A good nights sleep while camping allows you to wake up in the morning, feeling fresh and ready for all the fun to come and all the parenting joy camping brings! But getting a good nights sleep can be challenging when camping. Here are our top 5 sleeping tips for camping to get your cosy and enjoy your night.
1. Choose the right tent size
Tent size is the first and foremost element when it comes to comfort in camping sleep. Sleeping side by side with your family will be more enjoyable if you can turn around without nudging each other.
Your tent should be large enough to fit one more person than you have(ie. a family of 4 would be more comfortable in a 5 person tent, especially as children grow bigger!).
Also, a tent that is too small can come with bad ventilation, which equals condensation, discomfort and disturbed camping sleep. And do not forget all your stuff such as bags and shoes. They need some space, too. So consider a slightly larger tent or one with additional space or area. Side mesh side storage pockets to stash small items are a great feature to look for in your tent.
Ideally, your tent should come with good insect screens and built-in sheet underneath to keep insects from invading your tent and bothering you when you are trying to fall asleep.
Pay attention to the number of windows and doors too. They really help out with the ventilation inside the tent and help you sleep better.
2. Choose the right place to pitch your tent
Location, location, location. Places with a beautiful view such as a trickling stream or lake certainly are lovely. However, they are also very humid and insects tend to gather there a lot. The relaxing, trickling sound could also be very annoying at night and disturb your camping sleep.
Try to pitch your tent on level ground for a comfortable sleep. If that’s not possible, make sure your head is pointed up-hill to avoid an uncomfortable headache all night.
3. Bring Earplugs for your best camping sleep!
Earplugs are a godsend if you are a light sleeper. We love earplugs that block out just enough ambient noise such as wind or waves, but you can still hear people talking (such as your child needing you in the middle of the night). These earplugs are tried and tested and provide just the right level of noise canceling whilst still being soft for side-sleeping. 
4. Choose your sleeping mat and bedding carefully
The right sleeping mat or mattress should be comfortable for you and keep you warm through the night. This is a very personal choice and something that will be very different for an adult compared to a child. Of course your budget will often dictate some of your choices on bedding, so do the best for your budget and research well. Read reviews and ask your friends about their experiences.
If you are camping in both summer and winter, but can only afford one sleeping bag, treat yourself to a cozy sleeping bag and adjust your clothing when the weather is warmer. It’s much easier to throw off layers when it is warm than to try to get warm with an inadequate sleeping bag on a cold night!
5. Full Bellys and Empty Bladders!
There’s nothing that will kill your nights sleep quicker than a midnight run with a kid to do a wee! So, make sure everyone has a visit to the toilet before bed and their tummies are full of food too! Having water bottles handy for night time thirsts are also a great idea.
