Sleep Soundly: 10 Tips for Restful Nights During Outdoor Activities

Having enough sleep is essential before going on any outdoor adventure. I love outdoor adventures. During the weekends, you’ll find me either camping or hiking. The experience is fun and enjoyable, but you’ll only enjoy it if you give your body enough rest. A good night’s sleep helps you to wake up with improved energy and with a wholly rejuvenated mind.With that said, I have the perfect tips to help you sleep comfortably before going on any outdoor adventure. Here are just some of them:

Invest In a Comfortable Mattress

Remember that we spend a good part of our lives sleeping. So, there’s no better investment other than getting yourself and your children a good bed and mattress. Nowadays, it’s easy to look for a perfect mattress, just visit a credible mattress review blog and you’ll get the information you need to get the best mattresses for you and your family. Keep in mind that, the ideal muscle alignment we get from a high-quality mattress is like none other!Also, it’s good to change your bed sheets once in a while. Good sleep starts when you feel that kind and clean linen feeling. Do this before any outdoor trip, and you’ll have a fantastic experience.

Stick to One Particular Schedule

I should also point out that our bodies are built to follow a specific plan. Of course, this depends on the natural night and day cycle. In this 24/7 society, such a schedule is often challenging to us. Even so, we can still do a lot with the regular sleeping schedule we have.I love following the best schedule for me especially before taking a camping trip. This means that I’ll have to sleep and wake up at the same time each day and on weekends too!

Eat Well Before You Sleep

It’s important to eat before you sleep for proper muscle formation and strengthening of tissues. It also helps you to wake up feeling energetic and ready to tackle the day’s events. I usually stack my fridge with vegetables, fruits, and meat before going for any hiking or camping trip. A good meal before going to bed helps me maneuver the outdoor environment with ease!

Daily Exercises Are Important

If you want to go on a camping trip during the weekend, regular activities throughout the week are necessary. Do not wait until the last day as this may not give your body enough fitness. Also, it will make you too tired to wake up and go on a camping trip.Instead, it’s good to go jogging throughout the week and to stretch your muscles before you sleep. One of the main reasons why I feel energetic before any weekend outdoor experience is because of the sleep I get after good exercise throughout the week. You should try it too!

Have a Bedtime Routine

A consistent bedtime program can help you tackle almost any event during the day. I usually like to close all devices, slide into my pajamas, and after brushing my teeth, I take the time to update my journal. I do this until my eyes get heavy and shut down. I usually follow the same routine with my kids, and it greatly improves their level of activity during the day. You’ll even find them playing scavenger hunts and having a time of their lives!

Try Taking A Cold Shower!

You’ll need a lot of energy if you’re going to climb those hills and rocks. So, are you struggling to sleep? Well, I found that an excellent method to help you sleep is taking a cold shower. Once you lower the body’s temperature, the muscles can quickly contract and relax. Keep in mind that well-rested muscles ensure that you wake up feeling rejuvenated.

Avoid Taking Alcohol Before You Sleep

A nightcap might look like a good thing to help your sleep, but sadly the quality of such sleep is greatly diminished. You’ll end up spending more of your time in the first and second sleep cycles and less time in the third and fourth restorative stages. Eventually, you’ll wake up feeling tired and fatigued.

Progressive Muscle Relaxations Work

If you are having trouble sleeping, don’t try counting sheep. Instead, I saw that once you try continuous muscle relaxation routines, you sleep quickly and soundly. So, how do they work? All you need to do is start at your feet, relaxing the tendons and muscle tissues as you move up. Focus on the intense and relaxing sensation, and you’ll sleep like a baby!

Have Your Late Night Snack before Midnight

Having a late night snack is not bad. However, try and eat it before the clock strikes 12:00. I know that this may sound kind of creepy, but it’s only meant to prevent you from disrupting your sleep cycle. A snack before midnight means that you’ll still have sufficient time to go back to sleep. Remember that you need to sneak in as many sleeping hours as possible if you want to get the best outdoor experience.

Avoid Sleeping Pills!

Similar to alcohol, sleeping pills also help you in sleeping a bit faster but at a higher cost. Also, they are highly ineffective as research would show. Shockingly, you only get 11 minutes more of sleep on average considered to what you would have if you don’t use them. Are 11 minutes of crappy sleep worth it? No! Also, remember that you want the best level of rest before going on a strenuous outdoor adventure!We all love to take shortcuts but cutting corners just to sleep longer is unhealthy and dangerous. Before trying out any medication, first, go through each point on this list. Eventually, you’ll feel alert and ready to tackle any outdoor challenge!-- Will Bradshaw