Is it safe to sleep under trees?

[twisted firestarter]

I remember being taught that trees absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen during the day but at night the reverse happens. Several times while sleeping in my hammock I have found that I have woken short of breath. Am I being stupid or is it possible that the carbon dioxide (which sinks to the ground) is at least partly responsible?

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

 

[william#]

completely new one on me i dont really know i suspect it may be more to do with how you are sleeping in the hammock - as you know gases dissipates and expand very quickly so would be very surprised if the levels significantly changed.
maybe you are having a reaction to pollen or something else you are allergic to.
probably the biggest danger under trees are falling branches most people will know here that beach tends to have a reputation of dropping branches.
is worth then always to look up and check for anything that might drop .

 

[bushwacker bob]

You've been starting too many fires!!
Mature Beech trees can be dodgy because of thier tendancy to shed branches.Trees absorb CO2 and expire oxygen and also generate negative ions.Short ness of breath is unlikely to have been caused by a tree unless it was spring and you have a tree pollen allergy

 

[oldsoldier]

Yeah, I HIGHLY doubt shortness of breath is caused by a tree. There is simply too much room for the gas to expand. Think of it; filling a tank of gas, which would have a much higher gas concentration, would cause you to swoon every time you fill up. I think it may either be the way you are sleeping, or sleep apnea. But, thats my guess.

 

[xylaria]

I remember being taught that trees absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen during the day but at night the reverse happens. Several times while sleeping in my hammock I have found that I have woken short of breath. Am I being stupid or is it possible that the carbon dioxide (which sinks to the ground) is at least partly responsible?

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

Maybe you have asthma?
Humans are can funny little onions, we been able to think, invent, and improvise our way out trouble, can be so smart that we can think our way into as well. I dont think you are being stupid, I just think you are thinking too much for your own good. Maybe the trees are causing you shortness of breath but because you allergic to something they are giving off. I am sure that you would get more carbon dioxide in tube train or busy road, if shortness of breath was due to carbon dioxde these places would set you off.

 

[mace242]

Is it that you sleep in a different position when under the tree in the hammock? I have issues with sleeping on my back in that I often wake up short of breath, even when in bed at home if I do sleep that way. Because of this I simply cannot sleep in a hammock and have to find other ways of sleeping when out, ususally tent or soon to try a bivi bag under a tarp. Try sleeping on the floor in the same place for a night and see if the same happens. If it doesn't then I suspect you have the same issue as me.

 

[Dougster]

Is your hammock too slack and your legs high up? Your intestines may be scrunched into your diaphragm meaning you can't draw as much breath - pull it tighter and see how you go. It's worth a try.

 

[twisted firestarter]

Thanks for all the advice guys. Ok I think I'm being paranoid with the Carbon Dioxide thing. I do sleep in a different position in a hammock and change positions dozens of times in the night so the scrunched up diaphragm could well be the problem. I must say that I have slept in hammocks probably a hundred times and don't remember ever having any problems in my old cheapo hammock. Maybe I should just go back to that one

 

[pothunter]

Alternatively

It could be carbon monoxide if you are to close to the ground or lack of oxygen if you are to high

Try replacing your mossy net with an oxygen bubble

Or, it may be anxiety brought on by fear of the beast!!!!!!!:yikes:

More likely you just need to adjust your sleeping position.

Pothunter

 

[w00dsmoke]

I do sleep in a different position in a hammock and change positions dozens of times in the night so the scrunched up diaphragm could well be the problem. I must say that I have slept in hammocks probably a hundred times and don't remember ever having any problems in my old cheapo hammock. Maybe I should just go back to that one

The first time I slept in a hammock I had that problem and occasionally still do. I find it's because of the angle of my neck when sleeping due to the hammock shape, it closes the airway a little and to a certain degree it's unavoidable unless you sleep diagonally across the hammock or sleep on your side

 

[bushman762]

I remember being taught that trees absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen during the day but at night the reverse happens. Several times while sleeping in my hammock I have found that I have woken short of breath.

I keep house plants, to help improve the oxygen / CO2 exchange in the house, and had similar thoughts about keeping plants in the bedroom, but I do.

As Dougster said <Is your hammock too slack and your legs high up? Your intestines may be scrunched into your diaphragm meaning you can't draw as much breath - pull it tighter and see how you go. It's worth a try.>

This I feel could be a good explanation to your symptoms, plus the fact that when you get a good deep sleep your breathing rate goes right down to almost nothing. Some people wake from this sate gasping for breath, quite frightening but it is quite natural.

Best Regards,

 

[gregorach]

Sounds like sleep apnea to me...

CO2 does not sink to the ground if it's at the same temperature as the surrounding air. Gases just don't interact like that.

 

[Moff8]

I am sure that I read that in volcanic regions you can get pockets of CO2 released that settle into valleys/depressions. Can cause death due to asphyxiation.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/of97-262/of97-262.html

"Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and can collect in low and poorly ventilated places. Nearly two thousand people have died of carbon dioxide asphyxiation near volcanoes in the past two decades, most of them in Cameroon, Africa, and in Indonesia."

 

[andyn]

I seem to remember hearing that hospital used to remove plants from patient rooms for this reason. I'm sure that since the days of air conditioning etc that this is no longer practiced either though.

 

[Dougster]

I am sure that I read that in volcanic regions you can get pockets of CO2 released that settle into valleys/depressions. Can cause death due to asphyxiation.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/of97-262/of97-262.html

"Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and can collect in low and poorly ventilated places. Nearly two thousand people have died of carbon dioxide asphyxiation near volcanoes in the past two decades, most of them in Cameroon, Africa, and in Indonesia."

I'm reasonably sure that you wouldn't have a volcano under a Beech tree!!

 

[kobalt01]

Could it be that tree lying across your chest?!
:twak:
Matt
Ok ill hibernate again

 

[gregorach]

I am sure that I read that in volcanic regions you can get pockets of CO2 released that settle into valleys/depressions. Can cause death due to asphyxiation.

http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1997/of97-262/of97-262.html

"Carbon dioxide is heavier than air and can collect in low and poorly ventilated places. Nearly two thousand people have died of carbon dioxide asphyxiation near volcanoes in the past two decades, most of them in Cameroon, Africa, and in Indonesia."

Yeah, OK, if you can release several thousand tonnes of it from a point source in a very short time, it can behave like that - but it's not normal. If gases normally behaved like that, none of us would be able to breathe right now.

 

[Stuart]

some questions defy a sensible answer

 

[william#]

some questions defy a sensible answer

lol
i suspect that fire starter was just baiting us

 

[fred gordon]

The answer is not to sleep with house plants in your hammock! Alternatively sleep in a tent!