The bliss of kicking back at the beach and having a pleasant snooze in the warm summer’s sun is something of a treat that we all deserve at some time or another.

The sound of the waves and the gentle sea breeze is a natural relaxant, but if you want to know true comfort and sleep without any awkwardness, from protecting your skin to knowing where to lie down, then follow these timeless tips…

Get sun-prepped

The sun’s rays are a welcome feeling for practically everyone, but the fact is, the reflection from the water, along with the inevitable direct contact with the sun will mean you need to protect your skin. This is a given really, and we should all be applying protection to our skin, but it’s always best to plan ahead to keep yourself safe in the sun.

You might also want to think about providing yourself with a bit of shade via a beach umbrella and/or hat to swerve getting pink after the midday sun has taken its toll on you! The last thing you want is to come away with sunburn after a lovely chilled day at the beach.

Know the tides

What’s the worst that could happen; you get to the beach, lie down, drift off, and then before you know it, the waves come lapping up on to your legs and getting all your belongings wet too!

So, before you pitch up and get settled for a coastal kip, do some forward thinking and check the tide times to know when you might need to move coves to not get cut off, have to shift back up the shore a bit, or better still; position yourself to avoid the risk of the water affecting you at all.

Pack beach-specific sleep supplies

As with any situation whereby you want to sleep in comfort, having the right supplies to make this achievable are always good to have with you. Some of the things the guys over at the Sleep Advisor website suggest suggest packing as part of your essentials include:

•      Windbreak
•      Parasol
•      Cosy blanket
•      Travel pillow

We know. That most people would love to lounge and doze off in the sun until that sunshine disappears over the horizon, but even the most devoted people who flock to sunshine-inhabited areas, need to take advantages of break every now and then.

You never know, it might even rain a little completely out of nowhere and that sun brolly you took with you keeps you dry until the shower passes.

Don’t do the dunes

Seclusion from people, breeze, and the feeling of having a cosy little camp are all allures of opting to lie down in the dunes. However, the sand dunes are notorious for being home to creepy crawlies that will absolutely love the arrival of some new visitors to explore and climb all over; maybe even nibble on (we’re looking at you sand hoppers and sand beetles!).

Also, depending on the location of the beach, there may even be more harmful residents living among the dunes that you’d be best of avoiding. So, in short, sidestep the risk and opt for the sandy stretches over the dunes

Stay hydrated

You might not even have crossed your mind before, but staying hydrated does, in fact, help you to sleep. Therefore, if you want to enjoy some sound slumber on the sand, make sure you pack plenty of water to go around.

If you become dehydrated, then your time at the beach won’t be as enjoyable, whether you’re sleeping or not. Take your reusable bottle with you so that you’re not using non-recyclable plastics and ensure you’ve filled it up with enough to last the day.

It might be worth checking out where the nearest tap that provides drinking water is located so that you can top up if need be.

Leave no trace

This isn’t a go-to tip to help you sleep like a baby at the beach, but it’s a way to ensure that you can and many others can continue to do so in years to come.

Beaches are just wonderful places to visit, and as a visitor to one of Mother Nature’s beautiful locations, you must do everything you can to help maintain it. Take responsibility for any rubbish you might have. Ensure you have suitable bags to pick up rubbish, and everything else you have with you to carry back home or to the car.  

Why not go one step further and pick up any bits of rubbish you happen to encounter on your route off of the beach? Hopefully, you won’t come across much, but if we all do this then the beach will always be a garbage-free haven and knowing you’ve done some good will help you sleep tight at night.  

Leave nothing but footprints…