Sleeping at higher altitudes

[2rocky]

This last week I seemed to have a hard time falling asleep while above 8000 feet for 4 nights.

Do other people experience this? Benadryl helped one night. I don't think it is the pad, or sleeping on the ground, or the horses pawing in the night, or the thunder and lightning , or the light until 9:30 pm, or the mosquitos between the tent and the fly, but it might be something to do with the lack of a pillow...

Thoughts?

 

[rodney482]

nyquil z pills

and a benadryl

I am out

 

[Rizzy]

Sometimes, I think it is mostly due to uneven ground or lack of pillow. I have had some sites where the ground is dead flat and I slept great.

 

[BATTLEBORN]

Lack of Pillow is the reason I dont sleep well in the Wilderness. We hiked our asses off this week end and I was dead tired both nights, but still slept like shit using my pack as a pillow.

 

[rodney482]

why not take a stuff sack and make a pillow?

 

[SHTF]

Your not hunting hard enough then. =) But yeah I take a Nyquil and sometimes mix that with some Kratom and it works like a charm to nock me out. Try sleeping at 11500 feet and a major lightening storm with sheets of rain and hail going on outside. Yes I slept right through most of it =-)

 

[Rick Leathley]

Ambien for me. I also usually stuff my down vest and some other clothes in a stuff sack makes a pretty good pillow.

On a side note I lose my appetite at elevation.

 

[OR Archer]

I'm usually beat by the end of the day and crash right out after eating.

 

[Foldem]

Ibueprofen PM and an ALPS backpacking pillow for me. Also, when I'm not super worried about bears I will wear ear plugs.

 

[hflier]

I have lot of neck issues if I don't do things right and it cause me to not sleep right. This last time when I was up, I used a Western Mountaineering Cloud Rest Pillow and Benadryl. The Benadryl was really for my damned allergies though. It worked great. That pillow is the only one I have tried which works. The rest are too firm and cause issues. The other thing I have noticed, is I have some weird sensations when I sleep at altitude the first few nights. This does keep me awake some nights, but it goes away after the first couple of nights. What has helped me the most maybe, is to just keep going from 700 feet to over 8K and learn how my body reacts, expect that, work through it and then over time I understand the changes and become less apprehensive. I have to keep telling myself, I will be fine in a day or two etc. I guess dropping 18 pounds and running/packing a lot is starting to help me too.

 

[a3dhunter]

I'm usually beat by the end of the day and crash right out after eating.

ME too.
When my head goes down, I'm done. No problems at all.

 

[rodney482]

luxurylite cot with a BA inflatable pad.

Thermarest pillow

nyquil and benadryl

full tummy


perfect night sleep.

 

[sk1]

exhausted, full stomach, perfect night sleep nothing else required here.....i wouldn't wake up until noon the next day with a sleep aide

 

[lintond]

I had this problem the first night of my scouting trip. I didn't have my pillow part of the night. The next night I slept much better with my pillow. I use a kifaru XL pullout with my vest and jacket stuffed inside. It's not the best, but works and I don't have to pack anything extra.

 

[huntography]

Bourbon works for me

Rudy

 

[mtnwrunner]

2rocky, it could be a combination of things but altitude will get you if you aren't acclimated to it. I always have trouble sleeping at high elevations which is why I usually take a Benadryl and I GOT to have a woobie. (pillow) Ambien works really really good but my doc won't prescribe it. I guess if you pretty much duplicate the same conditions lower, you would know if it is altitude or not.

Randy

This last week I seemed to have a hard time falling asleep while above 8000 feet for 4 nights.

Do other people experience this? Benadryl helped one night. I don't think it is the pad, or sleeping on the ground, or the horses pawing in the night, or the thunder and lightning , or the light until 9:30 pm, or the mosquitos between the tent and the fly, but it might be something to do with the lack of a pillow...

Thoughts?

 

[endorice]

Everyone is different. I too have issues occasionally at altitude. It's not from a lack of acclimation or fitness. I actually have trouble sleeping if I push myself too much in one day (believe it or not). Last year, I "upgraded" my pad to the Exped Ultralight 7 Downmat. Increase in weight, but it's pretty cushy and it seems to help me a little.

Whatever you do, be aware that many sleeping pills slow your rate of breathing. Therefore, if you are someone coming from a lower altitude, and struggle with altitude sickness, then pills are not a good combination.

 

[crumy]

Lack of pillow seems to be the cause for me. I have tried shirts, pants, jacket and everything in I can in a stuff sack.. just doesn't work.

 

[JNDEER]

If your a light sleeper you may want to look into ear plugs.

 

[brianboh]

Bourbon works for me

Rudy

Amen to that statement