How To Lay In A Hammock: Find Your Best Position To Sleep In

Are you also a fan of hammocks like us?

Even if you are not, we can tell you there is no better feeling in this world, than to lie down in a hammock, be it in a shady place in the afternoon or a safe place at night. You would love the feeling of slow motion of the hammock sideways giving you a cradle-like feeling making you fall asleep under the vast sky.

Now, there is a certain way in which you can set up a hammock, and based on that you have to choose a method for lying down for sleeping in it comfortably.

Here in this article, we will provide you with all the ways you can optimize your experience of sleeping in a hammock. So, let’s get into it.

Why Choose Hammocks?

Before we get to know how to lay in a hammock in the right manner, we must tell you why you should choose hammocks over other forms of camping.

To begin with, hammock camping is quite inexpensive and a very portable form of camping. For the majority of campers these days, a hammock is the best option and with most campsites in the US facilitating hammock camping, it has emerged as the front runner when it comes to camping options.

If you want to know more, you can look at Hammock Camping vs Tent Camping: Everything You Need To Know.

Hammocks have a lot of advantages but the most important of all is the effect it has on your health. Health matters more than everything in this world, and in that front, a hammock is very good for you. We will list all the health benefits of hammock camping below.

Good for backs: Hammocks let your vertebrae get adjusted to your sleeping position, so there is no stiffness of your back. That is why even elderly people can go camping if they have a hammock with them.
Induces deeper sleep: Sleeping in a hammock will provide you with a night of sleep like no other. Cradle like feeling helps in providing you this deep sleep and get very comfortable.
Improves Brain activity: Because of getting a deeper sleep, your mind can be reset and start fresh in the morning, resulting in improved brain activity.

If you want to know anything related to a hammock, you can just read Hammock Camping: A Complete Guide.

How To Set Your Hammock?

For you to sleep comfortably in a hammock, first, you have to set your hammock correctly. For a hammock, it can be quite tricky how to correctly set a hammock and it is best to practice a few times in your garden before you go hammock camping in a site or the wild.

1. Looking For Location:

A hammock camp is all based on where you set it up. You have to search for two trees at a distance of about 10 feet and be sure to check if both the trees are strong enough to hold you. Also, it is best to look for a place that isn’t dirty or have stagnant water nearby.

For knowing about ways of hammock camping in the absence of trees, you can check out Hammock Camping Without Trees: 6 Secret Ways.

2. Strapping Of Trees And Suspension:

Trees should be strapped by strapping that do not harm the trees you chose. You can use carabiners to connect your hammock to the strappings at both ends. Make sure to see if the strappings are tight enough. Also, the hammock shouldn’t be too tight and have a curve so that you can use all the space available in your hammock.

3. Considering Height And Angle:

For the height, you just need to make sure that it is high enough that your back won’t touch the ground when you lie down and not so high that you struggle to get on your hammock.

For the angle at which you want your hammock, the straps should always be at a 30-degree angle. This is the optimum angle because it provides you with the optimal level of sag and tension that you need. If the angle is too steep, it makes your hammock banana-shaped and thus you will only have a little portion of the hammock to lie in.

4. Using Accessories:

Finally, you can use all the accessories you need and have brought along for your journey. This may include overhead harps, underquilts, and bug nets.

Hammock Hang Calculator

There is a thing called a hammock hang calculator that you can use. It lets you estimate how high to install the anchor points for your hammock and also estimates all the horizontal and gravitational forces applied to your hammock. For using a hammock calculator, you need to know a few things first:

Distance between your two trees
Length of your hammock, excluding the strings
The preferred height you want the bottom of your hammock to be off the ground
Weight of person getting on the hammock
The angle at which you want your hammock

After you find out all these values, you can insert it in the hammock hang calculator, and it will provide you with a hang point, which is the height at which you should tie the rope your hammock to the tree. It also shows the length of the suspension, that is nothing but the length of the rope that you will use to connect your hammock to the anchor point.

It also gives the shear forces and gravitational forces that your hammock will experience, but this is not something you should be concerned with much.

