Hammocks Make Sleep Easier, Deeper | Hacker News Reader

Hammocks Make Sleep Easier, Deeper

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89 pointspitdesi77 comments

I've been sleeping in a hammock every night for a little over a year now.

Hammocks are cold, that is the biggest problem. You also can't really just flop down on one and lounge out the same way that you can in a bed.

From a totally utilitarian standpoint of "place for sleeping", a hammock has some benefits. It's small, it's highly portable (mine fits in my backpack), and it is pretty comfortable.

In reality, though, most people use their beds for a lot more than sleeping. Reading in my hammock is pretty difficult, so is using my laptop if I want to type anything. You can't comfortably fit more than one person in one (unless you've got a garden hammock with spreader bars on it).

May I ask why you've been sleeping on a hammock?

It's a psychological hack.

Basically, by intentionally depriving myself of something, it stops being "normal" and becomes a luxury. I was at my parents' house for Christmas in December, and felt like I was at a 5 star hotel.

I've done similar "hacks" to my diet. I did a month where I ate nothing but rice and beans (a very very healthy dish, actually). The first week or so when I was finished with the experiment, everything I ate tasted amazing.

The car that I drive is fairly beat up; I drove my sister's car to San Diego a few months ago, and I might as well have been driving a Bentley. A CD player? I can listen to whatever music I want!? It doesn't rattle when I go over 55?!? I can hold a conversation inside without having to yell?? etc. etc.

Silly, I know, but effective.

"Silly, I know, but effective."

Absolutely not. You could try it the other way. Work harder to earn more money, to be able to buy better stuff to get the same fealing. ;)

Hardly. His method is steady state repeatable. Yours is progressive.

As an fyi...to get around the cold, put a fleece blanket on the bottom (underneath you) first. Totally changes things. In fact you might overheat if it's doubled up...

That works even better if you attach it to the underside of the hammock so your weight doesn't compress it.

I slept in a hammock for a while in a cramped basement apartment; it was one of those cheap nylon mesh ones, but really comfortable. Until the gentle rocking motion wore through several of the nylon cords and dumped me on the concrete floor one night. Worse, I knew from rock climbing that nylon rubbing on nylon wears ropes out really quickly, but it never occurred to me to apply that to the hammock until after.

Can you show us what kind of hammock you're using? I'm thinking that not all hammocks can really be used for everyday sleeping. I'd very much like to try this though.

I use this stand: http://amzn.com/B00092M27I And this hammock: http://amzn.com/B000NHQK4K

I also use a small cylindrical neck pillow and a twin-size down comforter.

I've been using this setup since mid-April with great success.

What sleeping position are you using? Straight or diagonal-Brazilian style?

I sleep angled. What's important also is the tension of the hammock. It took me a couple nights to get it set up the way I have it now.

What's important about the tension? To have it tense or not tense or however, as long as it's comfortable or adjusted by some rule of thumb?

(I've not met a hammock)

Too loose and your weight isn't distributed as evenly as it could be. Also, too loose means a lot more curvature, which puts strain on your knees (or so I've found, as I have a testy knee).

I think I'd say you know when it's set up properly when you feel almost weightless in that the hammock suspends your weight evenly. I wouldn't go by pictures of hammocks that have been set up as many are way more loose than I'd consider livable.

I have pretty much the exact same setup as you :).

I'm curious, does sleeping in a hammock affect the health of your back or your composure?

The most important disadvantage seems to me that you cannot comfortably sleep in it with two people. Or can you?

Well, it depends on how much you like the other person :-P. I've certainly done it, but the hammock's design is going to press the two of you together. It definitely isn't something I would do every night.

Really misleading headline. The study wasn't about hammocks at all, just a normal bed that sways. Makes me think more of being on a boat. I haven't experienced the effect, but David Foster Wallace wrote about it: http://www.harpers.org/media/pdf/dfw/HarpersMagazine-1996-01...

(Not going to give the page number of the sleep thing because I believe everyone should read the whole thing :)

Why should we read the whole thing?

I read a few pages, and it's absolutely shit. This guy has a terrible attitude. Why would I read 20some pages about some guy bitching about cruise ships?

EDIT: I've actually been on a cruise, so I can tell this is all just a bunch of (highly subjective) crap.

I appreciate that the writing style isn't for everyone, but he's not "some guy", he's one of the best writers of our time. Don't worry though, others have made your mistake: http://kottke.org/11/04/infinite-jest-blindly-judged

I'm not worried because I didn't make a mistake. I'm not surprised he's a popular author; "sign of the times." But thanks for the info.

I guess it would be pointless for me to rant about why you should enjoy some piece of writing that you hate. I'll just say that the essay isn't about cruise ships so much as it's about loneliness and depression.

