You’ve probably used a hammock once or twice when camping or reading in your yard. Hammocks are a common sleeping item around the globe, especially in areas like Asia and Latin America, per Seaside Hammocks. 

Research shows that the rocking motion of a hammock could play a role in reducing insomnia. Current Biology published research in 2011 that looked at the sleeping patterns of 12 healthy males with no known sleep or napping disorders on a hammock for three consecutive nights. The researchers noted that the rocking motion facilitated by the hammock worked to help the participants fall asleep faster, increase the light stage 2 sleep, boost slow oscillations, and reinforce sleep rhythms. Co-author Michel Muhlethaler, professor of neuroscience, told NPR, “It’s not just you go faster to sleep, but also while you sleep, your sleep is deeper. That was a total surprise for us.”

Therefore, hammock sleeping checks off two essential boxes for sleep: quality and quantity. The health benefits of getting more quality sleep include getting sick less often, thinking more clearly, reducing stress, and improving your risk for serious illnesses like heart disease, per the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.