Help! I’m Obsessed With This Insane Ostrichpillow Napping Helmet

I’ve been a bad sleeper for most of my life. Worse, a fussy one. When I nap, a very involved procession unfolds: I shut the windows, draw the curtains, turn on my humidifier, pop in thesesquishy ear plugs, and not only use a silk eye mask but also wrap a T-shirt around my head to feel like I’m submerged in a cryochamber. When I mention this to my power-napping, no-fuss Midwestern mom, my queen usually says something like, “Then you must not know what it’s like to really be tired.” 

But I am tired, my brother in Christ. I’m just high-maintenance, I guess (but at least I’m self-aware?). Plus, as a tired person who also gets ocular migraines, that black-out effect is important. I’ve been looking for a one-stop-shop napping and migraine-relief device for a long time, and tried everything from drinking coffee to this ice-cold head mask (which does work, but only for about 30 minutes). That’s where Ostrichpillow’s Original Napping Pillow comes into play. I was Googling so many options for migraine relief that it started popping up as an ad on my Instagram. And, well, how could one not be intrigued?

I was immediately intrigued by the cocoon-like nature of this plush pillow. I was tired of little bitty baby eye masks and lavender room sprays for better sleep. I wanted whatever Hieronymous Bosch-ass, sleepytime fantasy was being served by this cushion helmet, so I smashed that order button and crossed my fingers.   

I was dying to feel the weight and texture of the napping pillow. My biggest fear was that it would be heavy and dense, but that was instantly booted once I pulled the pillow out of its box. This sucker is soft. Like, you know when you put freshly washed bamboo sheets on your bed, continue your day, and then crawl under the covers come bedtime to the feel of pristine, silky, slightly cool sheets? That’s what squishing the napping pillow feels like, both inside and out of its frame. 

There’s some structure to the napping pillow, but, as Ostrichpillow explains, its malleable nature is thanks to a “combination of viscose and elastomer” that is filled with micro-beads to “create a perfect partnership, helping you drift calmly into relaxation mode.” It slipped over my head easily enough, which was tight. 

The next time an ocular migraine came on, I turned off the lights and reached for the pillow. It didn’t offer total darkness, but the bulbous design allowed me to completely faceplant on my own pillows for sweet, unbothered relief. Once the worst of the migraine passed, I actually ended up taking a nap with the helmet on.  

Soon after, I started reaching for the napping pillow at the smallest inconvenience, such as slight fatigue or hangover brain, and at moments where I wanted nothing more than to scream and kick my feet. And you know what? It rocked. I felt like a spoiled, coddled prince. This thing is so clutch for both power naps and migraines, but it’s also just like a portable hug. No other wellness item that I own provides this kind of 360-degree comfort.

This napping pillow is also billed as a plane pillow, which seems a little unrealistic. At 17.7 inches in height, it’s not the most compact item to bring on a plane. Then again, I rarely take flights that last more than six hours, and I can’t imagine how much of a godsend this thing would be on a long long-haul flight to New Zealand or something. 

Listen, I spend a lot of time in front of my computer screen, get a lot of ocular migraines, and I’m bad at napping. On a bad day, all of this makes me a pretty anxious person who ends up Googling how much is it to put a cold plunge tub in your backyard? when, as it turns out, this total-immersion napping pillow can serve as a much more affordable, practical alternative for some sweet relief. The price tag is a little steep, but if you’re someone (like me) who has already tried every other trick in the book, it’s worth it. 

Purchase the Ostrichpillow Original Napping Pillow at Amazon, Nordstrom, and Ostrichpillow. 

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