The Best Ways To Sleep Comfortably In A Campervan
Campervan road trips are a lot of fun, but the constant call to adventure can be tiring if you don’t get enough rest each evening. If you’re someone who struggles to fall asleep normally, you may find it especially challenging to drift off in a rented campervan.
Reaching a deep slumber on a camping trip is easy enough once you know how to do it. It’s just a matter of making your surroundings feel safe and comfortable. Follow these great tips and tricks to learn how to get a good night’s sleep in your campervan.
Preparing Your Camper For The Evening
A rented campervan may begin as an unfamiliar place but, with a few home comforts, you can turn it into a cozy lounge and bedroom. Extra blankets are a good place to start. Your favorite fluffy blankets can be used to liven up the campervan and keep you warm on cold nights. They are also great to use when snuggling together with friends and family under a starry sky. Even if your rented campervan comes with bedding, it’s best to bring your own pillow. It’s easier to fall asleep using a pillow you’re already comfortable with than risk staying up all night struggling with a lumpy cushion.
If you’re expecting hot weather then definitely bring a fan to keep you cool enough for a restful sleep. Adversely, on very cold nights you may be grateful for a spare comforter. A string of battery-powered fairy lights placed around your campervan will produce the perfect amount of evening light. These are dimmer than your vehicle lights and will help you mentally make the switch between daytime and nighttime.
If you’re traveling with children who don’t like the dark, give them a small battery-powered nightlight. Kids can get colder at night than adults. When camping in low temperatures, children may need an extra sleeping bag or comforter.
It’s easy to get a good night’s sleep in a truck camper. They can be even better than full-size campervans, as you can reach more secluded destinations. Ensure your mattress (regular or inflatable) fits neatly inside your vehicle. When sleeping on an inflatable bed, place a large comforter underneath you for added comfort. Cover the windows for privacy and to block out any light. You can also string up fairy lights across the ceiling of your truck camper to create a calm, evening atmosphere.
Top 8 Tips To Help You Sleep In A Campervan
Discover the easiest ways to get a good night’s sleep in a campervan!
- Take Evening Showers: If you are staying at a campground with showers, use them. It’s much easier to have a comfortable sleep after the day’s dust and grime have been washed away.
- Block The Dawn Sunlight: The day begins early in the summer, but there’s no need for you to wake up at the crack of dawn. Cover the windows with curtains or reflective foil to block out the light and place an insulated screen over your campervan’s windshield. If you’re still affected by the light, consider wearing a soft eye mask.
- Ventilate Your Vehicle: It’s hard to sleep in a stuffy space. Keep at least a couple of windows cracked to allow fresh air to enter your camper as you sleep.
- Air Out Your Bedding: After sweaty summer nights, your comforter will benefit from being aired in the morning. Dry your bedding in the sun or wind before folding it away for the following night.
- Get Motion-Activated Bathroom Lights: Place dim automatic lights inside your campervan bathroom to avoid waking your fellow campers with the harsh bathroom lights.
- Use Air Freshener: Buy a can of air freshener to keep the campervan smelling sweet while multiple people deal with the summer heat. These great cans are filled with scented oils and waxes that slowly diffuse aromatic smells throughout your camper.
- Generate White Noise: If you don’t have the hum of a fan or calming sounds to help you sleep, play white noise on your phone to calm your mind. Don’t enjoy white noise? Then try putting on a podcast or audiobook to drift off to.
- Try Melatonin Sleep Aid: Humans automatically produce a hormone called melatonin to help us sleep when it gets dark. If you really struggle to fall asleep in a campervan, you can try taking a melatonin supplement before bed. These are available over the counter in most pharmacies.
Take Advantage Of Your Natural Surroundings
Let the sound of the ocean waves rocking against the shoreline lull you into a deep and restful sleep. Listen as the wind slides between the trees while you camp in the heart of the pine woods. Stay cool as the chilly desert winds wash over you after a long day of hiking under the scorching sun. A campervan trip gives you the freedom to journey into nature. Use this to your advantage, let the sounds of nature guide you towards a peaceful rest.
One of the best ways to fall asleep in a campervan is to fill the day with as many activities as you can manage. Visit fascinating places, hike along challenging trails, surf and swim on sandy beaches. Pack your vacation with things to do so that, at the end of each day, you’re ready to fall fast asleep. If you aren’t tired out by the evening, then take a gentle nighttime stroll under the kaleidoscope of stars to burn off the last of the day’s energy.
Always ensure that you sleep in a safe environment, such as an official, secure campsite, or a designated wilderness/dispersed camping zone. Getting a good night’s rest is difficult if you feel unsafe in your bed. When camping outside of a paved campground, find somewhere flat to park. Sleeping on the uneven ground causes discomfort as you slide around in your bed.
Adventurer By Day, Deep Sleeper By Night!
We hope you have memorable days and peaceful nights in our comfortable and affordable campervans. Own your own camper? Learn how you can earn passive income by renting it out to fellow travelers.
Stop by next Wednesday for our guide to the best surfing spots on the California coastline!
