Sleeping throughout a heatwave is troublesome. Now, think about sleeping in a automotive throughout a heatwave and also you’ll begin to think about how I felt throughout my six nights at Glastonbury Pageant sleeping in a (very properly insulated) campervan.
Being a UK campervan, it’s designed to maintain as a lot warmth in as doable to assist sleepers with the standard chilly nights in England. So, when an unprecedented wave of 30 levels Celcius (86 levels Farenheit) warmth hit the Worthy Farm competition web site, it grew to become a sweltering tin can.
Nonetheless, because the Sleep Options Editor for Tom’s Information, I had a couple of tips up my sleeve to assist me and my husband calm down and get good sleep (nearly as good as it may be at a competition) evening after evening.
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Our Glastonbury Pageant arrange
Whereas I’ve camped in a tent at Glastonbury earlier than and loved it, I used to be extremely grateful to have the chance to borrow my mother-in-law’s van for this yr’s competition.
Contained in the van is a small double mattress, not fairly lengthy sufficient to sleep straight in. Which means you must sleep in your aspect. Except for the driving force’s seat within the entrance, there aren’t any home windows, so airflow may be difficult.
Contemplating the forecast appeared to foretell we had been in for a scorching one, earlier than heading off we stocked up on some high sleep gear to assist us get via the mammoth six nights that had been to come back.
(Picture credit score: Future)
How I beat the warmth and slept at Glastonbury Pageant
Added a contact of luxurious with bamboo bedding and pyjamas
Whereas I used to be anticipating chilly nights just like the final time I attended the competition, I nonetheless introduced bamboo bedding and pyjamas with me as a result of they’ll maintain you heat in addition to cool.
And I am glad I did. Being a pure materials, it is breathable which implies it would not lure warmth like some artificial supplies can. It’s additionally moisture wicking, so it may assist take away sweat out of your physique, preserving you contemporary.
(Picture credit score: Future)
As you may think about, this was a godsend at a competition when showers are restricted. Bamboo additionally has a silky delicate really feel which implies you may nonetheless really feel cozy and cozy at evening with out overheating.
I opted for a Fairly You London pyjama set, and each evening I regarded ahead to slipping into them, having fun with my little little bit of luxurious that helped me get via the remainder of the competition.
Saved cozy with a cooling quilt
My one tip for anybody at a competition is to convey a quilt or comforter should you can. Having the ability to cuddle up with an actual quilt relatively than a slippery sleeping bag is properly value the additional weight to hold in my view.
And also you would possibly suppose that sounds too scorching, however my husband and I made a decision to take our Silentnight Airmax quilt. It is a double layered comforter with mesh panels that enable air to move via it.
So, whereas a lot of the evening I didn’t want any form of cowl, I might nonetheless really feel cozy with out sweating.
Added consolation with a cooling mattress topper
Okay, I do know it feels like I used to be ‘glamping’ at this level, however I’m a Sleep Options Editor in any case.
My husband and I had slept within the van beforehand for an evening or two and located, as aspect sleepers, we each woke within the evening with a lifeless hip due to how agency the mattress was.
So, earlier than Glastonbury, we ordered the Elemuse Twin Layer Three Inch Reminiscence Foam Mattress Topper.
(Picture credit score: Future)
The very best mattress toppers add some cushioning to your mattress with out compromising the help, and that is precisely what the Elemuse did for us.
Whereas reminiscence foam often traps warmth, the Elemuse mattress topper makes use of a gel foam which is best at dissipating warmth and permitting it to switch away from the physique. In reality, Elemuse claims that the topper reduces sweating by 50%.
It definitely didn’t really feel prefer it trapped warmth, and since we had been extra comfy, we weren’t tossing and turning all evening, working up a sweat. The end result? Feeling surprisingly well-rested within the morning.
Closed the van-curtains through the day
We didn’t come again to the van through the day as soon as we had been within the competition, so there was no motive for us to maintain the curtains open. However this additionally meant we couldn’t maintain a door or window open for airflow.
So, our greatest guess was to maintain the van as darkish as doable to attempt to stop a warmth construct up all through the day.
(Picture credit score: Future)
Whereas this didn’t essentially maintain it ‘cool’, it definitely labored to keep away from hovering temperatures.
By the point we returned to the van late at evening, temperatures had dropped somewhat and we weren’t welcomed with a wave of heat air once we opened the door.
My different high ideas for sleeping at festivals
Even with no heatwave, sleeping at a competition can really feel virtually inconceivable. Listed here are a couple of of my high tricks to get high quality relaxation irrespective of the place you might be.
Get a blackout sleep masks
I’ve by no means used a sleep masks earlier than, just because I really like waking as much as pure daylight. Nonetheless, when the solar is rising at 4am and I would solely gotten to mattress a few hours earlier than, I believed it was finest to delay that gentle as a lot as doable!
I used an Olesilk Mulberry Silk Sleep Masks that matches all the way in which across the head and is barely padded to keep away from any strain construct up round your eyes.
Even when it got here off within the evening and I did get up too early, it was by no means far-off and as quickly as I put it again on, I managed to get a pair extra hours of valuable sleep.
Put money into the correct earplugs
I’m an avid competition goer and sleep subsequent to a loud night breathing husband, in order you may think about, earplugs are important.
After utilizing foam earplugs for years, regardless of them hurting and damaging my ears, I needed to make use of a softer, much less disposable choice.
I attempted Loop Quiet 2 earplugs, which had been higher than foam, however they didn’t block sufficient sound to assist me survive Glastonbury.
(Picture credit score: Alpine Silence)
This time, I attempted the Alpine Silence Earplugs and was impressed. They stayed in my ears till the morning and so they blocked a lot sound I used to be blissfully unaware of the chaos that was unfolding round our campsite each evening.
Now, the Alpine choice won’t be just right for you and the Loop would possibly, it’s value attempting a couple of choices so you’ll find the right pair for you.
Sleep in
I by no means lie in and often I would by no means advise anybody to as a constant sleep schedule is essential to high quality relaxation. Even through the weekend, irrespective of how late I’ve gone to mattress, I’ll get up between 7 and 8am.
However this Glastonbury, I pressured myself to sleep for so long as doable within the mornings.
For me, I fear that I’m lacking out on the competition if I’m mendacity in – however realistically, nothing a lot occurs earlier than 12pm anyway. So, relatively than waking up early and ready round in your mates to rise up, it is best to get some extra slumber.
So, skip the alarm and practise some calming respiration workouts that will help you fall again asleep within the morning.
