An achy neck, discomfort and dead legs, sleeping on a plane, bus or train is no easy feat. But after several long haul flights and countless early morning commutes, I've mastered an on-the-go sleep routine.
My friends say they don't particularly enjoy my company on flights — not because I'm a restless traveller or relentless yapper, but because I simply sleep through. I rarely stay awake from take off to landing and I have a handful of sleep products to thank for my ability to drop off in the sky, on the tracks or on the road.
With Memorial Day sleep sales on the horizon, now is a great time to think about which gadgets to snap up for peaceful travels this summer. From SOMO's acupressure sleep mask to Tempur-Pedic's travel pillow and a trusty Kindle, here are the essentials I won't travel without...
1. A good light-blocking eye mask
Your body clock can be thrown all over the shop while traveling, meaning you'll often need to sleep while it's still light outside. Light pollution on an aeroplane can also be distracting, whether it's the flashing lights of the wings or the individual reading lights, making it difficult to sleep.
For this reason, I'm always sure to pack a comfortable sleep mask. My current favorite is the SOMO Sleep Fitness mask, which is made from a butter-soft material and uses acupressure to help you relax.
The eye mask is fitted with a disk between the eyebrows, which gently applies pressure to the Yin Tang acupoint. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, this relieves anxiety and reduces restlessness — a dream mid-flight.
The digital Aura Sleep Mask ($229 at Aura) and Bob and Brad eye massager ($49.99 at Amazon) are two other reliably calming eye masks I'd suggest.
2. A reliable travel pillow
If I had to pick a favorite on-the-move sleep essential it would have to be a reliable travel pillow. Getting comfortable on-the-move without somewhere to rest your head is near impossible.
Adding cushioning around your neck for you to rest your head, travel pillows do wonders. It also saves you slouching onto the person next to you (a situation no one wants.)
A good pillow for travelling is one that's portable and, like this year's best pillows, supportive. Trust me when I say an infinity pillow or suitable travel pillow will be your wisest-selected travel companion.
The Tempur-Pedic travel pillow below is a plush option, or you can shop more affordable travel pillows at Amazon. For example, this Napfun neck pillow is 28% off now at $15.86 (was $21.99).
3. Sleep headphones or earplugs
Blocking out cabin or carriage noise is essential if you want to drift off on a plane or train. Depending whether you prefer a lullaby or complete silence to fall asleep, you can chose between headphones or noise-cancelling earplugs.
While standard quality headphones can do the trick, specialised ultra thin headphones can be more comfortable to doze in.
My sleep-inducing sound track tends to include binaural beats or a sleep podcast, which help me relax when afflicted by the anxiety that can sometimes come with travelling.
4. An enjoyable read
For entertainment and relaxation, you'll always find a book (or rather a Kindle) in my carry-on luggage. I prefer a light-hearted read, be it an Emily Henry romance or trending best seller, while travelling as these feel-good stories set the perfect holiday tone.
Alternatively, I'll pick up a magazine at the airport to be inspired travel destinations. In the same way reading at bedtime can help you relax, I find reading mid-flight can have a similar effect. After a chapter or two, you'll be snoozing into your neck pillow.
A Kindle is the travel essential for book-lovers. If you're looking for recommendations, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is our top-rated e-reader of the year.
5. Compression socks
Compression socks can help you sleep better on a flight by improving blood circulation, reducing swelling, and potentially alleviating leg fatigue and discomfort.
By applying graduated pressure to your legs, especially at the ankles, these socks help blood flow back to the heart more efficiently, which can improve your comfort while sitting in an upright position in tight plane and train bays.
In a more comfortable position, you're more likely to sleep longer and get better sleep quality on a long flight, helping you feel more refreshed when you land at your destination.
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