How to Sleep Better in a Tent

Plenty of people love everything about camping except the sleeping part. They lie awake on lumpy ground,

wake up cold at three in the morning and start the day groggy.

Yet sleeping well in a tent is very achievable with the right setup and a few simple habits.

Good sleep outdoors depends on five things: a comfortable bed, a level spot, the right temperature, less noise and light, and a relaxing routine.

Improve each one a little and the difference is remarkable.

Start With a Better Bed

Your sleeping pad does two jobs: cushioning you from the hard ground and insulating you from its chill.

A thin pad that feels fine in the living room can leave your hips aching after a night on packed dirt.

Side sleepers usually need a thicker pad than back sleepers, because their weight concentrates on the hips and shoulders.

For car camping, weight hardly matters, so consider a thick self-inflating pad, two pads stacked together or a camping cot.

Large air mattresses are comfortable, but the air inside cools toward the temperature of the ground, so they can feel cold at night.

A foam pad or blanket laid on top of the mattress, under your sleeping bag, fixes that.

Inflate your pad to the right firmness.

Too firm and it feels like a board; too soft and your hip touches the ground.

Many people sleep best on a pad slightly softer than they expect.

Air mattresses often lose a little firmness as the air inside cools in the evening, so top them up at bedtime.

Add a Real Pillow

A good pillow is one of the easiest upgrades to camp sleep. Bring your pillow from home for car camping.

For backpacking, use an inflatable camp pillow or a stuff sack filled with a fleece jacket.

Side sleepers may need a higher pillow to keep the neck aligned. Place the pillow against the tent wall or secure it to the pad so it does not drift away every time you roll over.

Find a Level Spot and Position Yourself

Even a slight slope sends you sliding toward the tent wall all night.

Take time to find the flattest area, and lie down to test it before you pitch.

If the ground has a gentle slope you cannot avoid, sleep with your head uphill.

Clear away pinecones and pebbles, which feel enormous through a thin pad.

If your pad keeps sliding on a slick tent floor, a few dots of non-slip material,

a thin foam sheet underneath or clothing tucked along the downhill side can hold it in place.

Get the Temperature Right

Being too cold is the most common reason people sleep badly in tents, but being too hot is almost as common in summer.

On cool nights, use a bag rated for conditions a little colder than the forecast,

wear a dry base layer and a hat and eat a small snack before bed to give your body fuel.

On warm nights, sleep on top of your bag or under a light sheet or liner,

open the fly vents or leave the fly off if rain is unlikely and pitch where the tent will be shaded in the late afternoon,

so it is not radiating stored heat at bedtime.

Unzip your bag partway before you wake up sweaty rather than after.

Tame Noise and Light

Unfamiliar sounds keep the brain alert, which is one reason many people sleep lightly on their first night in a new place.

Soft foam earplugs block much of the noise from neighbors, rustling leaves and wind flapping the fly.

A tight pitch with tensioned guy lines also cuts down on fabric noise.

Most nighttime sounds are harmless: small animals foraging, branches creaking, birds calling and pinecones dropping. Knowing that helps you relax.

An eye mask blocks campground lights and the early summer sunrise, which can wake you well before you are ready.

If you can, pitch the tent door away from bright lights and restroom paths.

Use the Day to Sleep Better at Night

Good nights start in the daytime.

Spending the day outside in natural light and staying active, even with an easy walk or a swim,

helps many people feel sleepy earlier and more naturally.

Long naps late in the afternoon do the opposite, so keep any rest break short and early.

Drink plenty of water through the day, then taper off in the last hour or so before bed to reduce nighttime bathroom trips.

Keep the tent itself inviting, too: air it out during the day by opening the doors,

shake out sand and crumbs,

and keep gear in bags along the walls so you are not sleeping on top of it.

Share a Tent Without Losing Sleep

Tent mates can make or break a night.

Give everyone a defined side with their own pocket or bag for small items, so nobody climbs over anybody in the dark.

Whoever tends to get up during the night should sleep nearest the door.

A snoring companion is the classic problem, and earplugs are the classic answer.

Couples who like to sleep close can strap their pads together so they do not drift apart,

and wide or long pads help restless or tall sleepers stay on the pad all night.

If your group keeps different hours, agree on a lights-out time so early risers and night owls are not disturbing each other.

Build a Bedtime Routine

A consistent routine tells your body it is time to sleep, even outdoors. Try this order each night:

1. Eat dinner a couple of hours before bed and go easy on caffeine after midday.
2. Limit alcohol, which tends to fragment sleep and can leave you colder.
3. Brush your teeth and store toiletries with your food, away from the tent.
4. Change into clean, dry sleep clothes; your day clothes are often damp with sweat.
5. Set out your headlamp, water and tomorrow's layers in the same spot every night.
6. Use the restroom right before you get into your sleeping bag.
7. Read, stretch gently or listen to the night for a few minutes before turning off your light.

Handle Middle-of-the-Night Wake-Ups

If you wake up cold, do not just lie there shivering.

Add a layer, pull on a hat and dry socks, and tense and relax your large leg muscles for a minute to generate some warmth.

On the next cold night, prepare a hot water bottle at bedtime, using a leak-proof bottle made for hot liquids.

If you wake up needing the bathroom, go rather than lying awake.

Keep shoes by the door and a headlamp with a red mode within reach so you do not blind your tent mates.

If condensation is dripping, open the vents wider and wipe the walls with a small towel.

Then settle back, breathe slowly and let the quiet do its work.

Rest Easy

Better tent sleep does not require expensive gear.

It comes from a comfortable, well-insulated pad, a level spot, a real pillow, the right temperature,

earplugs and an eye mask, and a routine you repeat each night.

Fine-tune one or two things each trip, and camping nights can become some of the best sleep you get all year.