How about getting a muffin fan or two to keep fresh air blowing into the cabover and toward your head? Iirc, Joe from Seattle did this. I'm thinking about the 12v kind used in computers. Sometimes fresh air seems to help me.
Kurt
2001 Silverado 3500 DRW CC LB 6.0
1993 Lance Squire Lite 150 (8'6")
2001 Fleetwood Caribou 11J (11'6")
I don't have claustrophobia, but I am a bit acrophobic (fear of heights). I go into a slight panic if I have to climb a ladder to paint or get on a roof. I literally get dizzy looking out the window of a high rise. So I know how you feel. I'm wondering if a TC is the right RV for you. When we bought our TT the salesman asked if we needed a 'walk-on' roof. I told him it didn't matter because I ain't ever going up there.
I'm sure you looked at other RV styles and decided on a TC for specific reasons, but maybe a small trailer (or popup trailer) with a slide out and big windows would make you feel more comfortable. Whatever you end up doing, I sincerely hope you get a good handle on it.
68 Me & DW
93 DD
03 DD
06 F150 Screw 6.5' Bed, 4x4, 5.4, 3.73
04 Tahoe 23RB-GL Honda EU2000 Parallel Cables "I hope you like Guinness, Sir. I find it a refreshing substitute for...food." Col. Jack O'Neill, Stargate SG-1.
Matt, I believe that there are larger vents (than 14" x 14") available if you don't mind doing some roof modification. Also install a Max Air vent cover which would allow you to keep the vent open during rain.
FarcticOx
Run Silent, Run Deep
2003 F350 Diesel DRW.
2005 Arctic Fox B1150 solar powered dry camper.
Some might consider this extreme: A pop-up. The head room is the same as some hardsides and in some cases a little less, but you have almost the entire three sides openable. Depending on where I was, I've slept with everything open and it was almost like sleeping outdoors. Eventually you don't even notice the 'canvas' sides.
Try some kind of night light at the opposite end of the camper to keep every bit of space available slightly illuminated. This gives you a psychological cue that although the space you're sleeping in is confined, there is still some "openness" available around you. See if installing any mirrors in your lines of sight while sleeping might help
In addition to keeping the windows open and a flow of air whenever possible, keep any blinds or shades raised, maximize the open glass area as much as possible. Sleep facing the window if you can.
Try sleeping with the furnace up higher, keep it warm in the camper so you don't need a heavy blanket on you while sleeping, if you're not covered while sleeping you may feel less confined.
Weather permitting leave the camper door open and only use the screen door.
I once had a camper that did not have sit up clearance in the cabover. DW and I were up there, and my five year old son was up in the fold down bed over the dinnette bed for my daughters playpen bed.
Over the course of his shifting about, the toe of his sleeping bag fell over the edge, and as he wriggled and turned to get comfy, more fell over until we heard a sickening thud.
I woke with such a start, I sat up and said "What th- ..." and wham, my head hit the roof line at such a velocity, it sent me reeling backwards onto the bed again. It was an E/W mattress, and DW had to climb over me to get to poor son fallen off to the floor. He was OK, we made him an airmattress on the ground, and settled in again.
A light rain started as we slept, and we woke in the morning to son curled up in a ball in a corner, soaking wet sleeping bag and airmattress from the rain...and I felt like I needed a neck brace for almost a week afterward.
Certainly having sit up room, a very open floor plan to the living area, and being the closest to the down part with an east west bed should help your feelings of confinement.
Mike and Carole
2000 Ford F350 SC PSD "Newman"
1994 Snowbird 8'10" "Rosietoo"
2005 16.6 Double Eagle
zumdish wrote: Try some kind of night light at the opposite end of the camper to keep every bit of space available slightly illuminated. This gives you a psychological cue that although the space you're sleeping in is confined, there is still some "openness" available around you. See if installing any mirrors in your lines of sight while sleeping might help
In addition to keeping the windows open and a flow of air whenever possible, keep any blinds or shades raised, maximize the open glass area as much as possible. Sleep facing the window if you can.
Try sleeping with the furnace up higher, keep it warm in the camper so you don't need a heavy blanket on you while sleeping, if you're not covered while sleeping you may feel less confined.
Weather permitting leave the camper door open and only use the screen door.
Look into meditation and relaxation techniques.
I second the idea of a mirror or two. Mirrors have a way of making spaces appear bigger than they are.
2007 F250 Lariat 4WD PSD 6.0 W/ Timbrens /Rancho RS9000
2007 Lance 815 (Not with all the options but getting there. Added DVD/Stereo, 24" WS HD Flat panel, HD DTV, 500W Inverter, Fantastic Fan, Short bed kit, Jack Plates and Atwood Wireless Power Jacks)
Mirrors on the roof - Talk about kinking out the ol' TC. Could be fun, but not sure I would like to see myself that close in the morning when I wake up.
I agree with s1214 - with the pop-up and open sides, you are very open to the outside surroundings.
With the warmer weather approaching here in New England, camp in locations where you can open up everything for fresh air and ventilation. A few more nights and hopefully you'll adjust. Usually the first few nights in new and strange places are the worst.
s1214 wrote: Some might consider this extreme: A pop-up. The head room is the same as some hardsides and in some cases a little less, but you have almost the entire three sides openable. Depending on where I was, I've slept with everything open and it was almost like sleeping outdoors. Eventually you don't even notice the 'canvas' sides.
Amen to that. The thread on "inside your camper pictures" while looking very cozy, opened my eyes to the fact that most of you folks don't have much for windows up top. I now appreciate my pop-up more than ever with all it's windows on the second floor. Openable windows at that! Maybe if you took some efflorescent paint and painted some "star" scenes on the ceiling you'd feel like you were outside?? Hey, I did it when I was a kid at home and loved it. Had the Big Dipper and everything haha. I've always wanted to be outside.
I have the same problem- I hate small spaces. Can't fly- last time I got on a plane I had to get off before they closed the big door! Felt like I was in a sardine can. Can't do MRI's either- only the open MRI machines for me. TC's haven't been a problem with the N-S alignment. We had E-W one time, and had to get rid of it cuz the wife had to sleep in the corner and she hated it. Our TC bed area has windows on both sides- we won't consider buying one with window only on one side as you are beginning to see with new models. I keep my window and curtain open all night, regardless of temp. and sleep on my side facing the window. Turning on a dim, i.e night light in other end of the camper makes it better- it emphasizes the "largeness" of the camper, i.e. one large room instead of a tiny bedroom with a ceiling as low as a coffin. Also, never watch those shows where someone is buried alive- you will never forget it! I have thought about a TC with one of the fold-out screened area beds- now that's a good idea. I have also found that taking a tylenol PM is great too- I sleep much better in that coffin-like space now. Good luck.
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