Whether you’re fighting for a few blissful moments of unconsciousness while stuck upright in an economy seat or struggling to fall asleep in an unfamiliar hotel room, getting decent rest can feel impossible while you’re away from home. These are the essentials I’ve tried and tested over the years that have actually helped me get some shut-eye, no matter where in the world I am.
Dream Recovery Performance Silk Sleep The Pro Mask
I’ve tried a lot of sleep masks over the years, and I definitely prefer silk ones, since they don’t damage my skin or hair. Unfortunately, every mask I’ve tried lets in just enough light that I still wake up too early in a room without blackout curtains.
Then I tested Dream Recovery’s Performance Silk Sleep The Pro Mask. It has a unique design with extra fabric around the nose bridge that creates a total blackout, so you can sleep in complete darkness whether you’re in a bright plane cabin or a vacation rental with flimsy blinds. It’s super thin and stays flush to the face to seal out light further, but has 3D eye cups so no pressure is put on the eyes. It’s made from a silver ion-infused Bamboo Cool-Tech silk that feels nice against the skin and doesn’t make me overheat.
Ozlo Sleepbuds
Travel-size white-noise machines aren’t effective for me at blocking out noisy neighbors, traffic, or hotel doors slamming down the hallway. I need the white noise to be streamed directly into my ears, which Ozlo Sleepbuds do. The Ozlos are special earbuds designed for sleep, made from a soft silicone material that’s comfortable even if you’re lying on your side. They last up to nine hours and stream noise-masking sounds, like gentle rainfall or white noise, engineered to help you sleep longer and deeper. They’ve saved me on many nights when I slept straight through, while people I traveled with complained about commotion outside that I never even heard.
Sarisun Travel Pillow
I’ve never been able to sleep sitting up on a plane, but Sarisun’s travel pillow got me a few hours on a recent long-haul flight in economy. Unlike a traditional neck pillow, the Sarisun basically straps your head to the back of your seat, forcing you to stay upright and preventing the head bob that usually jolts you awake the moment you drift off. It sounds uncomfortable, but it’s surprisingly not, and it really does work.
Venty Fan
If you tend to sleep hot, sometimes the hotel’s air conditioning (or lack thereof) just doesn’t cut it. On a recent summer trip to Europe, where I was staying in some hotels without AC, I packed the Venty Fan, and it was the only reason I got any rest at all. Out of all the top-rated travel fans I tried from Amazon, this one was the most powerful, and I like that it’s rechargeable via USB-C and can rotate or clip onto a surface so you can keep it pointed right at you while you sleep.
Want to sleep better at home, too? Read our story on How to Make Your Bedroom Feel Like a Luxury Hotel Room.
