Camping and outdoor sleeping are fun and exciting but you should be ready for extreme conditions. Learning the best way to stay warm in a sleeping bag will keep you safe and toasty.
Sleeping bag liners, sleeping pads, and bundled-up clothes by your feet will help insulate more. Before you sleep, change to one to two layers of dry clothes. Light exercises and a hot water bottle can add more warmth too. Make sure to eat and sleep before going to bed as well.
Start by getting the right sleeping bags and tents and make sure to use them right. And if all else fails, sleep next to other people and share body warmth.
Understanding Sleeping Bags
Camping out and braving the great outdoors is fun and adventurous. Whether you’re a seasoned or amateur camper, you know how important sleeping bags are.
Of course, no one wants to be uncomfortable throughout the night or wake up cold from the chilly night before. This is where sleeping bags and choosing yours carefully come in handy.
From thousands of choices available in the market to categories and temperature ratings that the average person can’t even begin to understand, more often than not, shopping for them can be confusing.
You will notice three common temperature ratings (based on EN and ISO Lab tests):
Comfort rating
Comfort rating is the temperature at which a cold sleeper might feel comfortable sleeping on a chilly night. This is usually the rating indicated in women’s sleeping bags.
Lower limit rating
The lower limit rating indicates the temperature at which a warm sleeper might feel comfortable. It’s usually used for men’s sleeping bags.
Extreme rating
The extreme rating will tell you how cold the air could reach before causing serious risks to your health like hypothermia.
Best Way to Stay Warm in a Sleeping Bag
Even though you know the temperature ranges of where you’re camping out and bought your sleeping bag with that in mind, you may encounter unexpected temperature dips that could still leave you feeling extra cold.
These tips can help you stay warm in a sleeping bag:
- Use the right sleeping bag
Before you head on to your great outdoor adventure, make sure that you have the right sleeping bag packed.
Choose the appropriate temperature rating based not only on the conditions of where you’re camping but also on what kind of sleeper you are. Do you get cold easily overnight or do you sweat easily even if it’s a bit chilly?
Your sleeping bag should have proper insulation and should be of good quality to help your body trap heat within. It should also be the correct size, length, and width to perfectly accommodate you.
- Use your sleeping bag right
Many sleeping bags available in the market come with special features to enhance warmth like a hood (often with a drawstring) and a draft collar.
Utilize these features and close them around your face as much as possible. This will keep the heat in and the cold air out, keeping you warm through the night. Zip the sleeping bag all the way through as well.
- Wash your sleeping bag before use
A dirty sleeping bag can affect performance. This might be the reason why yours isn’t living up to your expectations.
Before going on your trip, wash the sleeping bag. A well-kept sleeping bag will be able to trap heat better than a dirty and unkept sleeping bag.
- Add sleeping bag liners
If you want to make sure you feel warm and toasty overnight, add a sleeping bag liner for a warm sleeping bag. This will add several degrees of warmth and heat so your body can comfortably rest overnight.
- Insulate from the ground with a sleeping pad
The ground can be cold at night and laying your sleeping bag directly on the ground can reduce heat fast.
A sleeping pad insulates your sleeping bag from the ground. Additionally, they provide comfort for your body as you rest and sleep. Sleeping pads have insulation values as well and the higher the value, the more insulation it provides.
- Wear dry clothes to sleep
After a day of walking and hiking, you might’ve gotten wet from sweat or rain. Damp clothes will cause even more heat loss. Make sure you clean yourself up and change into dry clothes before going to bed.
- Wear the right clothes to sleep
You should also plan appropriate base clothes before you sleep. One or two light layers of base clothes will do. Socks, gloves, hats, or balaclava can also help to keep you warm.
- Eat before sleeping
An hour or so before you sleep, fill your stomach with a sugar and fat-rich meal. Eating right will give your body enough energy to keep itself warm.
However, don’t eat right before bed as your body will use up energy on digestion instead of keeping you warm.
- Pee before going to bed
Pee and empty your bladder right before you sleep. Not doing this will force your body to use up energy to hold your pee in your bladder, wasting precious energy that could’ve gone to keeping you warm.
If you find going out into the cold a hassle, have a pee bottle ready in your tent instead.
- Light exercise before bed
Doing some light exercises before bed will make your body extra warm. Slipping into your sleeping bag right after will trap even more heat inside to keep you warm overnight.
Stick to light exercises like a few jumping jacks or push-ups but don’t overexert yourself to the point that you start sweating. Sweating will counter your efforts.
- Use a hot water bottle
You can achieve a warmer sleeping bag by boiling water and putting it into a hot water-safe bottle. Don’t use regular plastic bottles as they will melt right off. Instead, use an insulated or vacuum bottle like the Nalgene bottle.
Then, wrap the bottle in a sock to protect yourself and your sleeping bag. Place the bottle either near your toes or your core or between your legs.
- Bundle clothes at your feet
The feet can get cold more easily than other parts of the body. You can bundle extra clothes by under your feet to give them more insulation and protection from the cold ground.
- Choose your tent right
Choose a good quality tent that will protect you from the harsh elements of the environment. It should be sturdy and able to keep heat in and the cold air out.
- Let air into your tent
Speaking of tents, do not zip yours up all the way through. Leave a small crack for ventilation. This will keep moisture and condensation at bay and help keep you warmer.
- Rely on warm bodies and body heat
Lastly, if all else fails, sleep next to the friends you came with. Warm bodies next to yours will keep you warm and comfortable through the rest of the night.
Conclusion
Camping and sleeping outdoors is a great big adventure. But because it’s outdoors, you should be prepared and learn the best way to stay warm in a sleeping bag.
First, choose the right sleeping bag and tent and make sure you use them right. Use a sleeping bag liner and a sleeping pad to insulate more. You can also bundle extra clothes by your feet to keep them warm. Change to dry and appropriate base clothes to sleep in. Eat and pee before going to bed. You can even try a few light exercises before bed and use a hot water bottle for that extra heat.
If all else fails, you and your friends you went camping with can sleep next to each other and use each others’ heat.
