Sleep better at festivals this season

Festival season is well and truly upon us – and the latest data shows over 5 million Brits attend a festival every year!

But is it possible to actually get a good night’s sleep at a festival? 💤

The expert team at Sleepseeker have put together some handy tips and tricks for you to sleep better at festivals this year, as well as how to recover after.

Hayley Thistleton, sleep expert at SleepSeeker commented:

“Sleep is an essential function that allows your body and mind to recharge. When you don’t get enough sleep, it can impair your cognitive ability and increase your risk of conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and poor mental health.

A lack of sleep while at a festival could leave you feeling fatigued and grumpy the next day and unable to enjoy the fun with your friends to the fullest. However, there are several things you can do to improve your chances of getting some undisturbed sleep while at a noisy festival this summer.”

1. Buy ear plugs and an eye mask
Two of the main things keeping people awake at festivals is the noise and light coming in through the thin tents! The best way to overcome this is by bringing an eye mask to stop any light keeping you up and ear plugs to block out those noisy neighbours.

2. Create a comfy space
We all know sleeping in a tent can be uncomfortable at the best of times, so just like you would want at home, make sure your tent is a snug environment for sleeping. It’s worth investing in a decent airbed and bringing a good pillow and duvet as this can make all the difference when trying to nod off.

3. Bring warm clothes
Even if temperatures are expected to be high during the day, these can drop drastically overnight, especially when staying in a tent. Make sure you bring warm, thick pyjamas and even a dressing gown and extra blankets otherwise you could end up being up all night shivering!

4. Avoid alcohol close to bed
While alcohol might help us get to sleep quicker, it leads to poorer sleep quality and duration as it reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Avoiding alcohol all together while at a festival can be tricky for a lot of people however the closer to bed we have a drink, the more it affects our sleep. So try avoiding alcohol, as well as caffeine and large meals, in the hours leading up to bedtime

5. Give yourself time to relax
Jumping straight into bed after a day of loud music, excitement and dancing will make it difficult to switch off and get to sleep. Give yourself that time between getting back to your tent and sleeping to unwind and relax, it doesn’t have to be long, 10/20 minutes should be enough to help you sleep. You could try meditating or some breathing exercises.

6. After the festival

After getting home from the festival remember it can take a few days to recover from a sleep debt so the most important thing you can do is give your body to get back into its normal pattern. Try going to bed 15 minutes earlier each night until you reach your desired bedtime and avoid caffeine or electronics a few hours before aiming to sleep. A great way to get to sleep faster is to integrate some exercise into your day, this also boosts the amount of time you spend in the deeper/restorative stages of sleep.