Day-to-day tasks and responsibilities can easily leave you feeling overwhelmed. That’s why it’s important to regularly take the time to rest and focus on your mental well-being.
One of the ways you can do that is by hammocking. With each gentle sway, this quintessential summertime activity will help you relax and relieve stress outdoors. Whether your preferred form of self-care involves chilling in your backyard with a book or embarking on a new backpacking adventure, you can easily adapt your hammock for use in all kinds of locations.
Take a moment on your lunch break or on the weekend to spend some time in a hammock, and you’ll find that it provides you with several benefits that can help improve your mental health.
How Can Hammocking Improve Your Mental Health?
Check out five of the benefits of sleeping in a hammock:
It’s a relaxation outlet. As you swing in your hammock, the movement engages your vestibular system. Along with helping with balance, this system plays a role in emotional regulation. You’ll begin to feel calm and at peace with the gentle swaying movement.
Hammocks help you sleep better. In the same way, hammocking can also help you get a better night’s sleep. The rocking motion is soothing and encourages you to relax and drift off. Plus, the comfortable, supportive design will help you wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
Sleeping in a hammock improves concentration. When you get a good night’s sleep and plenty of rest, you’re able to concentrate much better. Taking the time to decompress and drift off in your hammock will help you focus and be more productive in your school, work, or daily tasks.
You can connect with others. While hammocking can be an activity you enjoy in solitude, you can also do it with your friends and family. Hammocking in a group allows you to relax and connect with others out in nature.
It’s a form of self-care. Hammocking allows you to take some time for yourself and practice self-care. Treating yourself to a few uninterrupted moments swaying in your hammock allows you to unwind and focus on being in the present. Practicing regular self-care helps encourage positive mental wellness.
Ready to Start Experiencing the Benefits of Hammocking?
When you have your own hammock, you can experience the positive benefits any time of the day. Whether you are planning on camping in your hammock or just hanging out in your backyard with it, we have the perfect hammock for you here at DutchWare.
Our quality hammocks are all made using a minimalist approach. The finished result is a hammock that is ultra-light, innovative, and easy to use. Whether you’re looking for a netless, netted or two-person hammock, you’ll find exactly what you need at DutchWare.
Have any questions or want to learn more about our hammocks? Reach out today so we can help you find the right fit and start experiencing the many benefits of swaying and sleeping in a hammock.
Backpacking is a uniquely invigorating way to reconnect with nature — and with yourself. Those who wander the trail for a time often find themselves able to think more clearly when freed from the noise of their normal, busy home lives. Whether you’re backpacking solo or with others, something about the fresh air and physical push beyond your comfort zone enables you to clear any cobwebs from your mind.
Make the most of this beautiful backpacking benefit. Keeping track of your adventure in written form will help you to remember the little details and reflect on what you’re thinking and feeling. Savor your backpacking experience to the utmost with these five travel journal prompts.
1. Close Your Eyes and Describe Your Surroundings
This journal prompt is one way to engage your other senses. When it comes to backpacking, our eyes are obviously on full alert and soaking in every sight around. But there’s a world that often goes unnoticed when it comes to the scents, sounds, and feel of the trail. Close your eyes and let your other senses take the driver’s seat — record whatever you notice about your surroundings.
2. Describe a View That Took Your Breath Away
Is there a particular sight from your backpacking experience so far that’s been particularly stunning? It might have been the picturesque overlook you were hiking toward, or you might have found an unexpected view when you turned a corner and found a glacier lying beneath you. Whatever the moment, write about it in as much detail as possible — or even try to sketch it — so you can bring the scene to life when you reread it later.
3. Write About a Moment You Won’t Forget
Life is made up of a long, winding series of moments we deem unforgettable — yet when they’re all stacked on top of each other, little moments can slip to the sidelines over time. Turn these moments into memories with this journal prompt. Whether it was the moose you stumbled a little too close to, the sound of the owls as you lay in your sleeping bag, or the feeling when you summited the peak, bring it to life through your journal.
