By Sean Kerklaan, Founder of Rematee

There are road trips, and then there are road trips with four children, a guitar or two, enough camping gear to establish a small village, and the firm belief that everything will somehow fit in the vehicle.

This summer, my wife and I packed up our four children and drove east from Ontario. Our route carried us through Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, back across to Prince Edward Island, then north through New Brunswick before we finally made our way home through Quebec City. It was a long drive—full of snack requests, changing scenery, history lessons, music, laughter and the occasional family debate about how much farther we still had to go.

It was also exactly the kind of family adventure I had hoped for.

A tent big enough for six—and the realities of family camping

One of the highlights was camping on PEI in our new yurt-style family tent. From the outside, it looked wonderfully calm and organized. Inside was another story: six beds, blankets, bags, children, guitar cases and one truly enormous air mattress.

Yet it worked beautifully. All six of us slept comfortably. The high centre gave us enough room to stand upright, move around and carefully climb over sleeping children without causing a midnight chain reaction. For a family of six, that felt almost luxurious.

Of course, when six people share one fabric room—and neighbouring campers are sleeping only a short distance away—there is nowhere for loud snoring to hide.

Why my Bumper Belt always earns a place in the luggage

I’m Sean Kerklaan, the founder of Rematee, and snoring and sleep apnea have been part of my personal and entrepreneurial journey for roughly 20 years. Rematee did not begin as an abstract business idea. It grew from a very practical problem in my own life: when I slept on my back, my snoring became much worse. I needed a simple way to help myself remain on my side through the night.

That search became years of learning, testing, refining and listening to other people facing the same frustrating problem. Building Rematee has meant trying to make positional therapy more practical—something that can fit into ordinary life, whether a person is sleeping at home, visiting family, staying in a hotel or camping without access to electricity.

For me, that simplicity matters. My Bumper Belt packs easily and requires no outlet, hose, app or Wi-Fi connection. I put it on at bedtime, and its inflatable bumpers discourage me from rolling onto my back. Staying on my side helps me sleep much more quietly. On this trip, that meant my wife and children could rest—and the other families in nearby tents did not have to spend the night listening to my otherwise very loud snoring carry across the campground.

There is something satisfyingly low-tech about that. In a tent filled with six people, surrounded by the sounds of wind, leaves and distant waves, the solution I relied on was simply a gentle reminder to stay off my back.

The simple idea behind positional therapy

For some people, snoring and obstructive sleep apnea become worse when they sleep on their back. In that position, gravity can allow the tongue and other soft tissues to fall toward the airway. Side sleeping may help keep the airway more open, which is why a healthcare provider may recommend it for an appropriate patient.

This is known as positional therapy: using a physical or behavioural reminder to reduce back sleeping. The idea is straightforward, but—as I have learned personally and through Rematee—building a comfortable, lasting side-sleeping habit often takes patience. Slow persistence matters. A new sleep position can feel unfamiliar at first, and small adjustments to fit, firmness and bedding can make a meaningful difference.

Positional therapy is not the right treatment for every person or every form of sleep apnea. Anyone who suspects sleep apnea—or who has been prescribed CPAP, an oral appliance or another treatment—should speak with a qualified healthcare professional before changing their care. For people whose breathing problems are strongly related to back sleeping, however, positional therapy can be a remarkably portable option.

Lobster, stories and history along the way

Our trip was about far more than sleep. In PEI, we enjoyed a proper lobster boil—the kind of meal that turns dinner into an event. There is something unforgettable about gathering around fresh lobster after a day outdoors, with everyone a little sun-tired and hungry. It was messy, delicious and exactly right.

On the drive home through the Quebec City region, we visited the magnificent Sanctuaire Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Its twin spires and remarkable scale stopped us in our tracks. The visit gave us an opportunity to talk with the children about Quebec’s deep religious and cultural history and, as we travelled through the region, the story of the Plains of Abraham and the events that shaped Canada.

A quieter night can make room for a bigger adventure

After thousands of kilometres, several provinces and many nights of moving six people in and out of campsites, I came home grateful—and a little tired. I was grateful for the landscapes, the history, our PEI lobster boil, the music, the family time and even the happy chaos inside that enormous tent.

I was also reminded why I have spent so much of the past two decades working on Rematee. Snoring can feel like a small problem until it begins affecting your partner, your family, your confidence about travelling or your willingness to share a tent. A practical solution can give you more than a quieter night; it can make it easier to say yes to experiences you might otherwise avoid.

For me, the Bumper Belt meant I could sleep beside my family in our new yurt tent, away from outlets and everyday routines, while giving everyone around me a better chance at peaceful sleep.

And that is the kind of simplicity I still believe in: pack the car, bring the people you love, sleep on your side—and make room for the adventure.

Could your snoring be related to sleeping on your back? Learn more about positional therapy and the Rematee Bumper Belt at Rematee.com.

Health note: Loud, persistent snoring—especially when accompanied by pauses in breathing, gasping, morning headaches or daytime sleepiness—should be discussed with a healthcare professional. Positional therapy may help some people, but it is not a substitute for diagnosis or prescribed treatment.