There are tons of people who travel with a “pillow companion.” Perhaps you’ve noticed them in airports or hotel lobbies.

 

When flying, you have to deal with noisy passengers and cramped seats, so it can be really tough getting to sleep or even resting while traveling from one place to another.

And even if you’re spending only one night away from home, trying to sleep with an uncomfortable pillow can hinder your chance of getting a good night’s sleep, and leave you feeling sluggish and crabby the next day.

Why People Travel with Pillows

There are a number of reasons why you would want to bring along your travel pillow. A few include:

For Comfort

Even though you’ll find luxury accommodations that strive to ensure that your stay is as comfortable as possible,  most only offer you lumpy, flat pillow options that are typically made of a feather and foam combination. Unfortunately, these can leave you with a stiff neck the next morning. Putting your own neck pillow on top of the pillow provided can make a big difference in your comfort.

Because They Have Allergies

Many hotel pillows are not only uncomfortable, but are laden with allergens (like dust mites) that like to feed on your hair and dead skin. In doing so, they contributes to allergy and asthma reactions. Even the luxury down pillows you get at the nicer hotels are not typically dust mite proof. This is why it’s always a good idea to bring along your own travel cushion that you know is hypoallergenic and clean. Plus, even a perfectly clean down pillow can cause irritation if you’re allergic to down.

For Sleeping (on a car trip or on a plane)

Chances are that when you jump in your car for a long road trip, you toss your pillow in the back seat so you can rest comfortably when it’s not your turn to drive. Travel pillows just make riding in the car more comfy and cushy. For long flights, you’re normally provided with an institutional spongy square pillow that is too small to do the job of making you comfortable.

Do Travel Pillows Work?

A travel pillow allows you to sleep just about anywhere. A neck pillow that is generally covered in memory foam can hold your neck upright and keep it from being stuck in an awkward position when you are forced to sleep upright. No doubt, your children will need to take a nap on a long trip and you can ensure their cute little heads are supported when you take along a travel pillow.

How to Pack Pillows for Travel

By choosing the right size, you don’t have to worry about having to cram your full-sized pillow in your luggage or carry-on. You can find a variety of travel pillows in different sizes, shapes, stuffings, and fabrics.

You can also use compression cubes to help you shrink and organize your space for packing your clothes and make room for your neck pillow too.

Keep your Travel Pillow Clean

Even though the pillow is yours, it can still get grimy and dirty since it’s being used out of the clean environment of your home. Therefore, you should wash it after every trip. Each pillow is different in how it’s made and the type of stuffing it has in it. You may be able to toss some types of pillows in your washer, while others you have to clean by hand.

It’s important that you check the tag or label on your travel pillow to see if you can machine wash and dry it. If it isn’t machine washable, here’s what you should do:

• Add some warm water to a bowl and wet a towel or rag in the bowl. Add some detergent on the end of the towel.
• Take the towel and dab the soapy end to your pillow. If needed, reapply the water and soap to your towel.
• Using another wet towel, rinse off the detergent.
• Hand up the pillow on a clothesline to dry.

Bringing your own pillow – no matter where you are, whether it’s in an airplane, hotel, in a car, or on a friend’s couch – ensures you’ll have a clean and comfortable way to rest your head. And, bottom line, having your own pillow will help you to get adequate rest on your trip so you can arrive feeling refreshed and ready to take on whatever your destination has to offer.