2017’s “Mountain Day” is August 11th. There may be many people who challenge mountain climbing. One of the concerns of mountaineering beginners is sleep on the mountain. It seems that people often worry that they will not be able to sleep in a mountain hut or that their snoring will cause them trouble. We will introduce the reasons why you can’t sleep in the mountains, tips for a good night’s sleep, what to bring for first-timers staying in a mountain hut, manners when staying in a mountain hut, and more.
If you can’t sleep while climbing, there is a possibility of sleep disorders due to altitude sickness
Fresh mountain air. But at higher altitudes, sleep tends to be worse.When you climb a high mountain, there is less oxygen in the air, and the oxygen concentration in your blood is also lower. As a result, the brain and lungs swell, making acute mountain sickness more likely to occur.
A study in the town of Pheriche, 4,243 meters above sea level on the Himalayas-Everest Highway, found that 53% of climbers had symptoms of altitude sickness. Of these, 70% had trouble sleeping , which was the second most common after 96% of headaches. Depending on your constitution and physical condition, you may get acute mountain sickness even in mountains as high as 2,500 meters in Japan, so you need to be very careful.
People who normally live at low altitudes sleep at high altitudes, resulting in poor sleep quality. Overnight polysomnography reduces REM and deep non-REM sleep and increases the amount of time spent awake in bed. This change is also caused by a decrease in oxygen levels in the blood during sleep. Fortunately, at altitudes between 3,000 and 6,000 meters above sea level, temporary deterioration in sleep quality tends to return to normal after a month or so when the body adjusts to the altitude.
Even if you don’t get altitude sickness, there are other reasons why you can’t sleep in the mountains. It’s been a long time since I’ve been hiking, and I’m excited to chat with my friends, and I’m going to have a hard time falling asleep. It’s the same as when you’re on flat ground that you can’t sleep just by changing your pillow. In addition, it’s no surprise that sleeping in the same room as a total stranger is a rare situation in normal life.
Also, during the high season in the mountains, the huts can be overcrowded, and two to three people may have to sleep on one tatami mat. In such a stuffed state, roll overI can’t even hit it. Tossing and turning not only disperses the pressure on the body from the floor and regulates the temperature and humidity in the bed, but also acts as a switch to change the depth of sleep. So, if you can’t roll over well, you won’t be able to sleep well.
Things to bring for beginners staying in a mountain hut
Hot springs and baths warm your body and help you fall asleep betterIf you can’t sleep with a headache or nausea, you may have altitude sickness. Absorb portable oxygen , if available, to increase oxygen levels in the blood. Taking your own headache medicine or anti-nausea medicine may help. If the symptoms get worse, it is a good idea to consult with the staff at the mountain hut or visit a mountain clinic.
If it’s cold and you can’t sleep , warm yourself up with a warmer or a bottle of hot water . Rather than cold hands and feet, warming the neck, armpits, groins, and other areas with thick blood vessels will warm the whole body. Where bathing facilities are available, taking a bath about an hour before going to bed will help you fall asleep faster. Even light stretching and other exercises can warm up your body. Use an eye mask
if you’re worried about brightness, and earplugs if you’re worried about noise . Dark clothes or towels can be used as eye masks, and crumpled paper can be used as earplugs. If you can’t sleep with your skin next to you, you can put a sleeping bag under your futon . If you can’t sleep when the pillow changes, it’s best to bring your own pillow. However, that would be a lot of luggage, so let’s take the pillow covers we use at home to the mountains. Thanks to the usual texture and smell, it is easier to fall asleep. Also, sake in the mountains
Drinking and trying to sleep is a bit of an idea. Alcohol certainly helps you sleep better. However, as alcohol breaks down over time, sleep becomes shallower and the quality of sleep declines. It also blocks the action of the antidiuretic hormone, which prevents the production of urine, so you wake up wanting to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. In addition, there is a risk of sickness, as the air pressure is low in the mountains, and the sickness goes away quickly.
Snoring measures in a mountain hut! Manners that do not cause trouble to others
If snoring is severe, there is a possibility of illness, so please consult a doctorI don’t want to be able to sleep because of someone else’s snoring, but I also want to avoid disturbing my roommate with my own snoring.
Snoring is caused by narrowing of the airways, which are the passageways for air entering through the nose and mouth. When you sleep on your back, gravity pulls your tongue into your throat, narrowing your airway and making it easier to snore. Light snorers can reduce snoring by sleeping on their side or on their stomach .
If you breathe through your mouth while you are asleep, your tongue will tend to sink into your throat. If you wake up with a dry mouth or sore throat, you may be mouth breathing. In such a case, it may be good to use a commercially available tape that widens the nostrils or a tape that prevents the mouth from opening .