There are ways to be more comfortable
On night on our recent trip to Montana, my teenaged daughter announced she wanted to sleep in our Toyota Camry rental car instead of on an Aerobed in the cabin with us. Perhaps she felt the need for some alone time. The next morning, when I peeked in the car window to the backseat where she was still sleeping, I thought her neck looked a bit cramped and noticed that she had snuggled her face into her hoodie to keep out the early morning light. She did have a pillow and a blanket which were two pluses.
In retrospect, she looked much more comfortable than I was when, years ago, I slept in the back of a Peugot station wagon rental one night in France. Tired and unsure where to stay, and wanting to save money, my traveling companion and I decided to pull off the road. With only a thin sheet to keep me warm, and no padding to soften the cargo section of the car where I slept, the night wasn’t comfortable.
These two scenerios, my daughter’s and mine, bring up the question. How does one sleep comfortably in a car? Is it possible? My mom, who just drove from New York to Montana and then to Ohio by herself swears by sleeping in the car for an hour or two naps. She was prepared to sleep in the car before she pulled out of the driveway. Although sleeping in a car will never be the same as sleeping in a bed, here are tips to keep in mind for sleeping comfortably in a car.
This kind works for me
Items you need for a more comfortable rest:
- A pillow
- A blanket or sleeping bag
- Padding. My mom used a matress pad on the back seat. It helps cover the seat belts and gives more of a bed feel.
- A neck pillow, if you’re going to be sleeping sitting up. These look dorky, but they work to keep your head from flopping.
- Comfortable clothes. (Changing into a pair of loose pants and a T-shirt instead of wearing the ones you’ve been sleeping in can signal its time for sleep.)
- If you’re going to sleep sitting up, a pair of socks to keep your feet warm.
- A book to read to help transtion from driving to sleeping.
Things to do to help you sleep:
1. Brush your teeth and wash your face. These help to signal your body it’s time to sleep.
Things to keep in mind:
- It’s not okay to just sleep anywhere. Store parking lots can work. Ironically, a hotel parking lot could work.
- Park far enough away from other parked cars so you won’t be bothered. Rest stops are fine. Park towards the end of them.
- Consider where the sun will be when you park the car. The sun’s angle can affect your sleep
- If you’re going to sleep sitting up, switch to the passenger side where the seat reclines back.
My mom’s own idea for safety. Bring a life-sized, real looking from a distance, stuffed animal dog with you. Seat belt the dog into an upright position. People might think you’re traveling with a dog. She had fashioned a person from a beauty school manequin head for the trip to Montana. She put sunglasses, a hat and a bandana on the head to up its “real” person factor, but the head kept rolling off the body that she had made out of pillows. The head idea was abandoned for the dog she found in a Missoula, Montana thrift shop.
My mom did stay in hotels at night. She swears by Comfort Inns. Her adventure was fabulous, by the way and the dog is still in her car.
