There’s something extraordinary about using a hammock. It just makes you feel free and maybe even a little bit cooler. Plus, camping hammocks are becoming more and more popular as a comfortable alternative to tents which can be heavy and tiresome to deal with.
But once you have a camping hammock, you might be left with one big knowledge gap: how to sleep in a camping hammock. Some might say that it is as simple as climbing up into the hammock and going to sleep, but for others, this might not do the trick. You don’t want to be lying awake all night and ruin your energy levels for the next day of adventures, after all!
How to Sleep in a Camping Hammock Comfortably
For you to sleep well while lying in your hammock, experts recommend the following:
Set It Up Properly
The first thing that you need to make sure that you would be able to sleep comfortably in your hammock is to have it set up properly. If you don’t, you’re certainly not going to be able to get any sound sleep.
You want to make sure that you have the hammock set up in a way that it is not too loose or too tight. If it’s too loose, you’ll end up nearly on the ground! If it’s too tight, the hammock will be practically flat, and you’ll lose the comfort of the natural hammock curve.
Instead, you’ll want to make sure that there is enough curve and give to the hammock to keep you comfortable throughout the night.
In particular, practice setting up your hammock in a way that avoids giving a feeling of cocoon walls. You do not want the high hammock walls to surround you in a cocoon-like fashion.
That will keep you in the middle and prevent you from being able to comfortably rotate or move. If you cannot move and there is no space for you to really get comfortable, you aren’t likely to get a good sleep.
Learn Your Best Angle
Most people who use hammocks to sleep in while camping eventually learn that the best way to get comfortable is to sleep on an angle rather than perfectly parallel to the hammock.
If you lie in the hammock perfectly along its length, you will end up being bent into something like a C-shape. This shape is likely to cause you a lot of discomfort throughout the night and when you wake up in the morning because of the strain it will put on some of your muscles.
When your hammock is loose enough, you’ll be able to lie comfortably on an angle. Here’s how to find the angle:
- Lie down directly in the center of the hammock.
- Move your feet about one foot to the side of the center.
- Then, move your upper body about one foot to the opposite side of the center.
- That’s the angle!
You should now lie very flat in the hammock while still being cradled by it comfortably. It might take some time to get this position perfect, but you should also find that you can immediately tell how comfortable it is to be in this position once you get it right.
You can even sleep on your side when you use this angle without being uncomfortable, so you can rotate into any position you’d like as long as you are at the right angle.
Why Is This Position More Comfortable
You might be wondering why lying at an angle is more comfortable in a hammock rather than lying right in the center of it. Ultimately, it comes down to the shape of your spine.
Lying at this angle flattens the hammock out underneath you, and it releases all pressure points. This allows the material to conform to the natural shape of your spine’s curve without causing any stress or discomfort.
Pack the Right Accessories
Finally, you’ll want to ensure that you bring the right accessories along with you in order to make it easier and more comfortable to sleep in your hammock through the night. Sure, accessories aren’t a requirement, but they can make it much easier for you to fall asleep without any outside annoyances.
These are some of our favorite accessories to use:
Bug Nets
Whether you’re in an area that has a lot of bugs or not, the chances that a rogue bug will come to explore your face in the middle of the night when sleeping in an open hammock are pretty high. Nobody wants to be woken up by the bugs!
To ensure you’ll get through the night without being disturbed, invest in a 360-degree bug net that will keep bugs out of your face all night long.
Insulate Your Hammock
While hammocks are great for keeping you cool in the summer, they can also cause you to be very chilly on cold nights in other seasons! Since you are suspended in the air when you sleep in a hammock, you may find that you are much colder when you sleep in this type of setup.
Invest in an underquilt for your hammock that will help to keep you warmer while you are sleeping. With the right product, you can find that you will be much warmer and sleep much better.
Sleep Accessories
Finally, get yourself a pillow and a sleeping mat that fit your hammock appropriately and make you very comfortable. With these items, you’ll be able to sleep like you’re in your own bed!
Sleeping in a Hammock Is Fun
Once you know how to properly sleep in a camping hammock, it can be very fun! There’s no need to feel like you need to sacrifice the quality of your sleep in order to get a good night’s rest. In fact, some people find that they sleep better in a hammock than they do in a more traditional sleeping arrangement!
Experiment with your sleeping setup and practice how to sleep in a camping hammock so that you can be sure to get a full night of rest every single time that you set up your hammock campsite.
