretty big day, been warm and comfortable in the hut and completely unable to sleep. I think part of it is the excitement of being there, and also the stress of getting there - flights with connections, bus rides, buying gas on the way...

By the second and third nights, I relax into it... and the fatigue accumulates. I sleep soundly from then on.

I also used to eat dinner and then have a warm milo before bed, but sleep better the other way around. Have a hot drink when I get into camp, stop drinking too much fluids before bed time. Eat dinner, big pee before bedtime... then I’ll sleep the whole night.

I find as I get older I have to pee at least once per night, so quality of sleep is less.
User avatar
South_Aussie_Hiker
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 930
Joined: Tue 22 Feb, 2011 9:24 pm
Region: South Australia
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby ChrisJHC » Sun 19 Nov, 2017 6:14 pm

Since moving to a hammock a few years ago I regularly get 8 hours uninterrupted sleep.
My personal best is 12 hours following a 35 km day.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
ChrisJHC
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
Phyllocladus aspleniifolius
 
Posts: 783
Joined: Sat 25 Feb, 2017 8:22 pm
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sun 19 Nov, 2017 7:42 pm

ChrisJHC wrote:Since moving to a hammock a few years ago I regularly get 8 hours uninterrupted sleep.
My personal best is 12 hours following a 35 km day.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

12hrs!!, That's the holy grail of a solid sleep Chris well done:)
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sun 19 Nov, 2017 7:44 pm

Rileyr wrote:I find I sleep better the 2nd night if I had a less than ideal 1st night.

It can be a bit of a shock to the system going from all the modern luxuries to having almost none of them in a completely new environment, but maybe the more time spent out there the more natural it would become.

Yeah true Riley, I'm doing an overnighter at the royal n.p in a couple of weeks, here's Hoping!!
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby ErichFromm » Mon 20 Nov, 2017 5:57 am

+1 for hammock

Also ear plugs - much more noise out in the bush and anything different to what we're used to can stop us sleeping.
ErichFromm
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 487
Joined: Mon 18 Mar, 2013 8:48 am
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby puredingo » Mon 20 Nov, 2017 9:03 am

My nights sleep can be broken into three parts. 1) The initial pass out. From, say, 9pm to eleven or twelve when i first hit the pillow full of tucker and buggered from the day. 2) The restless years. Midnight to 4 is a toss and turn-a-thon, throw in a couple of wee ventures and I might as well be up next to the fire...Hell. 3)Snuggle pot and cuddle pie. 4pm through to 6 or 7 I regain my groove and sleep soundly also this strectch is usually filled with some pretty weird dreams.

Noises and night terrors don't bother me I'm used to it being on my own, the biggest annoyance is winter when you lose light at 5pm...after you've eaten and got nothing else to do but hit the hay, well, 12 hours is a long time in a tent waiting for the morning.
puredingo
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1267
Joined: Mon 13 Feb, 2012 6:54 am
Region: New South Wales

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby rcaffin » Mon 20 Nov, 2017 9:40 am

well, 12 hours is a long time in a tent waiting for the morning.
Waiting? Who's waiting?
I'm asleep until my wife wants breakfast - which means it is daylight. Maybe the sun is not up, but quite light enough to get breakfast ready.

Cheers
Roger
User avatar
rcaffin
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1223
Joined: Thu 17 Jul, 2008 3:46 pm

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby puredingo » Mon 20 Nov, 2017 2:08 pm

rcaffin wrote: well, 12 hours is a long time in a tent waiting for the morning.
Waiting? Who's waiting?
I'm asleep until my wife wants breakfast - which means it is daylight. Maybe the sun is not up, but quite light enough to get breakfast ready.

Cheers
Roger


Don't get me wrong I'm up and at it at first light also BUT I'm not cooking breakfast. I like to get up, pack up and hit the road for a couple of hours and then stop for brekky ( not sure why? Just a routine I've gotten used to). So yeah, safer if I've got some degree of good light if I'm off track, which I usually do as I start packing up in the early morning twilight for about half an hour.
puredingo
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1267
Joined: Mon 13 Feb, 2012 6:54 am
Region: New South Wales

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Biggles » Mon 27 Nov, 2017 1:22 pm

