A few questions and observations after sleeping iin a hammock for the first week...

[TheKiltedWolf]

Morning y'all, so I bought a hammock based on not sleeping well for camping and the couch. My wife and I sleep separate because our kids had a few first rough years so I slept on the couch to let me wife sleep and recover more. Navy taught me to sleep anywhere and require less of it (4-5hrs). My body has gotten so used to it that sleeping on an air mattress in a tent hurts. So I did a YouTube search for comfortable sleeping while camping and one of the first vids was Mr. Shug. I then fell done the rabbit hole face first. After a few days of reading and watching I settled on a 11'' Onewind. I strung it up in the basement and away we go...
1). First night I found cold butt...My basement is around 60 right now and I am in Buffalo, NY. I tied off my old navy woobie and solved the cold but issue. I will be getting a 40-60 under quilt. Also found my head a little uncomfortable so I added a full size pillow. Also, the hammock stretched a little so getting out was fun. When I set it up my knees were level and felt good, then when getting up my knees were in my chest. Adjusted up a few inches.
2). Second night was better but I kept moving and sliding. Still woke up a few times. Getting out was hard again...too high. Had to swing a little to get my feet down. Went online and discovered my hammock came with a ridgeline...I thought this was just a bug net thing. watch Shug again and some Onewind vids and adjusted it. My iPhone is telling me that I am sleeping less but deeper sleep and I feel better. Asleep by 11pm and awake at 330am without an alarm. I go upstairs to the couch and slept another hour.
3). Much better, even tried a little side sleeping, but what is up with waking 3 times to pee? I don't think I have increased my intake but 3 times in a night? Even on the couch I would do one if any. The ridgeline I think helped.. I stretched my back out a little exercising but it fells better or at least the same.
4). Ok, better. still getting up to pee like 3 times and getting 4.5hrs of sleep. I have tried asymmetrical sleeping and back while on center. Stretch again and getting out required a little rocking.
5). 4.5hrs again, same flow, Did not need the extra hour

I am trying to get used to this setup as I have a 2 night camp trip on the 17th May. Any insight is welcome!
Thank you

[Shug]

Greeting KiltedWolf,
It will take some patience to get to where you want to be in this hammock journey. Don't rush it. Take it bit by bit and relish in doing and experiencing something new.
To be new...you have to try something new.
The peeing...I always say that it is excitement!
Stay with it and you will reap rewards.
The slipping could be your suspension stretching or slipping. If it is nylon it will stretch. Most of us use poly. No stretch.
Shug

[iceman857]

About the pee thing- I too have experienced more frequent urination in hammocks, but I always suspected it's because I'm hydrating while hiking, not so much anything to do with how my bladder is doing while in the hammock. Dunno how to give any advice about that, other than to keep a pee bottle nearby LOL.

As for the other issues, you'll want to play around with the sag, hang angle, how high the foot end is compared to the head end, etc. I swear it took me months to build a repertoire of hanging that works for me. If you're sliding around, you may be missing the "foot end higher" piece more than anything. Just my two cents.

[Draketake]

Hey Kilted. Welcome.

Instead of fighting the pee thing...I just stopped drinking fluids 4-6 hours before I went to sleep.

That said...even in winter, I will keep some water handy. When I wake up around 2-3 am....ill make sure to drink a few sips to stay hydrated.

Keep at it. Once you get it dialed ......................bliss.

Bob

[Double]

I think the peeing issue has more to due more with being able to relax more in a hammock than a bed. Before having a baby I never woke up to use the restroom, but in a hammock once or twice a night is common for me.

[PopcornFool]

Regarding getting out of the hammock ...

I have found that the closer I sit to the edge of the fabric, the easier it is to get out. When sitting, try pushing the fabric down and back under your butt, basically shifting the fabric behind you and sliding yourself closer to the edge. Sometimes it helps to first position your butt as close to the edge of the hammock as you can before you even sit up. Simply folding the fabric back over itself under your thighs can sometimes serve the same purpose.

Your ridgeline can help provide a point of semi-stability during all of this moving, shifting and standing. Don't be afraid to use it.

In the woods, I'll sometimes keep my trekking poles within reach. They can provide another leverage point to help lift me out of the hammock. In your basement, maybe keep a chair next to the hammock to serve as a leverage point when you stand up. It can double as a nightstand.

Others have had success with other techniques like swinging, walking backwards, etc. There are many threads on the forum that cover this topic.
These are just a few:
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...k-and-sitting/
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...-your-hammock/
https://www.hammockforums.net/forum/...-of-my-hammock

[st4hangin]

Judging from ur pictures, i think that u need to take the hammock strap off of that wooden beam and attach it to the pipe bellow it. You need to try to keep your hammock straps close to a 30degrees angle. After ur straps are close to 30degrees, lay in it and check the tension of your ridgeline, it shouldn't be too tight or too loose (Shug has great videos on all of these tips) Also make sure that your foot end is higher than your head end.
Good luck the experimenting is well worth it.

[cougarmeat]

st4hangin - yes, those posts look substantial. But I always think about what something was designed to do before I "repurpose" it. Vertical structures, like those posts, are usually engineered to support a downward load from the beam above. Because they were not designed to handle a shear force from the side, I'd advise someone to carefully check their ability to do so before subjecting them to what could be a sustained 200 - 300 lbs sideways pull.

Remember, if that post goes, not only does the hammock end up on the ground, but that long beam has also lost its support.

It's not that I'd never consider such a hang, it's more that I'd investigate if there were a way I could enhance the structure's ability to endure the added shear force - like maybe and some carriage bolts and "L" brackets at the top and bottom of the post.

[TheKiltedWolf]

Judging from ur pictures, i think that u need to take the hammock strap off of that wooden beam and attach it to the pipe bellow it. You need to try to keep your hammock straps close to a 30degrees angle. After ur straps are close to 30degrees, lay in it and check the tension of your ridgeline, it shouldn't be too tight or too loose (Shug has great videos on all of these tips) Also make sure that your foot end is higher than your head end.
Good luck the experimenting is well worth it.

The beams are not that tall, from the bottom of the beams is about 6.5'. I can adjust a little and have been. I have a trip next week so I am trying to dial in a bit but we shall see.

[st4hangin]

yeh so loooking at ur last illustration u wud need to put your strap at the very top of the pipe and short ur suspension straps to get ur 30deg. be sure to do as cougar says and make sure that ur pipe will support that weight