Getting up in the night -- pee more often while hammock sleeping?

**jellyfish** · 08-23-2017, 21:22

Woohoo! Great news!

**Shrewd** · 10-12-2017, 16:02

this is probably a necro post, and i'm a dude, but i just finished a thru hike and this topic came up for discussion a few times.

i don't think it has much if anything to do with hammocking, but maybe camping in general. Or perhaps metabolism? After awhile I noticed I had to get up more often. By the end of the trail I was surprised if i didn't have to get up in the middle of the night. I've been home for a few weeks now and even after staying up all night drinking beer, I often don't have to get up. I'll wake up and feel the need to go, sure, but often enough I just roll over and go back to sleep.

Trying to do that on the trail was an exercise in futility; eventually I just accepted it and better to do it fast so you can crawl back to your warm little world inside the hammock

**Karla "with a k"** · 08-05-2018, 08:23

My friend let me know about this product her friend designed. I've never thought about using this while car camping, but I like the idea of not using more toilet paper and when I jump out of my hammock at 5am, having this option if I want:

https://kulacloth.com/

Thought I'd pass along the info in case someone wanted to purchase. I've never used just a bandana. Not much of a backpacker -yet.

**bigdisgrace** · 08-05-2018, 09:28

My first nite in a hammock was in the basement as a test hang and I had no pad or UQ. I had to get up and go 4 times that nite. Sleeping cold makes you go more often. When I strapped on an UQ I reverted back to my normal 3:30 terlet trip and been that way ever since. But please, a pee bottle?? Just get up outta your 'mock and do it. Like all unpleasant chores it builds character.

What happens when a guy line goes slack at nite??

**jellyfish** · 08-05-2018, 10:17

Originally Posted by bigdisgrace

My first nite in a hammock was in the basement as a test hang and I had no pad or UQ. I had to get up and go 4 times that nite. Sleeping cold makes you go more often. When I strapped on an UQ I reverted back to my normal 3:30 terlet trip and been that way ever since. But please, a pee bottle?? Just get up outta your 'mock and do it. Like all unpleasant chores it builds character.

What happens when a guy line goes slack at nite??

You wouldn’t use a bottle while in a hammock.

**bigdisgrace** · 08-05-2018, 10:38

Originally Posted by jellyfish

You wouldn’t use a bottle while in a hammock.

From your perspective I cannot add to that...it's above my pay scale.

if that was meant as a ? to me, then no.

**Shug** · 08-05-2018, 10:40

I'm comfortable in bed at home but I just get up to go pee. Does anyone pee in a bottle at home?
Camping, I find getting out of the hammock peein' free in the dark a life perk.
Shug

**Second Wind** · 08-21-2018, 19:08

I agree that I pee more often when sleeping in my hammock - my theory is that i have usually just spent the day hiking and have hydrated more than usual. My body retains more of that fluid during the day than usual (it ends up in my ankles). Then when lay in my hammock at night, even with a perfect sweet-spot lie, my feet might be a little higher than my core - it drains back to my kidneys and *Voila*...more pee! Am I overthinking haha

**scrope** · 08-22-2018, 14:20

My theory is that I pee more when I sleep in my hammock because I hydrate a lot when I'm out hiking.

I've started to eat banana chips to get more potassium to prevent cramps. You can actually increase the likelihood of cramps by flushing out potassium with all that water. I've noticed that I need to drink less, which mean I carry less water weight, and I also don't get up and pee in the middle of the night as much, and I've reduced the amount/severity of cramps.

**ThreeTracks** · 01-24-2019, 19:47

Interesting thread. I don't know if I'll need to go more often since I haven't tried my hammock yet, but I suspect I will.

This problem also comes up in bent cyclist circles. Some people need to pee more often when on a recumbent cycle. Of course I'm one of them. Since hammockers also have the problem maybe it really is the body position. More or less laid back, but not totally flat as in one's bed. I thought it was moving my legs in that position that sort of pushed on the bladder, but since you guys get it in your hammocks...