I can tell you from extensive experience that there is absolutely nothing like sleeping on a ship, especially in a small, coffin-like bunk in a room with no windows: the gentle rocking, the absolute darkness, and the white noise combine for incredibly deep and restful sleep. The shitty, thin mattress caused me long-term back and shoulder problems after sleeping on it for months on end, but with all of the other advantages I still slept well every night.

Makes me think more of being on a boat. I haven't experienced the effect

I've slept aboard LSTs, and on smaller boats. I don't think I've ever slept better, or longer.

Considering Wallace and Franzen were friends, and Franzen's the Corrections appears to have been published about 5 years after this article, I enjoy thinking that the article influenced the book.

Isn't there a rather fundamental problem with the study? It's not blinded. It's pretty obvious to both the subject and the experimenter if the bed is rocking ...

I've been sleeping on a woven dried-grass mat for over 2 years. Best Sleep in my life.

It all started by accident when we moved bachelor-house and a grass mat was the only available sleeping spot left at 2am.

Benefits:

- Insulated from cold floor - never gets too hot or too cold.

- Keeps my spine fit; I've never had a better back in my life.

- Feels really secure - That may have more to do with me being a 250lb fat guy.

- Freedom to toss and turn as much as you want without worrying about whats happening beneath you.

- You can literally crash onto the mat with your day's exhaustion and nothing will break. I've mastered the art of falling into it without breaking bones.

The hammock sounds positively uncomfortable and terrifying from where I'm coming from.

When I was in Panama, in one of the places I went to, I had to sleep in a hammock, and it was hell! Really uncomfortable, my back hurt from being bent the whole night, and I kept waking up all the time because I couldn't find the right position. Also, I wasn't swaying, that might last for a few minutes only, but after you fall asleep, if you are not moving, you don't sway at all.

Even though it wasn't the best sleep, I could bear it. But the friend I was with couldn't take it, he wanted to leave at 5 in the morning the first night there, he was totally desperate.

From that experience I'd say there's no way hammocks make sleep easier.

This of course depends on the quality of the hammock, in much the same way that a poor mattress will make for a bad sleeping experience. I own a Warbonnet Blackbird hammock (http://warbonnetoutdoors.com/blackbirds.php) and it's extremely comfortable. They're one of the very best hammocks out there and are very popular with the backpacking crowd.

Here is a link to the article: http://download.cell.com/current-biology/pdf/PIIS09609822110...

The article says it "increased the length of N2 sleep, a form of non-REM sleep that takes up about half of a good night's rest." Presumably this is at the cost of REM sleep? How is this then a good thing?

It could also mean shorter N1 or N3 phases of non-REM sleep. From my limited understanding it seems like the subjects falling asleep faster would correspond to a shorter N1 phase, but I haven't read the paper yet.

Daunted by the cost of a mattress bed and the idea of hauling it up my fifth-floor walkup in Manhattan, I opted for an indoor hammock instead. It's been the best sleeping experience I've ever had.

I used to get lower back problems when sleeping on a mattress that have disappeared since sleeping in the hammock. There are no real pressure points and it supports your body perfectly.

blhack mentioned that hammocks get cold. This is true as they don't retain any heat. I use a 'maximum heat' twin-size down comforter when the temperature drops.

If you want to avoid back problems with a mattress, sleep on your back and put pillows under your knees. That causes your spine to be straight, and voila, no more pressure points.

(If you're vain it is worth noting that if you sleep on part of your face, every night for your life, you will get wrinkles there much faster. Therefore sleeping on your back will keep you looking better, longer.)

Some of us simply can't sleep on our backs. When I try, I end up feeling and hearing my heart thumping loudly in my ears and have to roll over onto my right side.

How do you mount it in your apartment?

A hammock stand: http://amzn.com/B00092M27I

Have you been able to make good use of the space underneath? 10' - 12' length is about 50%-80% longer than a floor futon or an inflatable bed.

No, though I have had thoughts about how I might use the space.

The hammock takes up significantly less space than a mattress bed, especially the queen-sized mattress bed I usually need, so I find myself with a big empty space in my room where bed frame might have been.

More importantly, how do you have a girl over if you only have a hammock?

Put her on the sofa.

There is nothing romantic about sleeping.

What kind of hammock are you using? Can you give us a link?

Also, what sleep position do you use? Just normal hammock style or diagonal 'brazillian style'?

A lot of long distance through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail here in the Eastern US use hammocks instead of tents. They're gotten a lot more popular due to the "lightweight" craze in backpacking (trying to shave every ounce off your full pack weight) and set up/break down a lot faster.

How do you use the hammocks in the snow though? (Don't know if this applies to the Appalachian Trail, but I know that sleeping in the snow happens on the PCT).

