The excitement of exploring foreign streets. The delight of discovering new cuisine. The novelty of waking up to see a completely different view outside of the window than the one we’re accustomed to. Here at Cruise America, we think that travel is the best escape from our fast-paced, overworked lives. And usually, we are so tuckered out from our day of adventuring that we fall into bed and immediately drift off to sleep. But for some people, sleeping anywhere but their usual beds doesn’t come easily.  

Our team travels all over the U.S. and Canada in RV rentals and we’ve picked up some solid sleeping trips for camping along the way. 

Assemble a “Sweet Dreams” Kit

You know how it is – you pack your suitcase at the beginning of the journey and everything has a place and is meticulously organized. Five minutes into your trip, it looks like someone ransacked the place, with not even a hint of organization in sight! When you’re tired and the time comes to sleep, the last thing you want to do is have to go searching through your stuff to find your PJs and eye mask. Enter: the “sweet dreams” kit. Have a baggie of sleep-related things that you keep together in a specific pocket of your suitcase or cupboard of your camper rental. It should contain all the things you’ll need to catch some ZZZs:
•    Ear plugs
•    Eye mask (consider getting a weighted one – for reals, they’re amazing)
•    Fuzzy socks (OK, they don’t have to be fuzzy, but at least make sure they’re comfy and that they are long             enough to not let cold air go up your pajama pants)
•    Light blanket
•    Melatonin or other sleep aid (taken under doctor’s direction)
•    Lavender pillow mist

Warm Drinks

Drinking something warm, particularly chamomile tea, can help your body relax enough to sleep and can warm you up on chilly nights. 

 

Be Choosy with Your RV Campsite

Most campsites have quiet hours after 10 p.m. and we’ve found that the majority of campsite hosts are good at enforcing this. But if you find that you’re still struggling with noise during the night hours, consider choosing a campsite with more space or foliage in between the sites. Check out this great resource from Campsite Photos to scope out your campsite ahead of time. 

Put Away Your Tech

Newsflash: Everything about your devices – from addictive notifications to the harsh blue light – is designed to keep you awake. Looking at screens at any time of the day signals to your brain that it is wakey-wakey time, not sleepy-sleepy time. Consider putting away all screens in the hour before you go to sleep and use that time to prep your body to relax. You can do yoga, stretching out muscles that are sore from the day’s adventures. You can listen to relaxing music and practice your deep breathing. Or, best of all, you can spend that time rehashing the memories of the day with your travel companions. 

 

Park on Flat Ground

Do your best to park on flat surfaces; if that’s not an option, make sure your head is uphill from your feet to have a more comfortable night’s sleep. 

Choose the Perfect Temperature

For most people, the perfect temperature for sleeping is around 65°. If you’re RV camping in the summer, make the extra effort to close the shades during the day and limit trips in and out of your camper rental to prevent the cold air from escaping. If you’re doing an RV vacation in colder temps, take advantage of our on-board heater to keep you at just the right temp. 

Sweet dreams.