Cycling UK Forum

This may sound like a silly question but any tips on sleeping well ?
my partner and I have done several long weekend trike/camping trips and enjoyed them, I am away in may on a two week tour of The Netherlands ( sadly solo due to work duties of my partner)
The problem I have is getting a decent nights kip under canvas,at home I sleep like a log but should add my home is a boat so getting rocked to sleep is the norm, any suggestions are welcome or do I have to accept that the earth wont move for me !!! unlike my bed at home

Earplugs. - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/12082081 ... =95&ff19=0

I always struggle the first night, maybe the second, but after that I'm fine. Much like I am in proper beds.

Hi,
Cotton wool in the ears works, I poo poo'ed the idea until I tried it in hospital and missed a film I was going to watch as I feel asleep

And believe it or not counting your pulse with fingers on wrist or just going through counting, like 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 etc, etc, infinitum would do it.
Just try count your pulse for a minute or two in bed and see how you lose count and do it again you will fall asleep trying.
Radio.
My day after day camping would normally mean the fourth night would be good but the first three, 2 hours at a time max.
I would fall asleep at 01.30 and wake by 04.30 when the sun came up.

I remember a welsh m/cycle trial the night before and five in a three bedded room
Two on the floor me and my serial camper mate, and three in the beds, the ones in the bed hit the pillow on their back and snorred all night with out moving at all Me just the usual turning over and over.

Some people have the knack.

What's keeping you awake? You need to work that out before looking for the solution.
I discovered I disliked being constrained by a sleeping bag, I now use a quilt and sleep well, though that might not be the answer for you.

I've never used one but you can get hammock tents, or hammock/tarp combo's that might allow you to literally rock to sleep?

sleeping pill, good thermarest medium size pillow good sleeping matt and good down bag or in my case quilt.

Half a bottle of red wine usually does the trick...

Hi all,
Thanks for all the suggestions, I really dislike taking pills and I firmly believe that hammocks are an invention of the devil designed to entrap me
PH,s comment to find the cause made me think and I suspect that even asleep I am aware of all the normal noises the boat makes and its motion, boats are never totaly silent or still even in calm water.
Maybe it is the silence causing poor sleep when camping, I think I will go with the red wine and my new downmat to start with, if that dosnt work I will swap the red wine for Salmiaki

http://www.livescience.com/26489-alcohol-sleep.html

There are plenty more links to follow as well. Basically alcohol is a bad idea. You said that you have done long weekend trips. You may find that these are not long enough to get into a routine if you are not someone who falls asleep easily. Keep off caffeine in the evening and you might find that a good day's cycling will be enough to get you to sleep night after night. Warmth, comfort and security are all important but sleep is more habit IMV than these things.

Ear plugs are travel esssentials I reckon, not just for camping.

Recommend : HEAROS EAR PLUGS - Extreme Protection Series - highest 33 NRR - Trusted since 1992 !

I have tried lots of different ones over the years and these are among the best. On the downside a lion could be eating your leg and you probably would not hear it; something to bear in mind.

Hi,

Mattie wrote:Ear plugs are travel esssentials I reckon, not just for camping.

Recommend : HEAROS EAR PLUGS - Extreme Protection Series - highest 33 NRR - Trusted since 1992 !

I have tried lots of different ones over the years and these are among the best. On the downside a lion could be eating your leg and you probably would not hear it; something to bear in mind.

Probably would'nt feel it with all that grape juice consumed...........

It takes me 2 - 3 days to adjust to new sleeping conditions. I adjust a bit quicker if I'm really tired at the end of the day.

Don't drink too much fluids especially alcohol before going to sleep. There's nothing worse than waking up in the middle of the night needing a pee!

I will give the earplugs a try but I cant eliminate the motion of the boat without having it lifted out at £500 and that would get me to Dieppe and back with change for a bag of chips, a very small bag
Even the idea of spending two weeks ashore is quite an adventure for me, so I think it will take a few days to adjust but fresh air and riding I hope will induce sleep, I have a reasonable tent and good bag and mat so I have to wait and see, maybe I should take a bottle of sea water with me to sniff each night to get my fix.....

Do remember too that 90% of people do not believe it would be possible under any circumstances to be able to sleep in what you can carry on a bike. So it must mean that sleep has its own demands. You could could try staying awake in a warm sleeping bag on a comfy mat in a dry tent after a day of cycling but I don't rate your chances.