Wherever you are, living the full life requires a good night’s sleep. But when you are roaming the world, Morpheus cannot always reliably find your address. Not all beds are created equal – so how to get comfy in a strange bed? If you are blessed with the ability to fall asleep, and stay asleep, read this post only for entertainment. But if, like the rest of us, you sometimes struggle in other people’s beds, we are here to help! First, our best sleep tips, and then, our favorite travel pillows.
Top Tips for Sleeping
- Pick a regular bedtime and stick to it. Avoid screens for about an hour before you go to bed. (Experts recommend not reading in bed, but we can’t resist.)
- You can’t always control the outside world: if your curtains aren’t dark enough or the neighbors are noisy, have eyeshades and earplugs handy. Both are regularly available for purchase, but we find that the eye masks they give you on overnight flights work well enough. For earplugs we are pickier: these look close to the ones we have been using for a long time (this link probably only works in the UK).
- Cooler is better than warmer: use fewer blankets, wear fewer clothes, and you might try rinsing your hands and feet in cold water or applying lotion if you are a sweaty sleeper. On the plus side, European duvets, even the cheap ones, have miraculous temperature-controlling properties (and make it easy to make the bed).
- Don’t drink too much, water or alcohol, before bedtime.
- If you can do so without disturbing anyone else, getting out of bed and doing something monotonous helps. We don’t have many boring household tasks any more, but this is a great time to do those.
- Counting sheep or your own breathing should relax you even if you don’t fall asleep.
- If you have particular worries, writing them down and even scheduling a time to worry during daylight hours can trick your brain into letting go at night.
- If all else fails, look to the pillow: hotels and rental flats often have pillows that are giant blocks of foam, which look plush but are inflexible. We can never make these work; even a rolled-up towel is better. It’s always worth asking for other pillows if you are in a hotel. But we often have to resort to our own. Which leads to…
Our Favourite Travel Pillows, Good in Other People’s Beds
We have tried out dozens over the years and let’s be honest: none of them are that great. For flights our recommendation is to fly first class, lie flat, and enjoy the ride. Should first class not be available to you (as it rarely is to us, more’s the pity), above are the two pillows we use on long flights and on the ground when our other options fail. Our main criteria are portability and comfort. Both squash down fairly well; the one on the right, made by air comfy (travel pillow, not neck pillow) inflates itself, which is a plus, and packs down smaller. The advantage of the Thermarest camp pillow, made of shredded foam, is the softer surface for your delicate face. Both weigh about the same and cost about the same. One of us prefers one, the other the other. (Which is why we have both of them.)
Have you found a comfortable travel pillow? What are your tips for sleeping in other people’s beds?
