Hammock Camping for Side Sleepers: Everything You Need to Know

Hammock camping has been around since the 1400s and originally served as a form of protection for people who wanted to sleep suspended above the animals and bugs that crawled the floor. 

Humanity has enjoyed hammocks for decades but it wasn’t until recently that hammock camping re-entered the mainstream outdoor world and took off as a popular alternative to tent camping. If you’ve ever talked with a die-hard hammock camper, you know that there is nothing that makes them happier than hanging above ground while they catch some ZZZs. 

But our question is how the heck do those people stay comfortable? Anyone who sleeps on their side knows what we’re talking about. Sure, it’s nice to sit in traditional hammocks to watch the sunset or read a book for an hour. But sleeping in them is rough.

You have to have an unusually flexible back or at least a very low bar for personal comfort if you can sleep through the night in a traditional hammock. To us, it feels kind of like being trapped in a cocoon that also wants to fold your body like a banana. Ask any side sleeper and they’ll tell you that trying to get comfortable in a normal hammock is pretty much impossible.

That’s why we’re excited to share that we have good news for all the side sleepers out there…

Hammocks for side sleepers exist and they will forever change the way you think about camping.

Considering the number of people who prefer side sleeping, it’s honestly hard to believe this problem wasn’t addressed earlier. 

Did you know that side sleeping is actually good for you?

According to an article posted by the Sleep Foundation, side sleeping is considered to be one of the healthiest sleep positions. That’s because it reduces back pain, fosters a healthier digestive system, and encourages your brain to go through its waste-removal process faster than if you were to sleep on your back or stomach.

Not only is side sleeping good for your wellness, it’s actually the preferred sleeping position for roughly 60% of adults! 

Are hammocks good for side sleepers?

They can be (spoiler alert: scroll down to see which hammock is the best for side sleepers!). But if we’re talking traditional hammocks, the answer is a resounding no. They make it REALLY tough for side sleepers to get comfortable. 

We understand that there are plenty of hardcore outdoor people who are so committed to being in the backcountry that they just settle for poor sleep. But for the rest of us side-sleeping mortals who don’t exactly love roughing it, it seems unfair that we’d have to endure a sleepless night in order to adventure outside.

If you’re a committed side sleeper who’s struggling to get some shuteye in the outdoors, you’re not alone.

Let’s be real…most hammocks don’t feel anything like your bed at home; they create a cocoon effect, forcing you to breathe right into the side wall and contort your body in ways that make it tough for side sleepers to relax. And don’t even get us started on how hard it is to reposition when you need to switch sides.

Even tent camping isn’t a great option for anyone who is interested in actually sleeping well outdoors. Finding a flat area to pitch a tent isn’t always guaranteed and sleeping pads on the ground are notoriously uncomfortable. They tend to create hot spots on your hips, causing side sleepers to switch from side to side all night long, kind of like a rotisserie chicken.

At Haven Tents, we’d like to see more people experience the benefits of camping.

Unfortunately, camping is a huge deterrent for side sleepers who might otherwise like to spend a long weekend outside. It’s our goal at Haven Tents to break down that barrier to entry. We exist to make sleep the highlight of your camping experience, not the downside.

It’s widely accepted that spending time outside is good for your health. People who get outdoors are more likely to experience reduced levels of stress and increased focus and attention.

While we encourage any and all time outside, we think that extended time outside will have the greatest positive effects on your health. As a team of avid backpackers, we have experienced the benefits first-hand. And guess what…the only way to be in the outdoors for that extended length of time is to sleep in it.

Taking into consideration the obvious health benefits of spending time outdoors, we decided we had to do something to make it easier for people to leave their homes and head for the woods. 

Now you can say goodbye to sleepless nights outdoors…Haven Tents has created a comfortable hammock for side sleepers!

After years of brainstorming and rigorous product testing, we finally came up with a solution for anyone who wants to sleep better outside. 

What do you get when you create a sleeping kit that hangs above the ground like a hammock, has a protective rainfly like a tent and a sturdy, spacious area that allows you to lay flat like your bed at home? It’s called the Haven Tent and we’re not kidding when we say it’s the best hammock tent for side sleepers. In fact, it’s the best hammock tent for stomach sleepers too.

Haven Tents are a lay-flat camping hammock that allows you to do just that: lay flat. Whether you like to sleep on your back, side, or stomach, our hammock tents will keep you comfortable throughout the night.

The hammocks from Haven Tents range from lightweight kits to more plush, heavy-duty kits, both of which feel a lot more like your bed at home than any other camping option on the market. 

What makes a Haven Tent so comfortable? 

Our patented design has a variety of features that are sure to keep side sleepers snoozing happily throughout the night:

1. Spreader bars and the horizontal baffles in our sleeping pads work together to hold the sleeping space open so you can easily move around. 
2. Similar to a suspension bridge, Haven Tents feature support arcs that enhance their strength and make it easy for you to get in and out.
3. A structural ridgeline keeps our hammock tents from sagging; no matter where you hang them, they maintain their shape which means you can sleep in lay-flat paradise. 

To read up on the details behind each of these features, check out this blog post.

Ready to get your hands on a hammock for side sleepers?

We have you covered! Shop our hammock tents here. 

For campers on a budget, check out our Haven Seconds page where we occasionally post gently used or repaired Haven Tents. They are just as functional as our new products but come at a discounted price as a thank-you for giving them a second life.

Let us know how it goes!

We want to hear about your camping experience with Haven Tents! Tag us on Instagram or Facebook or shoot us an email. As a small business that’s always striving to innovate and improve, we really value feedback from our customers. 

Here’s to a better night of side sleeping!
~ The team at Haven Tents

We would like to thank @bushcraftjack for providing images for this blog post. See his full review on YouTube. It's great but you may need to brush up on your Polish first!