How To Sleep Comfortably in The Backseat of a Car (+Tips)

Will you like to know how to sleep comfortably in the backseat of a car during a trip? this guide covers tips to have a relaxing sleep in a car

The comfort space provided by the rear seats might not be as comfortable as you might want it to be for a good sleep, however, there are situations where the back seat becomes your only option to pass the night or to have a quick nap.

Nothing compares to a pleasant sleep at night snuggled up in a bed, but sometimes a short rest in a car may be necessary for many reasons.

Is it possible to sleep comfortably in the rear seat of your car? In this article, we will be looking at all you need to know to have a relaxing sleep in your car.

Let’s get started!

Sleeping in the backseat of your car can sometimes be uncomfortable, however, if you pack right and have some useful gear, this can come to be a relaxing time.

I will always suggest you make your sleeping space comfortable, this can be done by having a pillow always ready to relax your head.

You can as well use a sleeping mask to avoid the distractions that might come form the surrounding environment.

How Can I Get A Comfortable Sleep In My Vehicle?

One of the rules for getting good sleep is to make sure it is done in a comfortable environment, and the environment must be safe, calm and clean to give you a good sleeping experience.

In this section of this article, we will analyze some crucial tips for having a good sleep in the rear seat of your car.

Maintain a Good Sleeping Posture

Your position while taking a nap is an essential part of your sleep to consider. Some rear seats can be small, while others may be large to give a comfortable sleeping position. However, you must try to get a good position as much as possible.

One of the methods of imporving your sleep is to get an air bed or a soft cushion for your rear seat, this, however can be comfortable on a car with an oversized rear seat.

Some cars also can lean the rear seat backward. If you have a car of this nature, trying it out for a more comfortable sleep position will be a nice idea.

You should also consider getting a bed cloth for your car if you would like to sleep in your car regularly. Gearing up can always come in handy.

When taking a nap, always pay attention to your head position. Many may take to resting their head on the car window or door, which is a bad sleeping position as you may wake up with aches in your neck.

Hence, ensure you place your head on a sleeping pad or anywhere that can properly balance the geometry of your neck with your body.

Send your Location to a Friend

Sleeping in your car can be a risky idea to undertake, most especially when doing this in an environment that might potentially be unsafe.

Therefore it is a wise idea to notify a friend or a family member of your intentions, you can share your GPS location with your friends or family so they can know your last known location if things do not go as planned.

Find a Lawful And Secured Park Space

Before closing your eyelid to take a nap in your car, you should always consider where you park, also check if it is Illegal to sleep in your car in certain areas.

Aside from the law, it is also not advisable to sleep by the roadside, as this might be risky for you and other road users. Hence you should always consider your parking before deciding to sleep.

For lawful parking, you could locate a church or a big retail store in the area, which provides a permit to park your vehicle all through the night.

That said, you must try to do a good research and ask questions about where you are parking. This will also help you to get a good awareness of where you are.

Some important questions are: Am I parking in the right spot? Is it safe to park here? Am I safe in this vicinity?

If you can answer these questions well, you are good to go. It is always advisable to locate a shade if you intend to sleep on a hot and sunny day. You will not want to cause yourself harm from the heat buildup in the car due to the sun.

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Be Aware of Toxic Gases

It is not wise to leave your car engine on while you sleep, although many may be tempted to do so due to the idea of using the air conditioner or the heater depending on the day’s temperature. However carbon monoxide poisoning is not worth the risk.

Though you may be tempted to use the AC during your sleep, this can be dangerous if there is any leak in the exhaust system, which will lead to the gas coming into your sleep zone through the vents.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is dangerous, and it can be fatal and cause loss of life because you might not wake up to notice it.

It is advisable to put off your vehicle’s engine to avoid the risk of this. It’s also important to know that leaving your AC on while you sleep in your car may have an adverse effect on your car battery, and you might just be left with a dead battery.

Ventilation Is Important

Many may not agree with me, but I think it is best to leave your window open while taking a nap in your car. This can be due to several reasons, of which condensation comes at the top of the chain.

Condensation is the liquid you will notice forming in your car windows when shut, and this environment might not be the best place to take a nap.

A way to tackle this is to crack your windows a bit. Now you might be asking about how you may go about that on a cold day, but its important to understand that good airflow as you take a nap in your car is always important

Cover Windows for Privacy

You won’t want someone looking through the glass as you sleep in your car. Hence it is wise to conceal your car window for your privacy.

This can be done using a dark fabric by placing the fabric over your car windows. It’s important to do this if you want to sleep in a busy area.

Pack for Sleep

Packing for a comfortable sleep might come in handy every once in a while; you might want to pack some necessities like a blanket, toothbrush, hair comb, a few clothes, and any other item that will not only give you a good sleep but get you going when you are up.

I will also advise you to pack a torch; this will be important if you want to go outside your car at night.

Protect you Items

Sleeping in your car, as we have mentioned, is not the safest route; there is every chance that you may attract robbers who may notice your vulnerability; hence, protecting your valuables is important.

There is a risk of losing your valued items; hence, keeping them hidden might just save them. This may include items like some bills, gadgets, watches, e.t.c.

Furthermore, always ensure you lock your car before you close your eyes, and ensure your environment is safe before deciding to park nearby.

A Good Sleep Needs Less Distraction

Distraction is an enemy of good sleep, regardless of where you are taking a nap, and taking a nap in the rear seat of your car creates mor chances for distractions as you try to get some sleep.