By nature, I'm a restless sleeper outdoors, even though I sleep like a besser block at home surrounded by all the toys and comforts a boy needs!
Nothing special or particularly comfy about my hiking set-up: a -5°c rated sleeping bag (15 years old), long-size Thermarest (around 12 years old), Mont Moondance 1 tent (8 or 9 years old), a scrunch-up pillow and jumper/clothes to bolster head position and sweet dreams lined up to savour. In the austral months of warmth and long-lasting light, about 4-5 hours sleep is just fine when the stars begin to twinkle: I spring up in the morning and I'm out and about with the cameras photographing the scene(s) lined up the day/night before, then back to the tent to pack it all up. I very rarely go walking in winter now as I do not like the long winter nights and short days at all.
“Is é comhrá faoin aimsir an tearmann deiridh ag an duine gan samhlaíocht.”
—Oscar Wilde, 1890.
User avatar
Biggles
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 431
Joined: Thu 14 May, 2009 12:14 pm
Location: Up the Creek...Campbells Creek (nr. Castlemaine)
Region: Victoria
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby roopass » Sun 03 Dec, 2017 5:33 am

If anyone's wondering, I did an overnighter recently, and slept well, i reckon a good 5hrs sleep!! , I used a natural aided sleep product, spray under yr tongue, also used quite a few handy wipes to freshen up, next best thing to having a shower I suppose :)
roopass
Athrotaxis cupressoides
Athrotaxis cupressoides
 
Posts: 154
Joined: Wed 07 Aug, 2013 10:11 am
Region: New South Wales
Gender: Male

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Violet_Femme » Tue 05 Dec, 2017 9:54 pm

Whisky might help?
Violet_Femme
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 55
Joined: Sun 01 Feb, 2015 8:53 am
Region: New South Wales

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Orion » Wed 06 Dec, 2017 2:38 am

Alcohol can help you fall asleep but it has a negative overall effect on sleep quality. Nothing wrong with a little snoot but it's not the path to a good night's sleep.

Melatonin (possibly the spray under the tongue product roopass mentioned) is naturally produced by your body in response to darkness and your circadian rhythm. It has been shown to be effective in minimising jet lag. Some people swear by it as a sleep aid but blind, placebo controlled tests have shown that it is no better than taking a sugar pill. But if you think it works it might help. Placebo as a means for inducing sleep has merit.

I've discovered recently that a particular TV series that my wife enjoys puts me to sleep without fail in about 15 minutes.
Orion
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1963
Joined: Mon 02 Feb, 2009 12:33 pm
Region: Other Country

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby madpom » Wed 06 Dec, 2017 7:29 am

As someone who can take hours to drop off in a tent: 33db Earplugs to eliminate environmental distractions especually in windy conditions is critical.

Combine with an earbud earphone sneaked in beside, playing the History of Rome podcast. Sends me off every time! A wonderful soft-spoken voice. Content interesting enough to keep my attention but gently told enough not to require enough concentration to keep me awake. Highly recommended if you don't mind taking technology bush with you. 170-odd episodes so plenty of nights worth.
User avatar
madpom
Atherosperma moschatum
Atherosperma moschatum
 
Posts: 79
Joined: Fri 03 Jul, 2015 6:41 am
ASSOCIATED ORGANISATIONS: routeguides.co.nz
Region: New Zealand

Re: A goods nights sleep

Postby Orion » Wed 06 Dec, 2017 9:49 am

madpom wrote:As someone who can take hours to drop off in a tent: 33db Earplugs to eliminate environmental distractions especually in windy conditions is critical.

Combine with an earbud earphone sneaked in beside, playing the History of Rome podcast. Sends me off every time! A wonderful soft-spoken voice. Content interesting enough to keep my attention but gently told enough not to require enough concentration to keep me awake. Highly recommended if you don't mind taking technology bush with you. 170-odd episodes so plenty of nights worth.


So you have both earplugs AND earbuds in your ears at the same time??

I take my 41g Nano iPod and simple earbuds with me sometimes as I find earplugs not very effective. Certain types of noise, particularly human caused, can prevent me from sleeping. I used to listen to hard rock music and would sleep with that going on, but perhaps not that soundly. More recently I downloaded hours and hours of natural sound recordings. My favorites are rainstorm recordings.

One time in a hut I wore my big over the ear studio type headphones all night long, listening to a thunderstorm recording. In the morning everybody was excitedly talking about the great thunderstorm that had come rolling through during the night. I had heard none of the real thunderstorm.
Orion
Athrotaxis selaginoides
Athrotaxis selaginoides
 
Posts: 1963
Joined: Mon 02 Feb, 2009 12:33 pm
Region: Other Country

Next

Return to Bushwalking Discussion

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 25 guests