Short answer
At a lit campfire, check that Energy and Hydration are good and look for the recovery indicator. If that route is unavailable, sleep in a usable mattress bed or inspect your medical supplies. 0.7.0 doubles campfire healing; it does not publish a numeric Energy/Hydration cutoff.
Campfire not healing: check these conditions
- Check whether health actually needs recovery.Compare the current health state before judging a missing animation. Move out of immediate danger first.
- Use a lit campfire.The developer specifies lit campfires, not every decorative flame or unlit firepit.
- Check both Energy and Hydration.Use the current item descriptions to choose supplies. The source says both should be good; no exact percentage is verified here.
- Watch the result.The original note describes particles, sound and a recovery indicator. Compare health before and after, not just whether you are standing near a fire.
Source: Day One Update 0.5.169 — campfire prerequisites and recovery signals ↗
Source: Update 0.7.0 — campfire healing doubled ↗
How to tell it worked
The recovery indicator appears and health increases while the stated conditions are met.
If it still fails
If health does not rise, note the lit fire, location, Energy, Hydration and version. Use a safe alternative rather than waiting in danger. Exact healing range, rate and numeric prerequisites have not been independently measured here.
Can I sleep to restore health?
Yes: 0.6.2 adds 5 health per in-game hour of sleep. Since 0.7.0, only beds with mattresses are usable. This is a sleep rule, not the real-world container respawn timer.
- Choose a usable bed.A bed frame without a mattress is not sufficient under 0.7.0.
- Read the sleep preview before confirming.0.6.0 shows the expected stat changes. Check food and drink needs rather than choosing the longest duration automatically.
- Check why sleep ended.The world continues running. Damage can wake you; interruptions from damage, Hunger or Thirst produce an explanation. Saving is disabled during sleep.
Source: Hotfix 0.6.2 — sleep healing amount ↗
Source: Update 0.6.0 — sleep preview, interruptions and save restriction ↗
After waking, compare actual health and elapsed game time. An interrupted sleep is not evidence that the full selected duration completed. For containers that remain empty, use the separate respawn check.
Where do I get medical blueprints?
The Day One notes list Advanced Bandage, Army AI-2, IFAK and Stimpack blueprints at Alexei. A blueprint is a recipe, not a finished healing item; inspect its current ingredients, requirements and your available supplies before buying.
Source: Day One patch — Alexei's four medical blueprints ↗
Need Water first? See the trader supply table. Missing health after death rather than during a run? Use mode and recovery checks.
Healing FAQ
Why is my campfire not healing me?
Check that it is lit, health needs recovery, and Energy and Hydration are good. Watch for the recovery indicator and actual health increase. The notes do not specify numeric prerequisites.
How much health does sleeping restore?
Hotfix 0.6.2 specifies 5 health per in-game hour. Sleep can be interrupted, so compare actual elapsed time and health. Since 0.7.0 the bed must have a mattress.
Does sleeping reset ordinary containers?
Do not equate the two clocks. Sleep healing uses in-game hours; the developer reply on ordinary containers specifies real-world time.