Ah, fall. It’s a time for exploring nature, playing in the leaves, laughing, and sleeping under the stars. There’s nothing more quintessentially fall than spending a night outdoors, and we’re here to tell you that you can still get a good night’s sleep doing it!
Whether you’re going on an epic solo-backpacking trip, car camping with your family, or just pitching a tent in the backyard, there are some important things you won’t want to forget. A few practical items and some self-care necessities are all you need for having a successful and restful evening under the stars. Here are our top ten tools for getting a good night’s sleep outside:
1. A sleeping pad. Laying directly on the ground is uncomfortable! If you don’t want to spend the whole night tossing and turning on the hard earth, then you’re going to need a sleeping pad. This one from REI is self-inflating so it’s easy to set up, and this one from Backcountry is great for longer trips as it packs down to just the size of a water bottle.
2. A pillow. The most often forgotten item for campers, a pillow will make all the difference when you lay your head down to sleep at night. Sleeping outdoors is no fun if you wake up with pain in your neck, so don’t forget this important item! We love this super comfy and breathable GOTS organic cotton pillow from Avocado Mattress.
3. The sleeping bag. If you’re camping in the mountains, nights can get cool even in the summer, so be sure to bring an insulated sleeping bag for keeping cozy and warm all night long. Cotopaxi makes fun colorblocked sleeping bags from 100% recycled materials, including recycled polyester and llama. We like their lightweight sleeping bag, but they also make one that’s a bit more insulated if you plan on using it in cooler weather.
4. Pitch a tent. Your tent is your shelter, so you’ll want something sturdy and enjoyable to hang out in. If you’re camping solo or as a pair, you’ll love these two-pole tents from The Earth Ship because they’re easy to set up and have plenty of windows for catching the view. The Earth Ship makes all of their tents out of recycled materials and they plant 10 trees for each tent sold. Outdoor Life has a list of the best family-size tents for camping with the whole crew, too.
5. A hot cup of tea to lull you to sleep. Sitting around the campfire and warming yourself with a hot beverage is the ultimate before-bed relaxation. As you warm your toes and stare up at the night sky, sip on something a little less sweet than hot cocoa so you can have a restful night’s sleep without the sugar. This Yogi Bedtime Tea is packed full of soothing and supporting herbs like chamomile, lavender, and passionflower that help put you gently to sleep.
6. CBD sleep STIK. This is another gentle herbal support for a restful night’s sleep. With lemon balm and CBD Wellness, HOLISTIK’s sleep STIK can help you get some shuteye so your body can rest and repair itself from the day’s work. CBD is perfect for enjoying outdoors because it is gentle and works naturally with your Endocannabinoid System to balance and soothe your body rather than making you overwhelmingly tired.
7. Insulated water bottle. Whether you’re enjoying hot tea out or just keeping hydrated, you’re going to need a reusable and durable bottle to hold your liquids while you’re out in nature. This insulated bottle with pour cap from Klean Kanteen is perfect for both hot and cold beverages and it has plenty of space to hold enough for the whole family.
8. Comfy clothes for sleeping. Sleeping under the stars is an incredible experience, made even more fun by a particularly cozy set of pajamas or loungewear for inside the tent. We love these sweatpants and sporty shorts from Everybody World because they are made from soft, 100% recycled cotton and come in a couple of awesome colors.
9. A camp blanket. A multi-use blanket can come in handy when camping. Use this cute camp blanket as a way of keeping warm around the fire, over your sleeping bag on chilly mornings, or folded up beneath you as an additional buffer for your sleeping pad. This blanket is cute, versatile, and it does good because the company donates one blanket to a homeless shelter for each one sold.
10. Solar powered lamp. Without electricity in your tent, you’ll need to rely on alternative forms of power for lighting. We love the solar-powered Luci lanterns from Mpowered because they are compact, light, portable, and completely powered by the sun! Just leave it outside your tent during the day and enjoy it’s soft warm glow all evening.
In Conclusion
If you’re properly prepared, camping can be a fun adventure for anyone to enjoy! Just remember to bring those creature comforts so you can get the most out of your experience sleeping under the stars.