To get a good sleep, try to avoid unnecessary distractions, and this can be achieved by using items such as a blindfold over your eyes or a noise-canceling headset.

The sun’s ray can also be a distraction; you may want to park to avoid the sun’s rays towards you.

Keep Sleeping Space at a Modrate Tempreature

The temperature inside the car should be a moderate one suitable for rest. We have stated that leaving the windows open a bit is the best way to go for good airflow; this can also play a major role in the temperature of your car.

You can use your heater or AC to moderate the temperature before switching off your vehicle.

Sleeping in a Car: Advantages

There are some merits of taking a nap in your vehicle, including the idea of saving costs by renting a room to spend the night in. An area might come at a higher cost.

Sleeping in a car is always easy to set up, and though not the safest, there is quite some degree of safety if you park in the right spot.

For those who would like to stealth camp, your car might just be perfect for this, and depending on how you arrange your sleeping area, this can also be comfortable.

Another advantage is that your car can be comfortable, providing less noise, warmth, and relaxation due to the electricity provided by the car.

Sleeping in a Car: Disadvantages

We have throughout the content mentioned that your car might not be the best place to have a nap. This can be because of the safety of the environment, as you might attract robbers or be perceived as homeless.

Also, there is less privacy when sleeping in a car, as bystanders might tend to disrupt your sleep with noise.

In some areas, it is against the law to park your car to take a nap, and you might just get to pay a fine for taking a nap.

Lastly, not all vehicles are comfortable to give a good sleep, to sleep comfortably you might need a large space, this is however not provided by every car.

Notable Reasons To Sleep In A Car

Sleeping in the car might be planned for those who like to camp as they travel. However, this might not be the case for someone who has been driving for long hours and will just like to take a break.

Sleep comes naturally to everyone, and if you are not close to your bed, you might just get it hitting you while in your car. Sleeping in the rear seat of your car is not a big deal, and in this part of the article, we will be looking at some reasons you you may want to take this route.

1. The Need Arises

There are quite some unforeseen circumstances that might prompt you to take a nap in the rear seat of your vehicle; this may include bad weather, running out of gasoline, and lots more.

Sometimes, you may passengers can take a quick nap in the vehicle, too; this might just be because of the sensation gotten as you drive on the road.

However, if you decide to take a quick nap, you must make sure you are doing so in a comfortable position to avoid getting pains when you wake, which might arise from a bad sleeping posture.

2. Less Stress

You may find it difficult to get a place to stay if you are in a new environment, on this situation, your car can just save the day as you may not need to go through the stress.

Hence I will advise you to try to be ready for such situations by packing right.

3. You Need a Quick One

Long-distance journeys can be tiresome, and this can as well be risky as you might feel sleepy when at the wheel. Parking to take a nap is the best option.

It is important to avoid exhaustion while driving; this can put your life risk and the life of other passengers. Hence parking in a safe spot can always come into play.

4. It Costs Less

Taking a nap in the rear seat of your car will not cost you a lot; this may have to be a result of a lack of cash to get a room in a new area.

You might want to pay occasionally for a good and secured parking space; however, thats as far as it goes with cost when sleeping in your car.

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Frequently Asked Questions – How To Sleep Comfortably in The Backseat of A Car

When sleeping in a car, can you run out of oxygen?

You will not run low on oxygen while sleeping in a vehicle with windows locked and the engine put off. This perception is so since vehicles are air sealed. Studies have shown that the air in a car renews itself inherently every one to three hours. Impressively, the effect of reduced oxygen is felt when the vehicle is eight to nine percent full.

Is it acceptable to sleep in an open car window?

Vehicles are not air sealed, as many would say. Therefore, no dangers are posed by snoozing off in your car while the glasses are left open. Your primary focus is the level of satisfaction you’ll get when you sleep in your vehicle with open windows. Air flowing in and out of the car is less even when your windows are open

Is It Safe To Lie Down In A Car’s Backseat?

It would be best never to sleep when you’re behind the wheel. Taking off your safety belt to sleep comfortably is very dangerous because you may be forced out of the car if an accident occurs.

Should You Crack The Window While Sleeping In A Car?

A vehicle is not air sealed, as many would say. Therefore, it poses no threat to your well-being if you wish to sleep inside a car in motion while the windows are unlocked. The air flowing into the vehicle is still insufficient with the windows opened.

Is It Safe to Spend the Night in a Car?

Your car shouldn’t be left on throughout the night; ensure to put it off. If you leave your engine on, toxic gas (carbon monoxide) is released. Establish a location to sleep in the backseat of your car by resting it down. — create a bed space in the rear seat of your vehicle if feasible. If it’s not possible, you can sleep in the rear seat of your vehicle.

Can You Sleep In A Car And Get Carbon Monoxide?

What causes people who faint in their vehicle to die because of poisonous carbon monoxide? Carbon monoxide is the most abundant composition emitted from your vehicle’s exhaust.

If you want to sleep in a car, do you have to break the windows?

Ensure to leave the window in Infront or the moonroof open a little. Once this is done, your respiration will be free, and peradventure, you are not alone; you wouldn’t have to worry about them breathing into your nose. Furthermore, it also helps to prevent water from condensing on the window. Don’t leave all the glasses open!

Final Thoughts – How To Sleep Comfortably in The Backseat of a Car

The rear seat of your vehicle seems to be a comfortable choice; it can be made possible by following some simple steps.

Sleeping in your vehicle’s rear seat is very applicable and experimental, and using the lessons learned from this article, you can get the back seat of your car comfortable.

However, It’s essential to ensure your security always while napping in your vehicle.