Dealing with sounds that keep you awake?

[Redoleary]

For me, when I solo, the first night I usually have a hard time not hearing every little sound, but the second night its "game on" and I'm asleep it two shakes.

Also when I'm someplace that I know the coons or chippys are a problem then I'm up all night hearing every little sound again. I hang my food etc. but often by the time I go to bed the food is hung but the teeth arn't brushed yet so the toothpaste doesn't go up a tree. So I'm my own worst enemy, mostly b/c I'm lazy .
When I'm someplace that I don't worry about critters gett'n my food, (or toothpaste) then I shut down the minute I'm horizontal.

But at home I have to sleep with a fan on, just for the sound.

[RKP]

The sound of coyotes is actually soothing and Elijah Craig 18 helps too!

[Boothill]

Thanks for the replies and stories... I will try out some ear plugs, I've got a bunch here of differnt types, I'll see which give the best balance.

i just use the cheap foam ones, but i like to cut them in half so they're not as long...seems like it's easier for me to sleep...when they are left full size they kinda stick outside my ears a bit much and then every time they brush against something you can really hear it, that's why i cut them in half

boot

[Scottybdiving]

Try to focus on the sounds and absorb yourself into them. Sort of like counting sheep. I agree, running water is the best white noise on the planet. Nothing better than camping near a huge rapid.

[R00K]

I can fall asleep on a couch next to a band practicing (and have!) so I'm ok at falling asleep with noise.

Once asleep however, if things get quiet, and then there's a sound... Eyes jump open and I'm looking around. Most of the sounds of nature being the exceptions. So generally I sleep fine regardless of noise.

At MAHHA and the Prehike I was exposed to something new outdoors... Snoring! A few nameless hangers are also lumberjacks as they spent most of the night sawing wood!

Snoring is not on the list of exceptions, so I was waking up frequently. Until then I never knew why people recommended earplugs

[Theo]

There are noises at night? I'm a sound sleeper who is blessed/cursed with a hearing impairment and tinnitus. So nightly noises don't affect me. Of course the down side is that I won't hear noises that I might need to hear.

I also flail when touched while sleeping, so if you ever hear of a hiker being mauled by a bear with a broken nose, that will be me.

[DaleW]

Put one of these Australian wildlife alarms under your tarp. Of course if it goes off, you *will* be awake.

[Debi Jaytee]

I have no problems falling asleep when camping, my problem is staying asleep because every little noise has GOT to be a bear, right?? Even if it's a field mouse, it sure sounds like a bear! I've spent many nights awake listening to every little noise out there. The only time this doesn't happen is camping on islands that are too small to support a bear. Don't know why I'm so paranoid about bears, have never had one enter my campsite but have seen hundreds of them out there. The Canadian wilderness is full of bears (and they get bigger and meaner at night...right?? must learn how to flail and break bear's nose...)

[jrs]

had a friend who wanted to go backpacking, camping, but in her 30 yrs had never slept outside ,except slumber parties in yards, twice she could remember, light sleeper so uses a fan @ home and on trips. But really wanted to camp in woods, sooo got her a set up for back yard with small set on wind chimes, and in her room with fan on low, after several backyard nights, state park, other campers, not close but in area and wind chimes, (small set) next to head of hammock, you know of course it keeps animals away , now packs in takes her chimes, but so tired a few times forgot to deploy, but sleeps well with them. Anyway just a thought, in my work i deal wth a lot of fears, most imagined some real,but we fix them most often, no fun waiting for dawn, by the way, a long time ago an old forrest ranger I had ask about best way to get skunks out of camp, said he simply used a squeeze horn, (said it was long time ago) since then I've gone to a small but loud small air boat horn, most rangers I've spoken with agree the loud horn noise will scare most everything away as again something the animals are unfamiliar with, has worked well on whatever has come around, (my friend has her horn, never used it, asleep) of course does have an effect on fellow sleepers, usually necessitating a call to empty bladder, just a thought. jrs

[lazy river road]

I try to think of the night time sounds as my own personal orchestra that rocks me gently to sleep.