4. Write About an Unexpected Item You’re Glad You Brought — and One You Wish You’d Remembered
Write about an item that became the unexpected hero of the trip and something you wish you’d had with you. How did this item save the day? How would the missing item have come in handy — and how did you creatively troubleshoot its absence? Don’t forget to reread this journal entry when you pack for the next backpacking expedition.
5. Describe Something That Surprised You About This Hike
Here, you’ll have the chance to reflect on your expectations and experience for your backpacking trip. The question is broad enough to let you fill in the blanks. It could be a positive surprise or a negative one — something practical or something philosophical. Unpack your time in nature by focusing on a key takeaway that you weren’t expecting.
Get Ready for an Unforgettable Backpacking Adventure With Dutchware
At Dutchware, our lightweight and easy to use hammocks and equipment for DIY gear-making give you the highest quality at the utmost convenience for your adventure. Don’t forget to pack a journal to make the most of your experience with these writing prompts! Browse our gear selection today.
The Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail and the Appalachian Trail make up the “Triple Crown” of thru-hiking. As a first-time thru-hiker, it can be overwhelming to think about completing a 2,000-mile or 3,000-mile hike. How many miles should you hike each day?
The key to thru-hiking for beginners is to pace yourself. During the first days and weeks, plan to hike shorter distances, then work your way up as you gain experience — plan plenty of zero-mileage days in town for much-needed rest.
Check out our ultimate mileage cheat sheet for planning your AT, PCT or CDT thru-hike. We explain what conditions to expect at the start of each trail and how many miles per day to hike in the first few weeks of your journey.
The Appalachian Trail: What to Expect
More than 3,000 hikers attempt to thru-hike The Appalachian Trail each year. Daily encounters with hikers, multiple shelters and rustic privys make the Appalachian Trail a perfect thru-hike for a beginner.
Starting Conditions: The steep approach trail to Springer Mountain adds eight miles to your first day’s mileage. If you’re starting in the spring, be prepared for any weather, including drops in temperature and thunderstorms.
Mileage Goals: Start with averaging eight to 10 miles a day. In Georgia, take your time to avoid injury and give your body a chance to adjust. You can gradually increase to 15 to 20 miles per day when you enter North Carolina.
The Pacific Crest Trail: What to Expect
Designated as a National Scenic Trail in 1968, the Pacific Crest Trail has gained in popularity over the years, in part due to Cheryl Strayed’s memoir “Wild.” You’ll encounter diverse and beautiful landscapes, from the Mojave desert to the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas.
Northbound Start Point: United States-Mexico border near Campo, California
Northbound End Point: United States-Canada border near Manning Park, Washington
Total Miles:2,653
Starting Conditions: The start of the PCT is notorious — 700 miles of desert with rough elevation gains. You’ll spend the first few weeks trekking up and down desert peaks and valleys. The trail can stretch as far as 25 miles without a water source, so err on the side of carrying too much water (about two gallons).
Mileage Goals: Try for eight miles a day for the first week or so. Unless you live in a desert climate, you’ll need to get used to the 100-degree Fahrenheit temperatures. Monitor your water supply and test how much water you can carry in your pack at one time. After a few weeks, you can increase your mileage to 15 to 20 miles per day.
The Continental Divide Trail: What to Expect
The CDT is known for being remote, wild and unfinished. It’s recommended for more experienced hikers, but with planning, maps and a hiking buddy or two, you can accomplish this feat regardless of skill level.
Northbound Start Point: United States-Mexico border near Hachita, New Mexico
Northbound End Point: United States-Canada border near Glacier National Park, Montana
Total Miles:3,100
Starting Conditions: Depending on when you begin, you’ll encounter moderately hot temperatures and intense New Mexico sunshine. The trail begins on easy, relatively flat land — perfect for getting your bearings.
Mileage Goals: Aim for eight miles a day at the start. Keep an eye on your water supply and how many miles until the next water cache. Gradually increase your distance per day to 15 to 20 miles or more.
