I have trouble sleeping even in the best situations, so getting good rest while traveling is often elusive. Over the years I’ve tried every gadget, pillow, and little comfort I can fit in my bag to make nights away from home a bit easier. These are the sleep helpers that actually make a difference for me on the road.
I sleep better when I feel clean and comfortable. I used to pack a bulky top sheet on every trip until I found this queen‑sized sleep sheet. I’m pretty picky about bedding, so I wasn’t sure how well I’d sleep in it, but after one night I was sold. If I have the room, I always pack this lightweight sleeping bag liner. It gives me a soft, familiar layer between me and whatever bedding I’m using, and it helps me relax in hotel rooms or cabins where the sheets feel questionable. It’s easy to wash, folds down small, and makes unfamiliar beds feel a little more like home.
I’ve been lucky enough to never deal with bed bugs (knock on wood), but one of my non‑negotiables before I sleep anywhere is checking the mattress. I always look, and thankfully I’ve never found anything. Still, I’ve been carrying this bed bug spray as a just‑in‑case backup. Hopefully I’ll never need it and you’ll never see me review it – the online reviews are as close as I’d like to get. Having it in my bag gives me a little extra peace of mind when I’m settling in for the night.
I bought this pillow on a whim a while back and use it way more than I expected. It’s easy to throw in the car for a camping trip, take on the plane to sleep (or for lumbar support as I get older), or use for a relaxing day on a hammock. I also love that it comes with a washable pillowcase which makes it feel cleaner and more practical for travel.
Talking about getting older, sometimes I like to spend a trip lounging in bed and reading. Stacking pillows just doesn’t do it for me when there’s no back support and no real incline. I started packing this inflatable wedge pillow for exactly that reason. It’s not perfect (I wish it were a little bigger and longer), but it makes being lazy in bed so much more comfortable.
I’m getting set in my ways enough that sometimes I just want my own pillow when I travel. At a minimum I like to bring my own pillowcase, but on my most recent trip I decided to go one step further. I vacuum‑packed my pillow until it was flat as a pancake, and now it’s officially a travel hack I’ll be doing more often. These bags were the perfect size for a full‑size pillow, felt sturdy, and didn’t reinflate at all while I traveled. The pillow fit perfectly in the top of my checked bag and helped me sleep so much better throughout the trip.
Any time I travel, I reliably have a few things I like to keep by my bedside. At night, I want to make sure my chapstick won’t roll under the bed, my lotion won’t tip over, and I can find my glasses quickly if I need them. This travel valet helps me do exactly that. It unsnaps to fold flat in my suitcase, then pops back into shape to keep all my bedside items organized and close while I sleep.
Travel sleep will probably never be perfect for me, but having a few familiar comforts in my bag makes a big difference. These little helpers don’t guarantee a great night’s rest, but they do make unfamiliar rooms feel more manageable and help me settle in faster. If you struggle with sleep on the road too, hopefully a few of these will make your nights away from home a little easier.