You love camping, spending time in nature and doing outdoor activities. But you dread bed time – you just can’t sleep properly or keep waking up in the middle of the night while inside your tent. Many campers, especially new ones, have experienced this. With a little more experience, a few adjustments and the right sleeping gear, you’ll be sleeping like a baby in no time!

Here are 5 effective ways to sleep easier while camping:

Choose a comfortable spot to set up camp

Where you pitch your tent impacts your comfort while sleeping, especially if you’re prone to physical discomforts. Choose a spot that is flat, preferably over some grass if possible. Be sure to do a sweep and remove rocks, twigs and other debris that will cause you discomforts (and puncture your tent). Feel free to lie down and wiggle around to test the spot and see how it feels.

Pitch your tent near bathroom facilities and be sure to stay away from potentially noisy neighbors.

Buy a high-quality sleeping bag

Having the right sleeping bag will do wonders for your bedtime at camp. It’s important to use a sleeping bag appropriate to the season and weather of your trip. This makes sure that you are warm when needed or not too warm when the temperatures rise.

Invest in a comfortable camping pillow

You may be warm enough, but are you comfortable? Are your head and neck properly supported? You can bring your pillows from home, however, if you need to pack light or you’re going to do some travelling, you’re going to need a lightweight but durable pillow that will give you the comfort and head/neck support you need.

You can choose between a compressible and inflatable outdoor pillow, whichever caters to your personal needs.

Pack some ear plugs

If you’re used to silence to get sleepy, you won’t get that in the woods. Nature is noisier in the real world. Add the noise from your camp neighbors and it won’t really be easy to fall asleep. Bring earplugs or download a white noise machine on your phone to help drown out the noise from the surroundings.

Keep bugs and insects away

You won’t be able to sleep with a constant buzzing in your ear or if you have to keep scratching insect bites. Keep the insects, bugs and mosquitoes away by using citronella, lavender and other bug spray. You can also bring along a mosquito net for extra protection.

Follow these steps to sleep easier while camping, and you’ll fall into a deep, refreshing sleep outdoors from now on!