Hands up if you’ve ever been on holiday and you’ve come home feeling like you need a holiday to get over your holiday!?
Or maybe you’ve been away on a work trip and you’re straight back into the office and you can barely keep your eyes open, never mind give your boss a debrief about the trip!
I’ve been there so many times but over the years I’ve found ways to ensure I get plenty of rest while I travel. Whether it’s a long haul flight, a long train journey or just squeezing in moments of rest during the trip, here are my top 5 travel hacks to rest while you travel.
Aim to rest, not sleep
You’ll notice the title of this post is about ‘resting’ while you travel, not about sleeping.
The point here is that many of us put too much pressure on ourselves to sleep. We try so hard to fall asleep that we actually go the other way and can’t nod off at all.
Focus instead on resting and if you fall asleep then that’s great. If you don’t fall asleep, at least you’ve had a good rest. Rest is no substitute for sleep but it’s the next best thing.
When I’m trying to rest I watch/read/listen to something that’s relaxing or listen to guided meditations and breathing practices. I like to put something soothing on while I’m waiting for my flight so I’m calm and relaxed and ready to snooze by the time I reach my seat!
Invest in a good neck pillow
OK, here’s the game-changer. Get yourself a good neck pillow. And when I say ‘good’ I mean a high end memory foam pillow that provides full neck support and can be adjusted to support your head in the way that’s comfiest for you.
Forget about these thin, flimsy things. You need super soft, cosy memory foam.
I take a neck pillow on every flight I take (even if it’s a short flight) because it really makes all the difference when it comes to falling asleep.
Check out the Go Neck Pillow from Ostrichpillow. Its 360º ergonomic design offers full neck support to maintain proper spinal posture and prevent neck and back pain. In other words, it’s really really comfy! It’s also compressible so it’s easy to travel with and it’s great quality so it’s worth splurging on!
Travel hack tip: For an extra sleepy bonus, pop some lavender essential oil onto your neck pillow (or any other scent you find soothing and relaxing) and take slow deep breaths as you nod off.
Create your own cosy little bubble with noise cancelling headphones
Block out everyone and everything around you with noise cancelling headphones. People rave about noise cancelling headphones because they block out the sound of crying babies and annoying passengers but, for me, it’s more about creating this private little bubble where it’s just you and your film and your snacks in your own cosy little world.
Get a comfy blackout sleep mask
We’re not talking about any old sleep mask here. Go for one with raised eye cups so your eyelashes don’t feel squished (yea, that’s a thing. If you know, you know!)
The Ostrichpillow eye mask is a great one as it offers a total blackout experience and the comfy strap won’t slip or irritate you while you’re trying to sleep!
Pop this on and you’ll slip into a cosy little cocoon where sleep will be almost impossible.
Don’t stress
My final travel hack to rest while you travel is to not stress! I know this is easier said than done and there are always lots of unexpected stresses while we travel!
But I’m sure we’ve all experienced the exhaustion that comes after a big and stressful day. Running late for planes is always the one I find the most exhausting!
Do everything you can to avoid this stress and you’ll have a much more relaxing, restful and pleasant experience while you’re travelling.
My top tips to avoid stress while you’re travelling are:
- Always aim to be early
- Stay hydrated and well fed to avoid hanger and dehydration
- Pack light
- Always travel with a power bank in case your phone dies
- Pack a good book and enjoy any delays