You use both an under quilt and a top quilt to insulate the hammock, which is of course suspended above the snow. I haven't tried that yet as I'm more of a fair weather camper, but comments on various hammock forums suggest that winter camping in hammocks is common.

A lot of hikers do that, or use a liner which is a lot like a sleeping bag, but attached to the hammock and unzips for cleaning.

"A dozen adult research subjects" :(

I really want a hammock in my (small) office. Any great options?

I hear Hammock Huts is a good place, also Hammocks-R-Us on third. And then theres Swing Low, Sweet Chariot...

Matter of fact, they're all in the same complex; it's the hammock complex on third.

I love my Eagle's Nest ... it's very compact and the slap straps are great. If you can find a place to wrap the straps around, it might work for you.

http://www.eaglesnestoutfittersinc.com/

Just avoid one that has nylon cords in rubbing contact. As my earlier comment (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2677341) said, they will eventually wear out. If you do decide to go with a light nylon mesh hammock for occasional use, make sure you inspect the cords fairly frequently (at least monthly for daily use).

http://hennessyhammock.com/

I didn't realize you could buy a hammock for under $20: http://www.amazon.com/Texsport-14258-La-Paz-Hammock/dp/B000P...

Now does anybody know how/where I can get something that rocks/pulls my hammock back and forth?

Get a cat.

and enjoy being randomly clawed in the chest when sleeping

The Linux baby rocker of course: http://youtu.be/bYcF_xX2DE8

I don't like how they basically squeeze around your body, wrapping you all up. It's hard to turn around or even just to the side.

I guess the article was more about the 4 second rocking motion, though, which sounds delightful just from description.

This makes sense in that I have always found I sleep really well on small boats. I always assumed it was the sound of water lapping the hull lulling ones brain but the rocking of the boat might be what does it.

How much better? Give me a number so I can judge if I think its relevant...

It seems that the main focus of the article is on the difference in brain activity, not the sleep time. I would imagine that the time to sleep is not as important as the quality of the sleep thus attained.

I agree, and as such this article leaves my main question unanswered: with a bed that rocks (or a hammock), could I get the same amount of rest in less time?

In other words, what is the ratio of sleeping hours in a non-moving bed to a rocking-bed?

> could I get the same amount of rest in less time?

I'm dubious of anything that claims to pull this off. My own failed attempts have convinced me that sleep is not something that can be lifehacked. There is some variation in sleep requirements between individuals, but you and I each have a number (probably ~8 hours) below which our bodies start getting cranky. There are loads of studies showing that any form of sleep deprivation -- and I would include here trying to optimize down your overall sleep time -- has reliable, long term negative consequences. What's more, there seems to be an unusual level of consensus on this subject. (I say 'unusual' because medical researchers never agree on anything. :-)

This is basically true, but it doesn't necessarily all have to come in one 8 hour shot. The past month I've been taking 10 minute naps once an hour from roughly an hour before lunch on through about 6 in the evening, and it makes my working hours much more focused and my after-work hours feeling much more refreshed.

That reminds me of a polyphasic sleeper than slept for 1 hour every 4 hours of something like that.

Then I asked him:

- And at night?

- At night I sleep!

The journal article indicates that the rocked subjects went from a waking state to deeper states of sleep quicker than than those non-rocked... So that should yield a time savings.

Not necessarily. It could just be a trade-off. Less time in the light stages of sleep, and more in the deep stages.

Now we know why rocking babies to sleep works.

The article does say "It's not like rocking like you would see some mothers rocking their babies, it's more gentle.", which seems to imply this type of rocking is different?

So, is it possible to set up an indoor hammock in a small room?

Of course it is (my roommate and I set up two hammocks in our dorm room between the wall studs) however the article suggests that simple rocking (not necessarily 'hammocks') is the key. And doing that is easier, in that you need only put your bed on a platform that can rock. (baby cradles have rounded ends sometimes for that).

How about sleeping on a water bed? Is that enough motion?

Mechanically pushing a waterbed would also be easier than making a bed rockable.

Sure.

I live in a very old house that is made of brick, so I couldn't really mount mine directly to the walls (I could, but I'd rather not anchor things into the brick on a house I don't own [it's a rental]).

I bought a hammock stand for $100 and it fits in my rather small bedroom just fine.

Wait, there are hammock stands? Thank you. Purchasing one right away.

This reaffirms my wanting to buy a house boat and live on it.

I live on a boat (a sailboat rather than a houseboat, but it rocks in more or less the same way) and I can confirm that it is awesome. This article makes me want to get one of those sleep-quantifying bracelets and graph boat sleep vs. land sleep.

Try this: http://www.lebeanock.com/

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