Mastering Travel Pillow Comfort on Flights | Click Travel Tips
Travel Tips
How To Use A Travel Pillow
Nov 29, 2023
ClickTravelTips Uploads
If there’s one thing that can absolutely elevate the travel experience from excruciating to bearable, it’s a travel pillow.
If you’ve never used a travel pillow before, they’re effectively exactly what they sound like; pillows that are usually compact and portable enough to be taken with you when you travel.
You can usually set up travel pillows on seats on aeroplanes, trains, or other modes of transportation, and they’ll keep your neck and shoulders cushioned while you rest.
You might be thinking, then, that there’s really no reason to learn how to use a travel pillow. After all, how hard can it be? Surely you just place the travel pillow behind your head and you’re done?
Well, you might think so, but the fact is that it is possible to use a travel pillow wrong, and doing so could have serious consequences for your health. Here are some of our tips and tricks on how to use a travel pillow correctly!
Shop around
First off, it’s a good idea to make sure that you’re shopping around for the correct travel pillow. Don’t just pick the first one you see, because it might not be the right size or shape for you.
Look into lots of different travel pillow options and pick one that works for you. If you can, try the pillow out before you buy it so that you know how comfortable it’s going to be.
It’s also important to look into different travel pillow sizes, since everyone’s body is different.
When it comes to learning how to use a travel pillow, making sure that you’ve bought the right one for you is of paramount importance.
Whichever travel pillow you purchase, it’ll probably come with a set of instructions that tell you how to set it up correctly.
Make sure that you’re following those instructions. After all, the folks who made the travel pillow will know the best way to use it!
If you feel like you’ve set the pillow up and you’re not getting the level of comfort you want from it, then feel free to adjust it a little to make sure it’s working for you.
For the most part, though, the included instructions should tell you how to get the most out of your travel pillow and how to pass your journey in a pleasant way.
Don’t disrupt other passengers
Naturally, a travel pillow is a great way to stay comfortable on a long-haul flight or during a lengthy train journey, but you should also ensure that you’re not being a nuisance.
If your travel pillow is encroaching on another passenger’s space, then you should move it if possible. You might be comfortable, but if your comfort comes at the expense of someone else’s, it’s not worth it.
Don’t be afraid to ask your neighbour whether or not you’re disturbing them with your travel pillow, and if you are, you can work out a solution together.
Silent recriminations are never fun on public transport, so try to avoid that situation wherever possible.
Wrap your pillow up in fabric
One of the most common complaints about travel pillows is that they can be too hard or too rough. You can easily alleviate this issue by wrapping your travel pillow up in some fabric.
If you’ve got a spare T-shirt or jumper handy, this could make for ideal wrapping for a travel pillow, but you may also find that your travel pillow’s brand also sells fabric specifically designed for the purpose of covering the pillow.
However you decide to wrap your pillow up, make sure you consider doing this if you’re noticing that your pillow is scratchy, rough, or uncomfortable due to an unsatisfactory surface feel.
The problem won’t go away unless you address it, after all!
Wear your pillow forwards
Another hack you can use to get the most out of your travel pillow is to wear it forwards rather than backwards.
Allow us to explain. If you have a U-shaped travel pillow, then you can try wearing it so that the U shape is around the front of your neck rather than the back.
Some have suggested that wearing your pillow in this way could stop your head from bobbing and prevent you from being woken up, and that this method could also provide better neck support.
If you don’t find that this makes your travel pillow more comfortable, you don’t have to use it in this manner, but it’s something to bear in mind if you’re struggling.
Take additional steps for comfort
Your travel pillow isn’t the only thing you should be using if you’re looking to stay as comfortable as possible on public transport.
It’s also important to use whatever else you’ve got to hand in order to block out external noise and stimuli and get as much rest as you possibly can.
This means using noise-cancelling headphones if you’ve got them, as well as an eye mask to protect your eyes from changes in light and harsh overhead lighting.
By using all of these things together, you should be able to ensure that you get as much rest as you need and that other passengers don’t bother you as well.
Don’t forget to inflate your pillow
Some travel pillows are inflatable, which means that you have to inflate them before they can be used for their intended purpose.
Believe it or not, this is something that’s surprisingly easy to forget; we’ve made that mistake before, and it’s cost us a few minutes of annoyance before we realise what’s going on.
Before you place your travel pillow around your neck, be sure to inflate it so that it contains as much air as possible. This will keep it responsive and bouncy and make sure that you’re not sleeping on a limp piece of fabric.
Again, we know it might not sound like something you necessarily need to be told, but you’d be surprised at just how many people manage to make this simple mistake!
