Ski Season Sleep: After a Day on the Mountain

A good ski day starts in the dark and ends with heavy legs. In between: altitude, cold, a long drive and maybe a late dinner in a mountain town. It's no surprise that sleep is often the first thing to slip in ski season. Here's a plain plan for the nights around your ski days.

Ski days are long days

Skiing and riding are training, even if they don't feel like it. An expert consensus (Walsh et al., 2020) on athlete sleep reports that training, travel and competition all affect athletes' sleep. It also notes that habitual short sleep (under 7 hours a night) is common in athletes (Walsh et al., 2020). A ski weekend stacks several of those at once: early starts, travel and hard days on the hill.

Sleeping higher than Denver

Denver sits at 5,280 feet (City and County of Denver). Head west and it climbs fast: the foothills reach 11,000 feet, and the Front Range peaks rise to 14,000 feet (Visit Denver). Many ski weekends mean sleeping well above the city.

A 2015 review of sleep at altitude reports that people from lower elevations "commonly report a poor sleep quality during the first few nights after arriving at high altitude," with less deep (slow-wave) sleep the most consistent change (Bloch et al., 2015). The study the review highlights compares a 2,590 m (about 8,500 ft) site with a low one.

What that means for you: if the first night up high is restless, that's commonly reported. Plan an easier first morning if you can, and don't judge the trip on night one. If you feel unwell at altitude, talk to a doctor.

The early-alarm problem

First chair, parking, traffic: ski days push the alarm early. The Sleep Foundation suggests trying "to wake up at the same time" every day, weekdays and weekends alike. When you need to shift your schedule, it recommends "small, step-by-step adjustments of up to an hour or two" rather than one big jump (Sleep Foundation).

In practice:
- Shift earlier over a few nights before a big ski weekend, not all on Friday.
- Pack the night before: boots, layers, pass, goggles, snacks and water.
- If you nap, the Sleep Foundation suggests keeping naps "relatively short and limited to the early afternoon," so they don't push bedtime late.

Après, then bed

Après-ski is part of the fun. The Sleep Foundation notes that alcohol "may make it easier to fall asleep, but the effect wears off, disrupting sleep later in the night," and suggests moderating it and avoiding it later in the evening (Sleep Foundation). If tomorrow is another ski day, that's worth knowing.

The air is dry, too. Visit Denver says "the Mile High City is also extremely dry, so it is a good idea to drink more water than usual" (Visit Denver). Keep a bottle by the bed, at the condo or at home.

The drive-home day

The last day often means skiing hard, then a long drive back down to Denver. Two simple rules:
- Don't drive drowsy. If you're fading, stop, swap drivers or wait.
- Get back to your normal schedule that night. Same wake time the next morning, even if you're tired. It's the fastest way back to your routine.

Your room, up there or at home

Whether it's a condo, a hotel or your own bedroom, the basics are the same:
- Cool: about 65°F, within a 65 to 68°F range (Sleep Foundation). Rentals are often kept warm, so turn it down.
- Dark and quiet: pack an eye mask and earplugs for unfamiliar rooms.
- Wind down: the Sleep Foundation suggests budgeting 30 minutes to wind down before bed.
- Bring what helps you sleep, including your own pillow if you like a familiar one.

Your pillow

We're a Denver company, and every MOSO pillow is assembled and finished in Denver.

The MOSO Black Performance Pillow is filled with viscose made from bamboo, blended with bamboo charcoal and tourmaline. The bamboo base is breathable and designed to sleep cool. The bamboo charcoal and tourmaline convert your body heat into far-infrared energy, which you don't feel as heat, and reflect it back to your body. It's a cool pillow.

There's no polyester in the fill or the ticking, and no microplastics. It's medium firm with a steady height.

• Standard/Queen, 18 × 26 in: $109 (2-pack $169)
• King, 18 × 36 in: $119 (2-pack $179)
• Charcoal or Silver

(Sizes from the product page; prices from the store.)

Denver delivery

Between Centennial and Westminster, free same-day hand delivery runs 7 days a week: orders placed by 1 PM MT are delivered the same day, per our shipping policy. Elsewhere in the U.S., standard shipping is free on orders over $99. New customers: HELLOMOSO takes 10% off.

Get the MOSO Black Performance Pillow →

Keep reading: Sleeping at Altitude in Denver · Sleep for Lifters · Cooling Pillow for Hot Sleepers · Training in Denver · How to Sleep in a New Place

— Team MOSO

FAQ

Why can't I sleep after skiing?
Long, early days, altitude and après can all play a part. A 2015 research review reports that poor sleep in the first few nights at high altitude is commonly reported.

Why am I so sleepy after skiing?
Ski days start early and run long, and that's a lot of activity. Hold your normal wake time and get back to your usual bedtime.

How do I sleep better at a ski condo?
Turn the heat down (about 65–68°F), block the light, pack earplugs, drink water and keep alcohol earlier in the evening.

Should I nap on a ski trip?
If you do, the Sleep Foundation suggests keeping naps short and in the early afternoon.

Can I get a MOSO pillow before a ski weekend?
In Denver, yes. Between Centennial and Westminster, orders placed by 1 PM MT are delivered the same day, 7 days a week, per our shipping policy.