Going for a road trip with friends or family is fun. However, it has its fair share of challenges. First, you’re more likely to be seated for long hours, with an insufficient space for stretching your body. You’re also likely to want to catch some sleep due to the fatigue that comes with traveling. If you aren’t well prepared for such events, you’ll probably get to your destination exhausted.
Luckily, there’s a way to ensure that your back, neck, and other parts of your body won’t experience pain and fatigue due to traveling—packing a travel pillow. Travel pillows are comfortable and ensure that you get the support you need while seated or sleeping. With a travel pillow, you get to rest your back, head, and neck naturally, maintaining the position of your spine.
Read on to know more about the advantages of packing a travel pillow during your road trip!
1. It Prevents Fatigue And Neck Pain
Neck pain is common when driving for a long distance, especially if you have to ride for a prolonged period without stopping. As a result, you can experience fatigue if you aren’t relaxing your neck and back well.
It can be devastating to waste a whole day that you could have used to explore your destination due to fatigue. Fatigue doesn’t only mess with your physical wellbeing; it also affects your mental stability by putting you in a bad mood, ruining the first day of your vacation.
While there are several things you can do to prevent or minimize neck and back pain that can lead to fatigue, one of the most effective solutions is carrying your travel pillow on your trips. You don’t need to be twisting to find a better position with a travel pillow. It ensures you rest your head and neck in a comfortable position throughout your ride.
2. Keeps You In The Right Posture
Good posture and spine alignment are essential things you should maintain to remain comfortable throughout your trip. However, it might be hard to achieve good spine alignment with limited space to stretch and move around during the journey. If your spine isn’t well-aligned, you might end up straining your head, neck, and jaws.
Luckily, with a good travel pillow, all chances of developing pain in your back and other parts of your body are eradicated. With the support the travel pillow provides, you’re guaranteed a good posture during your trip. Picture it as having a layer of cushion for your head.
Nevertheless, you can still rest your back and head without a travel pillow, but you’ll surely experience pain afterward. Thus, ensure to pack a travel pillow on your next trip, and you’ll reduce your chances of developing back pains.
3. It Mimics Your Home Pillow
If you’re used to sleeping on a buckwheat pillow each night, then it can be comforting to know that there are travel pillows made of buckwheat. With a travel pillow made of the same material as the one you sleep on at home, you’ll experience the same level of comfort during your trip as you do at home. To learn more about buckwheat pillows, you may want to check out this video:
If it gets difficult to get some sleep even with a comfortable travel pillow, you might need to try natural sleeping pills, such as Natural Sleep Aid. Such pills help you to fall asleep immediately without interfering with your body since they’re made naturally.
4. It’s Warm And Breathable
While the road trip’s weather might not be as warm as your home’s, it doesn’t mean you have to be uncomfortable. The air tends to be dry, making your skin on the cheeks and neck area feel pasty. However, with your comfortable travel pillow that’s warm and breathable, you don’t have to worry about your neck and cheek skin getting dry during the trip.
5. Might Reduce Sleep Apnea And Snoring
If you’re an individual who snores when sleeping, picture the horror of snoring among people you’re traveling with. Not only will this embarrass you, but it can also be uncomfortable for other people.
Fortunately, sleeping on a travel pillow can reduce snoring and sleep apnea. When resting on a travel pillow, your posture is upright, and your neck is positioned well, hence, no obstruction to your airways. As a result, you’re less likely to experience snoring and sleep apnea.
Different Travel Pillows Options
Now that you’re aware of the benefits of travel pillows, it might be time to buy one for yourself. Here are some options to choose from when shopping for travel pillows:
- Memory Foam Travel Pillow
Memory foam is among the most common travel pillows in the market. It’s firm and provides excellent support for your neck during your travels. You can compress and clip a memory foam travel pillow for extra convenience during packing. Due to the high level of comfort it offers, it’s considered the most expensive travel pillow on the market today.
- Inflatable Travel Pillows
Inflatable travel pillows are mostly U-shaped to offer extra comfort and support. Users can choose to inflate these pillows to their desired firmness. Inflatable travel pillows are ideal for budget-conscious travelers and those who like to travel light. You can also deflate these pillows to fit in your luggage.
- Microbead Travel Pillows
Microbead travel pillows also come in a U-shape form. They’re packed with micro polystyrene beads for adjustable shape to offer excellent neck support. However, this type of pillow might not be ideal for light travelers since they’re the least compact compared to other travel pillows.
What To Look For In A Travel Pillow
Road trips can make you feel tired and uncomfortable. It’s, therefore, essential to rest or get some sleep during your journey. However, relaxing or sleeping while on a trip can be difficult due to lack of space and comfortable position. Even the most experienced travelers can attest to the fact that it’s not easy to rest comfortably while on the road.
