Sleeping While Homeless: Resources and Survival Tips

Written by Jill Zwarensteyn, Editor

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In This Article

It’s profoundly important that homeless populations prioritize healthier sleep. Read our tips here.

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If you’re living on the street or bouncing from one address to the next with no permanent roof over your head, while battling the weather and criminals who’d like to take advantage of you, good sleep is probably the furthest thing from your mind. How can you prioritize sleep or even allow your body to relax enough to get proper rest with this level of stress?

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates there are 553,000 homeless Americans, but their figures only account for estimations of people who are actively living on the street. Homeless activists argue that this number should account for those with unstable and unsafe living environments and that the number may be as high as 3.5 million.

If you are one of these people, sleep deprivation could be a huge obstacle standing in the way of your recovery. Surviving without a permanent address is never ideal, but for many, it is the only option available. It’s profoundly important that homeless populations prioritize healthier sleep wherever they find their rest and have access to information about their rights in the cities where they live.

Why Sleep is Important for Homeless People

Prepare for the Worst

If you or your family suspect that you will have to survive without a home for a length of time, there are steps that you can take to help better improve your odds of remaining healthy and safe.

●     Update your ID

Many shelters are very strict about their requirement for current IDs and they can be difficult to get without a current address. Update any documents that you may need and keep them in a safe location.

●     Store belongings or valuables

Loved ones or friends who cannot offer you shelter may be able to hang onto your valuables for you. This will likely be safer than carrying important documents or family heirlooms on your person, and shelters are strict about how many personal belongings people can keep.

●     Update your prescriptions and apply for Medical Assistance

If you have chronic health conditions, going without shelter will likely aggravate your symptoms. Make sure your prescriptions are current and apply for Medicaid as soon as possible.

●     Locate a medical center

There are Health Care Centers available for those who are at risk so be sure to locate a facility near you to help care for ongoing medical problems.

●     Make a family plan

There are men’s shelters, women’s shelters, as well as options that help couples stay together. But not all types of shelters are available in all areas. Many resources are gender or age-specific so be prepared and have a plan if you and your family become separated.

Where to Sleep and How to Make the Best of It

●     Friends Couches

No one wants to watch their loved ones suffer on the street if it’s possible to provide them aid, and you may be surprised about who amongst your acquaintances might be willing to consider taking you in. Of course, an extra head under any roof can create friction and undue burden on your friends and relatives, who may be struggling to stay afloat as well.

If you cannot contribute financially to the household’s upkeep, you may be able to contribute in other ways, such as caring for children, cooking meals, cleaning and/or doing yard work. Giving back to someone who has been generous with you may help ease some of the tension caused by overcrowding.

●     Cars

Cars were not built for sleeping, but they offer a good alternative to sleeping exposed to the elements. Make sure to dress warmly or augment your clothing with newspapers during inclement weather. Crank seats back and try to lay as flat as you can to reduce aches and pains.

Be mindful about where you park your car as, in some locations, sleeping while parking might be illegal or unsafe. In many cities, you can only park in one spot for a certain amount of time, so be sure you have enough gas in your car to move it from location to location, should the need arise.

●     Street/Squatting

Sleeping in the open is doubtlessly the most dangerous option. The safest and driest options are likely to also invite harassment from law enforcement or potential trespassing violations. Look out for signs prohibiting “loitering” and “trespassing.”

Abandoned buildings may offer shelter from the rain, but many which have stood empty for long periods of time, may not be structurally sound. Camping in wooded areas is another option and might be a bit safer, but away from the city, your access to resources to get you on your feet again – (libraries, food stamps, churches, shelters) may be more limited.

●     Shelters/Public Housing

Shelters are the most obvious solution for temporary housing, but a lot can stand in the    way of you and a good night’s sleep. Many of these locations are overpopulated and understaffed, and many feel uneasy sleeping in open areas among strangers, which leaves them vulnerable to violence or robbery.

To help block noise, try finding earplugs (available for free in many hostels) or wrap a scarf around your head to drown out light and noise. Keep personal belongings on your person or under your body’s weight to inhibit theft.

Some facilities may limit your stay, impose mandatory programming, or charge a small fee. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the policies of several locations so you know what is required of you. See directory below for available options in your area.

For obvious reasons, public housing is the most attractive option, but waiting lists can be long. If you suspect you may lose access to shelter, sign up for these programs as soon as possible so you can limit your time without permanent shelter.

Legal Problems Faced by Vulnerable Populations

While being homeless is not a crime, many inevitable activities associated with being homeless are forbidden by law in many states. These include food sharing, vagrancy, public sleeping, loitering, and begging.

Activists are working to overturning these laws, arguing that they are unsafe and unfair to populations of people who have no choice but to sleep in the street. Criminalizing homelessness is not only cruel, but it’s counter-productive to stemming the tide of the problem.

The National Law Center (NLC) is one group that is actively trying to overturn laws that target homeless populations and put a lot of their manpower towards advocating on the behalf of homeless citizens.

Getting in touch with a local legal aid organization and seeking the help of an advocate that works pro bono cases can help you if you feel you’ve been unfairly targeted for circumstances outside of your control. In 2015, the Department of Justice in the United States issued guidance arguing that it was unconstitutional for laws to prohibit public sleeping if adequate shelter was not available.

You do not need to be a lawyer to file a complaint against locations with inadequate support or shelter, and the NLC has outlined instructions on how this might be accomplished and what effect it may have.

Conclusion

Though homelessness carries with it a harsh societal stigma, there are people out there ready and willing to help you. Many of these people have been through similar experiences and can help you find the way out.

Your immediate safety may be the first thing on your mind, but looking to ways that you can improve your sleep can keep your body in top condition and better able to seize the opportunity for help and a new life when it presents itself.