Sleeping outdoors during wintertime

What clothes do you wear when sleeping?

– Some people say that you should basically sleep naked in a sleeping bag, but that’s not something I recommend… I usually wear a warmer base layer, maybe a thin down jacket or a vest if it’s very cold. I wait to change until the last possible moment, so the sleep base layer is as dry as possible.

– A hat is super important! Mittens, on the other hand, are optional. I sleep without, but others might prefer to sleep with a thin mitten on. Then I have my secret socks, the sleeping socks, which never see day light. I only wear them inside the sleeping bag. I have a system for longer tours, both summer and winter where I use three pairs of socks: a set of skiing or hiking socks, a pair of camp socks that I change into when I arrive, and my sleeping socks. If I have to get up to pee in the middle of the night, I take off my sleeping socks to always keep them dry. That works well for me. And it’s also a good prevention for trench foot.

Then I have my secret socks, the sleeping socks, which never see day light. I only wear them inside the sleeping bag.

Do you do anything special, besides changing clothes, before you crawl into the sleeping bag?

– Yes, it’s important to make sure you’re warm when you go to bed! The sleeping bag isn’t warm on its own, it just insulates. If you crawl in cold and damp, you’ll be cold. To generate heat, I run a bit or do sit-ups.

– I got it explained to me so well from a former colleague that you should make sure to have a fire within you. You should have eaten properly so there is energy to take from. You start your fire with small sticks, carbohydrates, continue with larger branches, protein, and to stay warm all night, a big log, that’s the fat. So either I eat a substantial late dinner or an early dinner and a snack in the evening. It could be a sandwich and a warm cup of chocolate. Energy is incredibly important to avoid freezing.

– Water is also important, but especially cold water can be hard to drink in winter. It has happened twice actually that I have been lying in my sleeping bag shivering, and not able to sleep. Finally I sat up and took a few sips of water, then I could sleep well without freezing. You just have to be careful not to drink too much too late, otherwise, you have to get up to pee during the night. But if you do wake up in the middle of the night and need to pee, it’s much better to get up than to lie there tossing and turning.

Do you have any other tips for a good night’s sleep outdoors?

– Yes, boil water in the evening and pour it into two half-liter Nalgene bottles. I put them in my secret socks until it’s time to go to bed, then into the sleeping bag. That way I have two mini heaters during the night, one at my feet and one at my torso. But make sure they are screwed on tightly…

– They have a double function because in the morning I have a liter of water I can start drinking right away. It’s a good start to the day’s water intake. And a bonus tip: I refill the Nalgene bottles in the morning with hot water, and put one in each ski boot to warm them up a bit before I put them on. It’s hard to put on stiff, frozen boots.

– Another tip for sleeping well is to prepare the campsite in the evening. I go around and check that everything is secured, all lines are tight, and that there are no loose items anywhere. That the pulka is next to the tent in a place I can find it even if it snows heavily during the night. I make sure that camp shoes and boots are not left unprotected in the outer-tent, in case snow drifts in. If it picks up wind during the night, I know I have secured everything and can sleep peacefully. In general, I always pretend that the wind could come at any time. That way I practice a behavior that will help me the day the storm actually arrives.

Interview and text: Cathrin Larsson