Tips for Sleeping Warm in the Outdoors

Sleeping warm is one factor that can make or break an outdoor adventure. The body cools down during sleep and blood is drawn from the hands and feet to the center or core of the body, so proper insulation is necessary to prevent heat loss.

 Bring an outdoor rated sleeping bag. An indoor sleeping bag or slumber bag will not provide the warmth and comfort of a sleeping bag designed for outdoor use as they are typically not weatherproof and not intended for outdoor use.

 Put something under your sleeping bag. Whether on the ground or on a mattress in a cabin, place a good insulating pad or wool blanket under your sleeping bag. Your sleeping bag's insulation will be compressed by your body weight, providing little insulation below you. Adding a layer of insulation with a sleeping pad or blanket will add warmth.

 Put something over your sleeping bag. Add another layer of insulation with a fleece or wool blanket (no cotton) over your sleeping bag.

 Shake up your bag. Whatever type of insulation is in your sleeping bag, it will be compressed from packing. Shake it up to redistribute the insulation before you get in the bag. In the morning loosely roll or fold your bag to help keep moisture from the air out of your sleeping bag.

 Keep your nose and mouth outside your sleeping bag. Your breath contains a great deal of moisture that will make your bag and clothing damp. To keep your face warm, wear a balaclava or wrap a scarf around your face.

 Change all of your clothing before going to bed. The clothes you wore all day will be damp and cold. If you wear them to bed you’ll have to warm your cold damp clothes up before you can get warm. A good night’s sleep is well worth enduring the few minutes of cold it takes to strip down and redress in dry clothes.

 Wear a stocking hat to bed; you lose body heat through your head. Have one hat for day use and another dry knit hat for sleeping.

 Fuel the fire. Calories are a unit of heat, without them the furnace won’t burn hot. Staying warm is just like keeping a fire burning. Slow burning fatty and protein snacks are better than refined sugars or caffeine. Your body will also need lots of water to help digest food and stay hydrated.

 Drink less just before bedtime and remember to go to the bathroom before you change into your dry clothes for bed. If you need to visit the bathroom during the night, just GET UP and GO. Keep your flashlight, coat and boots handy. When you get back to bed, taking a small sip of water will help you fall back to sleep faster.

 Go to bed warm. Warm up by taking a brief walk or doing a few jumping jacks or pushups – just enough to warm you up but before you start sweating. If you wrap a frozen salmon in a sleeping bag, will it stay frozen? Yes, because your sleeping bag will insulate cold or heat, just like a Thermos.

 Place the clothes you’ll be wearing the next day nearby. In your sleeping bag or under your sleeping bag, your clothes will provide extra insulation while you sleep and be warm and ready for you to dress quickly and comfortably in the morning.

To Stay Warm outdoors, think C.O.L.D.

C – Cover Make sure to cover your head, neck and hands. Your body sends more heat to your head in an effort to protect the brain, so keep the heat in by covering your head. Designate one hat for sleeping and a second hat for day use. Gloves or mittens and scarves made of wool or synthetics are best. O – Avoid Overheating When your body gets overheated you will begin to sweat, causing your clothing to become wet with perspiration. Moisture that remains in your clothing quickly conducts body heat away from your body. L – Dress in Loose Layers Dress in loose fitting layers of clothing. The advantage to layering is that it allows you to simply add or remove layers based on your physical activity and changes in the weather. Add layers of clothing if you become cold and remove layers if your body begins to overheat. Air space between the loose layers of your clothing will also help insulate you from the cold weather. Read below for more tips on layering. D – Stay Dry Keeping dry is critical to staying warm. Clothing must stay dry, not just from the outside in, but from the inside out. Items of clothing that dry quickly or wick moisture away from the skin are good choices to help you stay dry. Wearing cotton or other moisture-retaining fabrics puts you at risk for serious heat loss.

When dressing in Layers remember the three W’s Each layer plays a part in keeping you warm. The “Wicking” or base layer keeps your body comfortable and dry by managing moisture; the “Warmth” or insulating layer keeps the body warm; the “Weather Protection” or shell layer protects the body from wind and rain. Wicking or Base Layer is the layer next to your skin. This layer helps regulate your body temperature and moves moisture away from your skin. Base layers tend to be thin with the ability to wick moisture. The best fabrics for base layers are wool or synthetic fabrics such as polyester, WEATHER polypropylene. Avoid cotton as a base layer; when cotton gets PROTECTION LAYER wet, it stays wet. Wet clothing makes you cold. WARMTH LAYER Warmth or Insulating Layer keeps you warm by retaining heat and trapping air close to your body. Insulating layers should be somewhat loose fitting to provide an air gap. Good choices for WICKING LAYER insulating layers are those made of fleece, wool and synthetics (such as polyester or acrylic). Have as many insulating layers as you need. Weather Protection or Shell Layer repels wind, rain and snow. This is the layer that protects you and your inner layers from the elements of nature. The best shell layers are wind proof and water proof. Your shell layer should be roomy enough to fit easily over other layers.