For that reason, it’s essential to pack a travel companion regardless of how long the distance will be. Besides, it’d be such a relief to know that you can have a travel buddy to ensure you’re able to relax and sleep well during your road trip.
If you’re looking for the perfect travel pillow, here are some aspects to take into consideration:
- Neck Support
Your travel pillow shouldn’t be a thing to make you sit comfortably; it should ensure that your neck is supported correctly. If you opt for a neck pillow, choose the one that aligns your nose with the center of your chin. This position is ideal for preventing pain due to spending many hours on a trip. It also prevents strains in the back and neck, as well as enhances posture.
- Size
A travel pillow should be different from the one you sleep on at home in terms of size. When going for a trip, you already have a lot of stuff to carry, and you wouldn’t want to add extra weight. Therefore, you require a travel companion that’s small in size, and which can be folded, deflated, or compressed when needed.
If traveling with small children, you can also purchase smaller travel pillows suitable for their tiny necks and heads. You can also buy pillows with drawings based on their own liking to make them feel excited.
- Comfort
Traveling for long hours can sometimes be uncomfortable, given that you can’t stretch as you’d like to. With that in mind, you definitely don’t want to add to the discomfort by carrying an uncomfortable travel pillow. Since you’ll probably be seated most of the time throughout your journey, it’s important to choose a pillow that makes you feel comfortable while relaxing against the seat.
Nevertheless, you should understand that what’s comfortable for another person might not be the case on your end. Therefore, you need to check and try different travel pillows before finding the right one for you.
- Texture
Texture is an important aspect when choosing the right travel pillow. Therefore, it’s vital to be keen on texture since it’ll either make you feel comfortable or uncomfortable. The right pillow should be made of a smooth material to comfort you when resting your head. If you choose a cushion with hard material, you might wake up with marks on your face or, worse, a painful one.
- Durability
It’s a great move to buy a pillow that’ll last for quite some time, especially if you’re a frequent traveler. With many types of travel pillows in the market, it’s not hard to find a pillow that can serve you for a while before purchasing a new one. Besides, you don’t need to buy a new travel pillow each time you plan a trip.
- Sleeping Position
Each person has their preferred sleeping position. Luckily, there are different travel pillows designed for different sleeping positions. Whether you like sleeping with your head bent forward or on the side, there’s a pillow suitable for such positions. For example, there are U-shaped pillows suitable for sleeping while seated, wrap-around pillows designed for extra support, and others that offer support to your chin.
How To Sleep Better On Your Road Trip With A Travel Pillow
Regardless of the type of vehicle you’re using for the road trip, long trips aren’t always comfortable. While it might seem like a dream to catch a good sleep amid nowhere, it can be possible. With a travel pillow, you can relax and have a good sleep in a place even in the most unlikely of places.
To experience comfort when resting or sleeping during a road trip, you may try the following tricks:
- Recline Your Seat
Suppose there’s enough room for you to recline your seat—go for it. However, you should make sure that you aren’t inconveniencing other passengers since you all need to feel comfortable. Reclining your seat will provide you with an opportunity to be in a good position suitable for sleeping, especially after long hours of travelling. After reclining your seat, place your travel pillow under your head for comfort and catch some sleep.
- Make Use Of All Sleep Accessories
Some travel pillows come with accessories, such as hoods, earplugs, and sleep masks, among others. If you have such accessories, use them for a calmer sleep. The hood will cover your head and face if you don’t want other people to stare at you while sleeping. A sleeping mask will create a dark atmosphere, especially if you’re going to catch some sleep during the day. On the other hand, earplugs will prevent you from hearing sounds that can interfere with your sleep, while the pillow adds comfort.
- Sleep On Your Back
If reclining your seat isn’t an option, you can choose to sleep in the back seat of your car. Use your travel pillow to support your neck and head while sleeping on your back. You can also sleep on your side, if that’s your preferred position.
Ensure to find a comfortable sleeping position. However, remember to ask fellow passengers if they’re okay with you sleeping as they drive to avoid hurting their feelings.
Conclusion
When packing for your road trip, it’s essential not to forget your travel pillow. With this reliable travel companion, you’re less likely to experience the discomforts and pains that come with travelling for prolonged hours. Fortunately, travel pillows come in various choices; it’s, therefore, easy to find the one that suits your preferences.
When shopping for a travel pillow, go for the one that gives excellent neck support, is comfortable, the right size, and is durable. It’s also vital to research the pros and cons of each type before making a decision.
Remember, travel pillows aren’t only necessary while on the road; you can use them in your hotel if you can’t catch a good night’s sleep. With that said, don’t forget to pack your travel pillow each time you plan a trip. Also, it might help to bring other sleeping accessories to help you sleep well while far from home.