So, you can use a hammock hang calculator for the perfect hanging of your hammock. You can even use the default values that come preset on the calculator.

Ways Of Lying In A Hammock:

Now that we have told how to hang your hammock, we will get to the different ways of lying in the hammock, either by yourself or with someone else.

Firstly, you want to climb on your hammock for lying on it. For that, get a hold of the edges of your hammock and climb onto it. Let your backrest on the hammock, and then lift your leg onto it.

Hammock For Relaxing

If you are looking to just relax in your hammock, you can put your had on one of the converging ends and place one leg or both legs down. You can use a pillow beneath your head as well. This position is best for reading books or enjoying a drink or two. This position is best for a single person. If you want to use it for two persons, both of you can lie in opposite directions and have a chat.

Hammock For Swinging

For more swing of your hammock, you can use a position in the perpendicular direction to the one in which you have hung the hammock. You can either wrap your legs or put your legs down by the side. You can use this position for using a laptop or writing as well. You can enjoy it with a partner in this position as well.

Hammock For Taking Naps

If you are looking to take a nap, or enjoy moments like the sunset with your partner, you can lie in a pivot, putting one head at one end and putting both your legs up inside the hammock on the other end. In this position, you can use the fabric of the hammock as a natural blanket as well.

If you don’t want to sleep in a curve, you can roll a blanket and place it beneath your back to keep it straight.

Hammock For Sleeping

The best position for lying in a hammock is diagonal. This will mean you will have a flat back and can extend your legs completely. For you to find the diagonal position, you need the hammock angle to be 30- degrees.

Once you have found the diagonal position, place a pillow beneath your head for comfort. You can wrap yourself in a sleeping bag or cover yourself with a blanket.

The best feature of diagonally lying on a hammock is that you can roll over and sleep sideways or even on your stomach. These two positions are the most favored ones for sleeping and so the diagonal position is best for sleeping in a hammock.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is it bad for you to sleep in a hammock?

No, it’s the opposite. Sleeping in hammocks will improve your health in several ways like improving your brain activity, improve bodily functions, keep your back stress free, and induce a deeper sleep.

Do hammocks hurt or help your back?

No, hammocks are good for your back. Even for an elderly person, hammocks can be effective in keeping their back stress free and your vertebrae will never be stiff.

How tight should your hammock be?

A very tight hammock will shrink your hammock and you will not have space inside it. You also can’t use the diagonal position for sleeping. That is why, you should keep your hammock just a little loose, but also not very saggy.

Do you need a pillow in a hammock?

You don’t need to have a pillow when you are using a hammock. There are two kinds of people, one who prefers a pillow and one who doesn’t. So, if you prefer a pillow, you can surely carry one with you for camping.

Why do sailors sleep in hammocks?

Hammocks are mostly preferred by sailors because the natural swinging motion avoids sailors from getting seasick. Also, hammocks are clean and more comfortable to sleep in.

How high should a hammock be off the ground?

You can just hang it at a height of 4-5 feet off the ground. The height of a hammock should be such that the bottom of the hammock shouldn’t touch the ground when you are on it and also you should be able to get on the hammock easily without trouble.

Can you lay on your side in a hammock?

Yes, you can. For that, you need to make sure that the hammock angle is around 30- degrees. Then, you can find the diagonal of your hammock and lay on it sideways with or without your feet bent. You can also lay on your stomach if you use the diagonal position of laying in a hammock.

Last Words

Now, the position that puts people to sleep varies from person to person and you will have to know it beforehand if you want to have a good night’s sleep in a hammock. Also, if you want to quickly fall asleep, you have to be completely relaxed and free of stress.

Nevertheless, a hammock does a good job of making you sleepy and giving you a good camping experience, and compared to the other options available, a hammock is a go-to option.

Me, when I am camping like to sleep on the stomach with one leg bent and the other straight. For that, I prefer to use the diagonal position in the hammock but for using throughout the day, I use the hammock in a swinging position mostly.

You will find your comfort position after practically experiencing hammocks once or twice. So, don’t forget to tell us how you like to sleep in a hammock and also share your camping adventures through the comment section below.

To you, we say, Happy Camping!