Sleeping when bivyin

[Single Speed George]

As some of you will have red on the trips page I was soft and dropped out of my first lakes 200 attempt, due in no small part to not having sleeped for over 24 hours. This is because I set off after work but then couldn't sleep at all when I bivid up after 30 miles, but this isn't the first time, I normally manage Atleast 2 hours of broken sleep but that's it when biking and bivyin... When trying to go fast or in poor weather might not even manage that...

So I will get to the point, I'm crap and sleeping when bivid even when under a tarp with a mat, so any tips for sleeping better when itt ridding or even just chilled lightweight tourin???!

[TheBrownDog]

Most of us have a routine we go through when we get into bed that gets us ready for sleep. And that just doesnt happen when you're camping or bivvying. I try to stick to something similar - a hot meal, have a cup of ginger tea; a last minute pee before getting into my sleeping bag; read a bit till I start to doze off then lights out. Works for me most of the time but when it doesn't the combination of lots of physical activity and no sleep is murder. Dunno how the endurance crowd do it.

[AlasdairMc]

Endurance racing makes sleep come easy - ride until exhaustion and then you're out like a light. I've never had an issue on big rides, but social bivis and microadventures are another story altogether. Whisky helps.

[Pirahna]

Take some Night Nurse.

[JohnClimber]

Little or no booze, a changing out of your cycling clothes and a Nytol tablet got me 6.5 hours on Friday nights bivi.

[Single Speed George]

Little or no booze, a changing out of your cycling clothes and a Nytol tablet got me 6.5 hours on Friday nights bivi.

yea i might try nytol i here good things

[Richard G]

Some of us never seem to get there. I'm hoping a tent will be the answer because only once have I ever got a decent amount of sleep... and that involved waaaaay too much alcohol to be feasible on a regular basis.

That includes after cycling 20+ hours.

[Wotsits]

I keep whatever I use as a pillow in my bedroom at home, so there's a familiar 'bedroom at home' smell when I hunker down for the night. I've found that it does help me relax a bit..

[GregMay]

I tend to not worry about sleeping on the first night of any multiday thing - it just doesn't happen for me. Carry on regardless, slow your pace, the next night you'll sleep.

But, I really don't think medicating your way to sleep is a particularly smart thing to do. Ever.

[Single Speed George]

[quote="GregMay"]I tend to not worry about sleeping on the first night of any multiday thing - it just doesn't happen for me. Carry on regardless, slow your pace, the next night you'll sleep.

i would normally have not minded not sleeping but asi had been at work all day i kinda needed it more than usuall i guess , but it did remind me that i often have this problem when biving

[atk]

On my last long audax I felt tired about 2am, tried to nap in a bus shelter but that didn't work so after 20 mins or so I got on the bike and rode for another hour, felt tired again, found a field and did get to sleep for a few hours as planned.

Could you not have napped around the time you were falling off rocks? Even 20 mins would have probably picked you up a bit!

[macinblack]

I keep whatever I use as a pillow in my bedroom at home, so there's a familiar 'bedroom at home' smell when I hunker down for the night. I've found that it does help me relax a bit..

I do something similar - small handkerchief soaked in baby oil and latex spray...

[atk]

Little or no booze, a changing out of your cycling clothes and a Nytol tablet got me 6.5 hours on Friday nights bivi.

yea i might try nytol i here good things

I'm with Greg here, I really don't think taking this sort of stuff out in the "wild" is a smart idea. Try it at home and have someone try and wake you after a couple of hours, see how rested you feel...

[Wotsits]

I think Macinblack is on the right lines, why not try something like lavender oil or balm? Amongst other properties It's supposed to be an insect repellent, so could be a win-win!


In fact i've already got some at home so will be giving it a go myself..

[JohnClimber]

I'm with Greg here, I really don't think taking this sort of stuff out in the "wild" is a smart idea. Try it at home and have someone try and wake you after a couple of hours, see how rested you feel...

I fully agree with both Greg and yourself, meds need to be tested at home rather than in the field or bivi.

[Mike]

I'm not sure why I bivy I hardly sleep in them I'm to restless. A tent is so much better for me but I still keep doing it

[Richard G]

On my last long audax I felt tired about 2am, tried to nap in a bus shelter but that didn't work so after 20 mins or so I got on the bike and rode for another hour, felt tired again, found a field and did get to sleep for a few hours as planned.

Could you not have napped around the time you were falling off rocks? Even 20 mins would have probably picked you up a bit!

I've literally never napped in my life. I'd love to know how people do it. Seems like an AMAZING skill.

Long distance flights are hell on earth for me. :(

[Mariner]

When traveling by bike over long distance I opt for a 'sleep when tired' routine.
No point trying to replicate your home routine which is probably meal telly bed.
No point rolling into your pit just because its your usual time.
Ride through the night if you can and get properly tired and when its time to sleep you will. You are away from your home/work routine so work out a new one.
About four hours is my max without a break but just repeat until its time for sleep. Could be twenty minutes could be a couple of hours just go with how it works for you.

[HaYWiRe]

Ive never had much of a problem, I mean ive had a few sleepless nights experimenting with no mat or insufficient hammock insulation but now I'm all good.

I get woken up occasionally being too warm but ain't complaining much and usually still get 6-8 hours sleep +

Routine helps, and my night routine I medical and never changes. 9:00 wash and check feet, 9:30 basal injection, 9:45 20g of carbohydrates to prevent hypo.
Usually after the faff of setting up camp,injecting in the dark and trying not to lose testing strips all in my sleeping bag um ready for bed.

I dont believe in medicating yourself to sleep, and I don't drink, but I guess I'm lucky. Insects creep me out and midges can keep you up but being outdoors, exposed or seeing around doesn't bother me. I tent to over sleep camping but I don't race, and enjoy a little lack of routine and just letting my body do what it needs.

Once I slept from 9:30 through till 10:00, and another I stayed up till 1:00 watching the stars and was up 6:00 ready to get riding. Both times I was just as rested and refreshed. On a warm night give me a hammock and you wont get me up in the morning

[giryan]

Yeah, I'm terrible at sleeping but wouldn't consider nytol if I needed to get up and do anything the next day.
Last time I had it I was really fuzzy for most of the day, it wasn't that bad because I was at work but I'd hate to be cycling or anything that required real thought and attention. (there's a reason for the don't operate machinery etc... warnings on it)

[whitestone]

+1 for the "sleep when tired" strategy. In my case this is perhaps better characterised as "keep going until you start making silly mistakes".

I think it was Mike Cudahay when doing his long distance runs who would do something very similar: when he got tired he'd simply find the nearest suitable place to lie down and have a kip then carry on as soon as he woke up however long that would be.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Hopefully this won't make me sound too weird

If I can't sleep, I think about a specific subject. For me, that subject is the buiding of a cabin (I know it sounds odd). I picture what it looks like, what kind of roof will it have? Where will the stove be? Will there be a sleeping loft? etc, etc. I go into some detail about each aspect but usually I'm asleep before I get to the windows or floor.

I suppose it's a bit like counting sheep?

I generaly sleep better under a tarp than I do inside a tent but can struggle in bothies but that often depends who's there and whether their training for the world snoring championships.

[whitestone]

Someone on this year's YD300 said they counted the gates they'd gone through to get them to sleep

[thenorthwind]

Interesting article I came across the other day. Might be worth a try: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... ?CMP=fb_gu

[Ray Young]

I sleep better in a bivi after a ride than I do at home unless I'm either too hot or too cold which is rare these days. My problem when out is getting up early, I set an alarm then when it goes off say bugger it and go back to sleep .