One of biggest problems that comes with traveling for me is that I don’t get to sleep in my own bed. I have spoiled myself at home with an adjustable bed, and any other kind of bed is a really painful problem for me. It is awful dealing with the fatigue of MS without the benefit of a good night’s sleep. The only thing that comes close to a solution for me is an air mattresses, the kind that one might take camping. A couple of years ago we went on a three-week vacation, and I felt totally wiped out just about all the time because I wasn’t sleeping well. In fact I sleep better in the car than I do in a hotel room.

Anybody else have this sort of problem? Have you found any ways around it?

For me, it's all in the pillow. I dedicated a good pillow to travel and 99% of the time, I get a good sleep.

Me too! I always travel with my own pillow. That used to be good enough but the last few years, I have had a really difficult time with the mattresses.

I had bought an air mattress, queen size, 'deluxe' with the air pump (buttom) that makes it easy to inflate and deflate. However, when I tried it out at home months later, I discovered I couldn't breathe. Apparently I was allergic to the latex/ rubber/ hard plastic (?) used to contain the air. My suggestion here is to try it out immediately if you buy it. Bring it home and lie on it for a good 15 minutes to make sure. That way you won't lose your money.

Yes, an air mattress is the only solution I have found. I’ve looked at the possibility of using a “zero gravity” chair (lightweight recliner), but some hotel rooms don’t have much room to begin with.

I'm going on a trip this weekend, and I want to take one of my own pillows with me, but am a bit worried that my boyfriend will think that I'm bringing too much stuff. (small suitcase of clothes, and a backpack with one of my laptops, my digital camera, and a crochet project, and a knitting project...my GPS, a book to read, and my MP3 player)

Maybe I should leave the book at home?

No way! Leave the BF home!

Or the knitting.

Cherie

I don't sleep as well if I'm not in my own bed either. I don't have a special bed though, I think I'm just a home-body!

I cant leave the boyfriend at home. He's the one driving!! (we're only going about 3 hours away.

I'm actually now thinking of leaving the laptop at home. Kind of thinking I dont want to drag it with me. It's heavy. I dont have a small suitcase, so I'm putting enough t-shirts and shorts and underwear for the 3 days into the suit case I have. I should have room left over in there for a book, a knitting project (because all my crochet projects are too big to carry with me now), my hair dryer and some shampoo with lots of room to spare to put any souvenirs that I might buy into the case. That way I only have to drag around the rolling suitcase and a purse.

If I carry anything extra, it'll be a pillow. But I'm a bit scared to bring a pillow because I'm scared there will be bedbugs.

Most of my clothing that I'll be taking is pretty much replaceable, so if I would end up with bedbugs, I wont have to worry about losing anything.

The secret to my sleep outside my own home is my own pillow and a noise machine. Of course now that I use a CPAP, that really helps. It not only prevents me from snoring but it helps me have very relaxed breathing. I also take my own blanket to my daughters house. So far I have never needed that at a hotel.