Yes, I Sleep on Cliffs. Literally.
Over the past 33 years, I’ve spent 44 nights sleeping on the wall while big-wall climbing—and I’ve learned a lot about sleep in extreme places. But here’s the truth: the lessons I’ve learned up there will help you sleep better anywhere, even if your “summit” is just getting through a long workweek or traveling across time zones.
In this post, I’ll answer the #1 question I get about cliffside camping—and then share my top three sleep strategies, developed from:
- 15+ years of obsessively tracking my sleep
- Consulting with doctors and sleep experts
- Testing over 100 supplement and gear combinations
Let’s climb in.
Is Sleeping on a Cliff Actually Safe?
It’s a fair question. If you’ve ever seen a photo of climbers sleeping in a portaledge (a small hanging tent attached to a cliff face), your first thought was probably: How do you not roll out and fall to your death in the middle of the night?
Here’s how: we always stay tied in with a rope—even while we sleep. That rope runs directly from your harness to an anchor in the rock. Worst case? You roll to the edge of your “bed,” and the rope stops you cold.
So yes—if you know what you’re doing and stay tied in, sleeping on the side of a mountain can actually be safer than driving in traffic. (No joke—especially if people are texting.)
But whether you’re on a vertical cliff or just stuck in a noisy hotel room, good sleep starts with awareness and discipline. That’s where these tips come in.
My 3 Best Sleep Tips
(That Work on Mountains, in Hotel Beds, or at Home)
1. Track Your Sleep—Don’t Guess
Awareness is everything. You may think you’re getting enough sleep, but unless you’re tracking it, you might be fooling yourself.
I’ve used:
- Two at-home sleep studies
- One in-lab sleep study
- Multiple wearables over the years
…and the Ōura Ring is still my go-to. I’ve worn it for over six years now, and here’s why I love it:
- It keeps me honest. Some days I feel tired, but Ōura tells me I actually slept great—and I believe it.
- Other days, I’m pushing hard with travel and think I’m doing okay, but Ōura says otherwise: “Warning signs of illness. Slow down.”
Bonus: I also wear a Garmin, but the data quality isn’t close.
Bottom line: Use a high-quality sleep tracker. Not just to measure how many hours you’re in bed, but how much quality sleep you’re actually getting.
2. Block Out the Light
Light—even small amounts—can sabotage your sleep quality. Whether you’re at home, in a hotel, or in a tent on a rock face, controlling your light exposure is a simple, powerful hack.
My favorite tool? The Tempur-Pedic Sleep Mask.
Why it works:
- It fully blocks out light
- It’s super comfortable (no pressure on your eyes)
- Bonus benefit: Wearing it every night builds a familiar sensory cue. So when I’m traveling, my brain recognizes the mask and thinks, “We’re safe. This is home.”
Whether you’re dealing with hotel lights, street lamps, or early sunrises, an eye mask can help signal your brain it’s time to sleep.
3. Use the Right Supplement—The Right Way
I’ve experimented with more than 100 combinations of sleep supplements, and magnesium L-threonate (aka Magtein) stands out.
Why Magtein?
It crosses the blood-brain barrier effectively, helping the brain relax and wind down.
But here’s the trick most people miss:
✅ Take it on an empty stomach, 30+ minutes before dinner.
That timing made a huge difference for me. I’ve been using it for over a decade, but only recently started taking it pre-dinner—and the improvement was noticeable. The supplement absorbs better and gets to work before your nighttime routine kicks in.
Final Thoughts: Sleep Like Your Life Depends On It
Because it does.
Whether you’re climbing El Capitan or navigating business travel and late-night deadlines, sleep is your foundation. It’s your edge. These three simple tools—track your sleep, block the light, and optimize supplements—can dramatically improve your performance and recovery.
If this post helped you, or you know someone who struggles with sleep, please share it. You might just help them reach a summit of their own.
To your next great night of sleep (and mine too),
– Manley
