Backcountry Sleep

[SwampMan19]

I have a really hard time getting good sleep in the back country. It’s not a sleep system problem, it’s a problem with me actually staying asleep.

Does anyone have any recommendations on sleep supplements/night time rituals that help them get some good sleep while hunting?

It’s hard covering a bunch of miles in the mountains. It’s much harder to do it with bad sleep!

 

[ReddingArcher]

Melatonin. How comfortable are you in the mountains? Is it a mental thing, laying awake thinking of the things out there that could get you? This isn't a dig, I did the same thing when I first started solo backpack hunting. For me, it just took more nights out getting used to it before I could finally sleep well.

 

[thegrouse]

Earplugs

 

[Decker9]

The only time I consume alcohol is on backcountry hunts for this reason.

1oz of overproof rum in a hot orange/mandarine tea before bed knocks me out cold, and also wakes me up between 4-5 am for a leak.

 

[Maverick1]

At the end of a hard day of elk hunting I have no problem sleeping in the backcountry. Just exhausted. Sometimes even take naps mid day to catch up on sleep. Good air mattress and sleeping bag are important. Rain is annoying and sometimes wakes me up. Otherwise sleep better than at home in a bed.

 

[chizelhead]

I have an opposite reaction to alcohol. I sleep much better without it.

The only time I consume alcohol is on backcountry hunts for this reason.

1oz of overproof rum in a hot orange/mandarine tea before bed knocks me out cold, and also wakes me up between 4-5 am for a leak.

I have the opposite reaction to alcohol. While it helps me get to sleep, I used to wake up in the middle of the night and had trouble getting back to sleep. After stopping, I noticed I woke up less.

 

[Poser]

I have a really hard time getting good sleep in the back country. It’s not a sleep system problem, it’s a problem with me actually staying asleep.

Does anyone have any recommendations on sleep supplements/night time rituals that help them get some good sleep while hunting?

It’s hard covering a bunch of miles in the mountains. It’s much harder to do it with bad sleep!

Be more specific. Is it that your brain is activated/overstimulated? Or, is it more of a nervous system issue? -you're exhausted, feel like you are going to pass out but don't sleep well? or, are you lying there with a busy brain?

Magnesium Glycinate can generally help with a calming effect. I wouldn't wait until your trip to take it, though. I'd start taking it well in advances and figure out the timing you need. Some people respond better in the AM, some people take it at lunch and other immediately before bed. I personally take it mid afternoon. Probably don't want to take it on a empty stomach first thing in the morning.

KSM 66 Aswaghanda can also help. Same thing, I'd start taking it at least a couple of weeks before your trip to figure out the timing you respond to best.

Melatonin can also be an option, but you need to start with 1 mg dosage and fgure it out from there. Too much can cause insane dreams and morning hangovers.

Cannabis edibles that are sleep specific can work some true magic on your ability to sleep, but same as the others, you need to figure out your dosage and timing. You don't want to be mentally knocked out, you just want a natural deep sleep.

Also, I wouldn't necessarily stack all 4 of these together. Just because your are knocked out doesn't equate to quality sleep recovery.

 

[mad_angler]

We have a ritual of having a warm mug of sleepy slumber from MTN OPS

SLUMBER

Wake up feeling rested and rejuvenated. MTN OPS Slumber™ helps your body rest deeply and recover quickly. Hibern8™—our deep sleep formula uses local trace minerals from the Great Salt Lake coupled with Melatonin, L-Theanine and natural extracts to cultivate a deep, calming slumber. Nighttime...

mtnops.com

And I usually sleep like a log when hunting...

BUT... I did struggle on one trip to Alaska. I was afraid of a set of rapids we needed to go through to get out. I would wake up most nights quite scared and unable to go back to sleep. My mind just kept spiraling around those rapids. I never did find a real solution. (we did go through the rapids and they were less scary and intense than my mind had made them out to be).

 

[Idaboy]

I have a really hard time getting good sleep in the back country. It’s not a sleep system problem, it’s a problem with me actually staying asleep.

Does anyone have any recommendations on sleep supplements/night time rituals that help them get some good sleep while hunting?

It’s hard covering a bunch of miles in the mountains. It’s much harder to do it with bad sleep!

Can you fall asleep but then keep waking up, or can you not fall asleep?

What is waking you up?

Do you have any of these issues at home, or only when hunting? Are you sleeping in a different position due to sleep pad (back vs at home on side)?

No caffeine after 12 noon. Many drinks, GU, gels or other stuff have caffeine.

Are you in solo tent or sharing? Go solo if you are sharing.

Avoid big meal right before laying down, this can be tough when elk hunting. Sometimes we throw down a meal at 4 or 5 pm, and then lighter snack when get back to camp. Try so stay hydrated during day and not "make up for it" back at camp, if I gotta pee twice a night that affects my sleep

Agree with thoughts on melatonin and Mag-glycin. Also agree with experiment before you go. No caffeine herbal tea, "sleepytime" tea is one.

Would not rec alcohol, tends to make people wake up or prevents deep cycle sleep, or have to wake up to pee.

Don't nap during the day, so that you can stay on schedule at night.

Don't camp so close to the elk, the bugles keep me up too

 

[LIWolverine]

A good sleep system can’t be beat. A good routine follows right behind. Mine is comfortable clothes> dinner > sleepy time tea > brush teeth> wet wipe face wash> tidy up> get in bag> light out.

No caffeine after 1 or 2:00pm. If I want some kind of hot pick me up after I use Swiss Miss Dark Chocolate hot chocolate.

When I have a really hard time falling asleep from anxiety I take melatonin but sleepy time tea works really good for me.


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[Pro953]

I pop half a Tylenol pm most of the time now. A whole one makes it hard to get up. A half is just enough I actually sleep better and it’s easier to get up when the time comes. I do not hunt it grizz country so I cannot say if I would be comfortable with popping a sleep aid in that environment.


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[TaperPin]

Regular Tylenol before bed helps everything seem more comfortable even if you don’t have aches. When waking up tossing and turning even if nothing hurts another one often helps get me back to sleep.

I keep myself from thinking about hunting as much as possible, reminding myself, “That’s not helpful,” many times a night. A little am/fm radio with ear buds is a good sound machine for nights the wind is completely calm, or a little music helps you relax.

The biggest thing that helps me is to sleep on the floor at home with the same sleeping pad and bag for at least a week and to go camping at least once the two weeks prior to the hunting trip.

If I have too much salt during the day makes me have to wake up to pee multiple times at night, while having less salty stuff during the day and the saltiest meal for dinner has me retaining water that night with much less waking up.

I didn’t realize how much mild heart burn can cause a slightly sour stomach and acid reflux even if it doesn’t register as that at the time. A Prilosec helps me sleep so much better it would have been great to discover than years ago.

Everyone is different, but if I am wide awake for a half hour I just need to do something to clear my mind until tired again. At home it’s watching monotonous close captioned videos with the sound turned off, but reading something that’s not all that interesting also works, like a first aid manual. My buddy has a hard time sleeping so he incorporates a number of naps into his day. He will get within shooting range of a bedding area, glass it, take a nap, glass it, take a nap. More often than I would have ever believed, many hours into this routine a hidden buck will stand up and try to pussy foot away. Bang! Bang!

 

[zacattack]

Night time Advil or PM or whatever it’s called, I might not hear the bear coming but at least I’ll be well rested