This blog is all about the sleep accessories that I travel with to all of my races. After years of traveling, including four trips to Europe last year, I have found some essential items that help me sleep while on the road. Personally, I am a very light sleeper and do not find it easy to sleep on planes, trains, or in a moving vehicle. However, these items have really help change that:
Eye Shade:
If you’re like me, it needs to be dark in order for me to fall asleep. It always astonishes me that I see some people sleep on public transit without something covering their eyes. I’ve found that an eye shade can help put me in a sleepy mood.
Oddly enough, the best eye shade I've ever used is my Sauce ski headband! My teammate Reid turned me on to the idea and I’ve been hooked ever since. The sauce headbands are made of a soft stretchy material that feels good on your face and lightly contours your eyes and nose when sleeping.
If you need a new ski headband or eye shade, give the Sauce ‘Swift’ Headband a try. You can also purchase the Logan x Sauce collection model that profits me directly! There will be a new design released soon as well!
Ear Plugs:
Ear plugs are another fantastic way to block the world out around you. Even on a trans-atlanitc flight, with the lights turned off and most passengers asleep, things can get quite noisy. On a public bus or van ride, those noises can be so loud that sleep is impossible.
With the right pair of earplugs, you can slip away into a quiet bubble.
I’ve found that the best set of earplugs can be found at your local hardware store. Go and pick up a few sets of the kind that have a rubber cord connecting the buds. I used to use the foam single piece earplugs, but often would wake up and notice that I was missing a plug that inevitably would never be found again. With the rubber cord, I almost never lose a single earplug and can go for months using one pair.
Neck Pillow:
This is the pillow I have from Amazon
A good fitting neck pillow might be the most important sleep item of all. If you get stuck in a middle seat on a plane, or even the aisle, and have nothing to rest your head against, a neck pillow will allow you to sleep better sitting upright.
I used to use the classic horseshoe shaped neck pillows you see all over airport bookstores, but last year, I found a pillow that looks more like a neck brace and it instantly improved my travel sleep sessions. It looks a little funny, but once you cinch it down, it holds your neck upright and locks your head in place.
Full-size Pillow:
Graham bought me a travel case for Secret Santa a couple years ago. It's great for keeping your pillow clean!
I travel with a full size pillow on every trip I go on. In my experience, I can sleep well with a good pillow on a bad mattress, but there’s no hope for sleep on a bad pillow. I’ve shown up to many lodging locations, laid down on the bed, rested my head against the pillow, and could feel my head almost resting against the mattress.
A good pillow will allow you to sleep better than just about anything else.
Melatonin:
I don’t like taking anything that I don’t have to, but when I get on a plane or change time zones, a little melatonin can go a long way for my sleep.
When I get onto a long red-eye flight, I put a few pills of melatonin in my pocket that I take with the meal served on the flight. Usually, it is enough to help me stay asleep or in a restful state for most of the flight.
On one flight last year, from Salt Lake to Amsterdam, using all of the aforementioned accessories, I was able to sleep well for almost six whole hours of the flight!