Sleeping Outside

It’s better than sleeping inside

I’m sleeping outside as I write this. I live in an apartment with a flat roof. Last week, I took my sleeping bag and a pillow, threw them on the roof, and started sleeping outside.

It all started because of how dead my senses felt inside. My apartment is really small and I sleep on the floor next to a table and a couch, so I had no more than 2 feet on either side to look at, and 8 feet straight up to the ceiling. I felt so claustrophobic that it started affecting the quality of my sleep.

So one day when I was having trouble sleeping and the room felt deader than it had before, I grabbed my sleeping bag, climbed up to my roof and lay down under the stars. I didn’t fall asleep right away, but the breeze felt good, the moon was giving off a warm glow, and the feeling of agitation slowly disappeared. When I woke up the next day to the hot sun, I felt refreshed and buzzing.

I went back the next night, and slept there all week. I don’t necessarily sleep better—sleeping outside has its own drawbacks—but I feel calmer and more relaxed as I fall asleep and don’t have any trouble waking in the morning.

I’d be overselling it if I didn’t mention the dew and mist. I live by the ocean, so I get a heavy dose of mist and dew every night. By the time I wake up every morning, my pillow and sleeping bag are covered in a sheen of moisture. Thankfully, my sleeping bag is waterproof, so my body stays dry, but on colder nights it can get pretty miserable out there.

That’s all I have to say on the matter for now, but I’m going to keep sleeping outside for the next couple months and I might have more to say on the matter later. If you live in warm weather and have a clear view of the sky, give it a shot and let me know how it goes for you.