Camping is one of the best ways to truly appreciate the beauty and serenity of the great outdoors. Laying under the stars surrounded by the sounds of nature is the perfect way to fall asleep. As any adventure enthusiast knows, getting a comfortable night’s rest can be difficult without the right backpacking and camping materials.
The team at Dutchware knows how important comfort and convenience are during your trip. We’ve even provided tips for sleeping comfortably in a hammock. We believe that all travelers should learn about the benefits of sleeping in a hammock so they can maximize their enjoyment.
There are many reasons to sleep in a hammock — perhaps the most significant is that certain hammock styles provide advantages that deliver a restful experience no matter where your journeys take you.
Although it might not be the first thing that comes to mind, air circulation is highly important when you sleep, especially if you’re camping. Trust us — once you’ve spent a night in a hammock, you’ll never want to sleep in a muggy tent again!
We explore the great outdoors to connect with nature, and it may come as no surprise to learn that simply inhaling the fresh air that our green spaces create is enough to positively impact our well-being.
Fresh air aids our digestive system, improves our cardiovascular health, brightens our mood, strengthens our immune system, cleans our lungs and improves our cognition and energy levels. Lounging and sleeping in a hammock allows you to surround yourself with this fresh air all night long.
Ventilation is another concern that you won’t have to worry about when sleeping in an open hammock, or a bugnet or netless hammock — versus one with a top cover.
Hammock sleeping keeps your body dry and off the ground — but air circulating under you can make you feel colder quicker, which you might know as Cold Butt Syndrome (CBS). This is where an under quilt can keep your bum toasty.
But for hot summer nights, with air free to circulate around your hammock, your body can easily stay dry and cool with breathable hammock fabrics. These fabrics prevent moisture from building up while you sleep. Sweat and condensation are whisked off your body and the hammock alike, which helps regulate your body temperature and keeps your sleeping quarters dry.
Believe it or not, the way you choose to fall asleep at night has an effect on your quality of sleep.
You may sleep in one or more of these positions throughout the night: on your back, on your stomach, on your side or in the fetal position. Although these positions are chosen based on personal preference, each of them impacts everybody’s body in the same ways. Stomach sleeping is considered the least desirable position because it does not keep the spine in a neutral position and places pressure on muscles and joints. The fetal position is also unfavorable because it restricts diaphragm breathing and strains your back and hips.
Side sleeping is a better position for your body because it elongates your spine and keeps your airways open. But sleeping on your back is the best way because it keeps the spine, neck and head in natural positions. This can help relieve back or neck pain and reduce acid reflux. Compare that to stomach sleeping, in which your neck is turned at a 90-degree angle and your stomach contents may get worked up into your esophagus. It’s easy to see why back positions are the best.
The best sleep for your body keeps your spine in a natural alignment throughout the night. If possible, keeping your head elevated is also very beneficial. While you could achieve this with a sleeping bag, you run the risk of reverting back to your normal position overnight. Hammocks allow you to comfortably sleep on your back with your head elevated. Your spine will stay aligned and prevent pressure on your bones.
When we think about getting a good night’s rest, many people often associate “quantity” of sleep with “quality” of sleep.
Sleeping in on the weekend or catching up on sleep may seem like a way to feel more rested, but our actual quality of sleep relies on our sleep cycles. There are five different sleep stages that can be separated into two categories: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM. As you sleep, your brain moves through all five stages throughout the night.
The initial sleep stage is very light and only lasts for a few minutes. As you transition into the second stage, your brain waves continue to slow down. The third and fourth stages of sleep are considered deep sleep because your eye and muscle activity stops. These stages help the body heal and build up energy. Within 90 minutes, the body enters the REM stage, which can last as long as an hour. You’ll enter this stage multiple times each night as the brain processes and stores information.
Your body needs to naturally progress through these cycles over the course of the night. Unfortunately, many people find that their sleep cycles are interrupted throughout the night. These disturbances cause more than just feeling tired in the morning — they can negatively affect your physical and mental health. A failure to successfully move through the sleep cycles can slow your reflexes, decrease your ability to retain knowledge, cause moodiness, and prevent your body from removing harmful toxins. The constant resetting of the sleep cycle prevents deep sleep.
