Go camping, sleep better - Allen Macartney

 Jessica Thomas

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After spending my first ODE camping trip on a sleeping mat and a sleeping bag, many people didn’t find it too comfortable. I thought I would read up on an article about how to improve your sleeping experience while camping. 

In this article, it describes the impact of artificial light on your sleeping habits. Things such as flashlights, cell phones, computer screens and TVs cause the natural chemical production of melatonin in our bodies to be reduced. Melatonin is what helps our bodies fall asleep and wake up refreshed and brightened. By reducing the use of flashlights and cell phones a few hours before sleeping, it can help us to fall asleep faster and wake up refreshed. 

This article helped me realize that using flashlights so often before bed on our hiking trip could have affected our rest. It said that studies were shown about people who didn’t use artificial lights before bed slept better. I think now, especially on camping trips, but even at home I will start to reduce my use of technology and artificial lighting before bed each night to become more refreshed in the morning. 

Allen Macartney, “Go camping, sleep better”, Ottawa Outdoors, Dave Brown,    Published: September 25th 2013,http://www.ottawaoutdoors.ca/#!pastmagazines/c1diw