Holiday Gifts for Your Favorite Traveler: Relaxation

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Today is New Year's Day, but as I wrote in the first [2], second [3], third [4], and fourth [5] parts of my holiday travel gift guide, it's not too late to find an ideal present for the number-one traveler in your life – especially if you enjoy taking advantage of post-Christmas sales. In fact, though the winter holiday gift-giving season is basically over, you might even discover a few ideas here that would work for another special occasion.

That's why I've spent the last few months road-testing sample products, perusing review copies of various books, and assembling my top picks for a five-part holiday travel gift guide that's suitable for any season. As with Jetpac's list of 50 travel gadget gifts [6], Jamie Jensen's list of 10 top gifts for road-trippers [7], and Rand McNally's RV holiday gift guide [8], my own gift guide features a wide array of inspirational and practical ideas, such as the books, language software, UV Skinz SPF apparel, and Pura Stainless water bottles that I praised in the first four parts.

So, without further ado, here's the fifth and final category – gifts that will help travelers to relax on their next trip:

Bed Buddy Herbal Naturals Plush ThermaTherapy Neck Pillow [9] ($18.99) – Despite the amazing people and places that travelers are able to experience, it's no doubt that the actual act of traveling can be, at times, rather stressful. If your favorite traveler is in need of some relaxation, the therapeutic Bed Buddy [10] neck pillow might be a welcome addition to his or her must-pack list. Made with all-natural ingredients and lightly scented with lavender and chamomile, this certainly isn't a typical neck pillow.

Don't get me wrong. Ordinary neck pillows are awesome. After all, the one that I have has served me well on countless road trips. Still, there are three great aspects to this Bed Buddy neck pillow that make it even cooler. First, it's flexible, which makes it easy to squeeze into luggage. Second, after it's heated in the microwave for about 90 seconds, it offers moist, penetrating heat that, for me, lasted well over an hour. Third, it's infused with aromatherapy, which the heat only enhances. From personal experience, I can attest that the Bed Buddy neck pillow soothes away aches, pains, muscle strains, and tension in the neck and shoulders (and, for those afflicted, ameliorates arthritis, too) – not a bad temporary treatment after lugging heavy suitcases, dealing with annoying family members, rushing to make scheduled tour times, or encountering any other stresses while traveling.

Of course, the Bed Buddy neck pillow can be used again and again, and if the velvety outer cover ever gets dirty, you can easily remove it, simply wash it in warm water, and dry it on a low setting. As with all the other items in my holiday travel gift guide, the neck pillow can be purchased online, though it's also available at various retail stores and pharmacies across America.

Dream Water [11] ($19.99 per six-pack) – Although a heated neck pillow might help travelers to relax during or after a long journey, it sometimes takes a little more to induce sleep while on the road. Travel, after all, can present numerous challenges for those hoping to get sufficient sleep, and unfortunately, inadequate sleep can lead to unwanted irritability and fatigue while away from home. If your favorite traveler has trouble resting on long, uncomfortable flights, falling asleep in strange hotel rooms, overcoming the stimulating effects of caffeine, or dealing with jet lag, noisy neighbors, or changes in his or her daily routine, then Dream Water might be a viable alternative to other sleep aids. Conveniently packaged in a 2.5-ounce, TSA-friendly bottle that's ideal for carry-on luggage, Dream Water is a flavored sleep enhancer that has zero calories, no preservatives, and a proprietary blend of natural active ingredients (melatonin, Gamma-aminobutyric Acid, and L 5-hydroxytryptophan), which, in small doses, can help you relax and fall asleep without the annoying side effects of sleeping pills.

With all the distractions and hassles of travel, Dream Water is an ideal tool for travelers wishing to maintain a regular, healthy sleep schedule – whether they're staying in luxury resorts, primitive campgrounds, or someplace in between. For the best results, it's suggested that travelers consume one bottle of Dream Water roughly a half-hour before bedtime or whenever they hope to promote relaxation and support restful sleep. Granted, it helps if one's environment is relatively quiet, meaning that lights, radios, televisions, computers, and other distractions should be off. In other words, it's possible to stay up through the effective period of Dream Water, as I inadvertently did. When I used it correctly, though, and retired to bed shortly after taking Dream Water, I was able to sleep peacefully through the night. Naturally, if a person wakes up with drowsiness after the first night of use, it's recommended that he or she switch to using a half-bottle (and refrigerating the remainder). No matter what, though, it's best to practice using Dream Water before the actual trip – if only because its effects can differ from person to person.

Of course, I'm no medical expert, so before using such a “sleep and relaxation shot,” travelers should consult their physicians and gather their own research (such as others' online testimonials). In other words, don't just take my word for it. After all, even the bottle suggests that users “dream responsibly” – which, in part, means that children and teenagers, pregnant or nursing women, and others with certain medical conditions should not use Dream Water. While it perhaps goes without saying, users should never drive, operate machinery, or perform other important tasks while using this product.

As with the Bed Buddy neck pillow, Dream Water is available online and at various retail stores and pharmacies nationwide. It comes in three flavors – Snoozeberry (natural berry flavor), NightTEA Night (natural citrus flavor), and Paradise PM (natural tropical flavors) – though, admittedly, I've only tried the Snoozeberry, which only had a slight Stevia aftertaste. In addition, while I was given six bottles to review, I should note that 4-packs ($14.99), 12-packs ($38.99), and 24-packs ($71.99) are available, depending on the flavor.

End-of-the-Year Guide Giveaway

In celebration of the holidays, I've presented an end-of-the-year guide giveaway, featuring a prize package that includes signed copies of all four of my Moon travel guides (Moon New Orleans [12], Moon Michigan [13], Moon Florida Keys [14], and Moon Baja RV Camping [15]), a self-guided audio ghost tour of the French Quarter [16] (produced by Audio Ambler, a subsidiary of my travel company, Wandering Soles), and one of 12 different eBooks or hardcover versions published by Patagonia Books [17]. To enter the contest, you simply needed to answer one basic question – “What's the best holiday gift you've ever received?” – by emailing me or leaving a comment below this post by New Year's Eve.

Well, now that the contest is over, I'm happy to report that I've chosen a winner – the name of whom I'll be announcing in my next post.

In the meantime, I hope that you've enjoyed my holiday travel gift series – and that it's inspired you to consider some notions of your own. If so, what's your idea of the perfect gift for avid travelers?

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As always, I’m open to ideas for future posts. If you have any suggestions, burning questions, or destinations that you’d like me to explore in greater detail, please comment below, contact me via laura [at] wanderingsoles [dot] com, or connect with me on Facebook [18] and Twitter [19].

Disclosure: While I occasionally accept free or discounted travel assistance when it coincides with my editorial goals, my opinion is never for sale, which means that everything written in my American Nomad blog and Moon travel guides is my unbiased reflection of the things that I see, do, and experience while traveling across the United States.

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Laura Martone is Moon’s American Nomad [20] and the author of Moon New Orleans [12], Moon Michigan [13], Moon Florida Keys [14], and Moon Baja RV Camping [15].