When you consider the many benefits of sleeping in a hammock, it’s not difficult to see how the hammock’s design naturally helps people achieve and sustain a deeper sleep. Stretching out in a hammock allows you to keep your body in the perfect position for maximum bodily comfort. With an aligned spine and elevated head, you keep pressure off your joints, relax your muscles and enable your body to comfortably settle down for the night.
Studies are also lending support to the idea that the swaying motion of a hammock encourages a faster transition into sleep. Not only is sleep induced in these conditions but it is also sustained. The motion may help increase the duration of the second sleep stage, which is typically the stage of the cycle we spend approximately half of our night in. As research identifies the ways brain waves react to the swaying motion while moving through the sleep cycle, hammock sleeping may help mitigate sleeping disorders.
While some men and women need a comfortable space to feel well-rested through the night, there are many others who suffer from insomnia that prevents them from getting the sleep they need. As many as 40 million people experience insomnia, which is the most common sleep disorder in the country.
Insomnia is more than just occasional sleeplessness — it can last for days or even weeks at a time. Acute and chronic insomnia may be caused by depression, anxiety, food or drink consumption, unhealthy lifestyle habits or other issues.
Sleeping in a hammock can potentially benefit those who suffer from insomnia. Research conducted in a variety of studies suggests that the swaying motion of a hammock can help the body fall into a deep sleep faster. They parallel this idea with the success many parents have while rocking their babies to sleep. Men and women are undergoing tests to see if the swaying motion can lead to longer periods of sleep and potential treatments for those diagnosed with insomnia.
The key element seems to be the changes in brain activity experienced when a person is attempting to fall asleep while being gently rocked by a hammock. Of the five different sleep stages, swaying is thought to increase the length of the second stage, in which we spend nearly half of our sleep cycle. This motion also increases the number of “sleep spindles,” which are associated with the brain trying to keep the sleep cycle calm during the presence of distractions like external noise.
Though further testing is required, many individuals reported positive results after sleeping in a hammock. One study concluded that hammock sleeping may be a potential cure for some cases of insomnia. While every individual’s experience with insomnia differs, evidence points to hammock sleeping improving the quality and length of sleep for all sleepers, including those diagnosed with sleeping disorders.
If you’re an avid tent camper, you likely understand the struggle of sleeping on cold, wet ground all night. Plus, if you don’t have many options for location, you could find yourself on rough and bumpy terrain. This isn’t the ideal way to snuggle up while camping, especially after a long day of hiking.
Hammocks eliminate these problems, elevating you off the ground for comfortable and high-quality sleep. Since a hammock relieves some of the pressure on your spine, you’ll likely experience a more restful and rejuvenating snooze, preparing you for another day of breathtaking views.
After a long day, all you want to do is put your feet up and relax. Before you do that, however, you’ll have to set up your hammock. Luckily, one of the significant benefits of sleeping in a hammock is the little time it takes to start hanging!
Most hammocks come with convenient instructions, which usually start with finding the perfect set of trees. Once that’s done, all you have to do is tie your tree-safe straps to the trees, clip in your hammock, and secure any tarps or quilts you want to use. Once it’s secure, you’ll be ready to hop in and sway yourself to sleep in no time.
Remember that you should aim to hang your hammock at a 30-degree angle and no more than 18 inches off the ground for the most comfortable and safe use.
Reap The Benefits Of Sleeping In A Hammock With Hammocks From Dutchware
Your time outdoors should be exciting, amusing and memorable. Unfortunately, a poor night’s sleep can make you feel groggy, irritable and fatigued when you should be having fun. Make sure you have the best sleep possible with a hammock from Dutchware. We offer reliable hammocks made from high-quality materials that provide the comfort you need for a peaceful night sleeping under the stars. These lightweight backpacking hammocks are ideal for short weekend trips to the campground and long treks where campsites may be sparse.
Ready to experience the best sleep you’ve ever had while camping? Contact our team at Dutchware and we’ll help you select the hammock that caters to your outdoor lifestyle.
