Why You Can't Sleep When You're Cold

For some time I have been told by many customers that they are cold sleepers. When I hear the statement I always ask if in fact they are sleeping; they always answer no. So there are no cold sleepers, but rather people who want to sleep but aren’t because they are cold.

As a rule people who go camping regardless of the reason; hunting, fishing, hiking, mountain climbing, etc. they all have a sleeping bag. They are generally in reasonably good physical condition, and have knowledge of what they are doing. However, over the years the majority have found that when it is time to go to sleep the bag they use hasn’t performed as the manufacturer has advertised. That is until Wiggy’s bags have come on the market. All of the people who have told me they are “cold sleepers” not sleeping do now stay warm and sleep because they are using a Wiggy’s bag. Another physical occurrence that people experience when they are cold is the frequent need to urinate. When you are cold and not sleeping you do urinate more frequently. I was hunting with a fellow a few years ago who spent an uncomfortable night not sleeping because he was cold. He got up 14 times he told me to urinate. Recently I discovered the reason; it was because he was cold. The first night he was using a bag rated to +20 degrees, I knew it would not perform at +20. The next night he used an Ultima Thule (-20 F) Wiggy’s bag and slept all night. The temperature at 12,000 feet on Fossil Ridge in November is as usual -20 F or colder.

The human body is quite remarkable as to how it takes care of itself. A common symptom of cold weather and its effect on the human body is to cause it to increase urine production. Exposure to cold causes a reduction in blood flow to the surface of the skin by constriction of blood vessels. This reduces the overall volume of the circulatory system so increasing blood pressure. The body’s response to this is to reduce the fluid volume by getting rid of water in the urine. So when you get cold, you want to urinate.
It does not make a difference what your age or gender is when you are trying to sleep and are cold you will not sleep and you will be urinating.

If you know what you want to accomplish then you have to learn about the materials that can be fabricated to facilitate an end product that will do what you want it to do. Knowing and understanding how the human body works will lead you to being better able to choose materials that will not inhibit the body from functioning as it is supposed to. It is equally important for an individual to have this understanding of their own body so they can be better able to acquire a sleeping bag or even an outerwear garment that will actually perform as they want.