It happens to even the most seasoned traveler: a beautiful hotel, a great bed, yet at 2 AM you're staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. The room is quiet, the mattress is good, so what is it? Chances are the answer is under your head. Hotel pillows are made for everyone, and thus for no one: usually soft, often too flat or too large, and always different from what your neck is used to. That's why more and more people are doing something that used to be considered eccentric: packing their own pillow.
The short answer
Bringing your own pillow on holiday is less strange than it sounds: your neck is accustomed to a fixed height and firmness, and these two things are different in every hotel. Those who travel by car or stay longer than a few nights will notice the difference most strongly. A shape-retaining pillow also travels well: it simply springs back into shape after being packed. Only for short trips with hand luggage is leaving it at home usually more practical.
Why do you often sleep worse in a hotel?
Sleeping worse in an unfamiliar place is partly just a matter of getting used to it: in a new environment, almost everyone sleeps lighter the first night. That part resolves itself. But there's a second factor that doesn't disappear on its own: the pillow.
Your neck gets used to a fixed height and firmness at home. A hotel pillow almost always deviates from this: too flat, too thick, too soft, or the type where your head slowly sinks in until your cheek feels the mattress. This applies doubly for side sleepers, because when you sleep on your side, the pillow height determines whether your neck is straight. Every hotel night then becomes a gamble on someone else's pillow choice.
Does bringing your own pillow really help?
Bringing your own pillow precisely removes the variable you can't control. The bed and surroundings remain unfamiliar, but your head and neck lie exactly as they do at home: same height, same firmness, same feeling. Many people notice that falling asleep is faster as a result, simply because a familiar pillow is also a familiar signal: this is my sleeping place.
There is a practical side to it. A pillow takes up suitcase space, and a soft pillow that you roll up will come out rather crumpled. A shape-retaining memory foam pillow suffers less from this: you can easily press it into a suitcase or on the parcel shelf, and it will then spring back into shape.
How to travel with your pillow without hassle
Taking it with you is simple: put a clean pillowcase on it, possibly a large storage bag around it to protect against dust, and it's on the back seat or on top of the suitcase. A SidePillow maintains its shape on the go; the three fixed heights (10, 11.5 and 13 cm) remain exactly what they are at home, so you sleep at your own preferred height in any bed.
Don't have a pillow worth taking yet? Then first do the height check at home; with 30 nights of trial sleeping, you'll know well before your next trip if this will become your permanent travel companion.
When is it better to leave it at home?
To be honest: bringing a pillow isn't practical for every trip. If you're flying with only hand luggage or backpacking from hostel to hostel, travel convenience outweighs sleep comfort. For a weekend getaway, your neck can get used to it for two nights if necessary.
The calculation changes for car holidays, longer stays, and holiday homes: no baggage restrictions, and a return on investment every night. Those who are already warm at their destination can find some fresh tips in the guide on sleeping cool as a side sleeper, and those who are unsure about the pillow itself should first read about pillow trial sleeping.
Conclusion
Bringing your own pillow on holiday isn't being fussy; it's the cheapest sleep upgrade there is: you bring the only part of your bed that fits everywhere. Side sleepers particularly benefit, because the pillow height their neck is used to isn't guaranteed in any hotel.
The rule of thumb is simple: if traveling by car or staying longer than a few nights, bring it. Hand luggage only, leave it at home and survive the weekend. And most importantly, make sure the pillow at home is worth bringing.
Want to lie comfortably at home first?
The height check tells you which SidePillow height will be traveling with you soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it strange to bring your own pillow on holiday?
Not anymore. A pillow is the only part of your bed that you can easily take with you, and it largely determines how you lie. Side sleepers especially notice an immediate difference when their familiar height travels with them.
Why do I sleep so badly on hotel pillows?
Hotel pillows are made for the average guest: usually soft and at a different height than at home. Your neck is used to your fixed height and firmness, and you particularly feel that difference as a side sleeper.
How do you take a pillow with you when traveling?
Put a clean pillowcase on it and, if necessary, put it in a large storage bag to protect it from dust. A shape-retaining memory foam pillow can easily be pressed into a suitcase; it will spring back into shape.
When is it better to leave your pillow at home?
When traveling with only hand luggage or with many transfers, such as a city trip or backpacking. For a few nights, travel convenience outweighs sleep comfort.
Photography: Castorly Stock, Engin Akyurt, Vlada Karpovich via Pexels.
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