On those days when a cup of coffee isn’t enough to stave off afternoon grogginess, a quick power nap can be the perfect way to recharge and help you power through the rest of your to-do list. And odds are, your napping lineup already includes a supportive pillow — but this isn’t just any regular pillow. The Ostrichpillow Original Napping Pillow promises to not only give you extra comfort and cushion but also create an immersive and distraction- free napping space anywhere, anytime.
But does this funky-looking pillow actually work? I put my sleep schedule (and sometimes my pride) on the line to find out.
Despite its ridiculous-looking design, the Ostrichpillow Original Napping Pillow delivers on its promise to provide you a cozy, comfy and distraction-free space anywhere. Wearing it will definitely get you some stares, and finding room for it in your luggage may be an issue, but serious nappers will love using their cocoon pillow anywhere.
What is the Ostrichpillow Original Napping Pillow?
You may have seen the Original Napping Pillow before, as its quirky design had it quickly making the rounds on daytime and late-night talk shows, but this pillow is not just a gimmick; it’s thoughtfully designed to be a first-of-its-kind napping pillow. The cocoon-like headpiece is meant to fully block out light, sound and any other distractions to create a cozy, calming napping environment anywhere, whether you need just a few minutes to yourself at home or a quick catnap at the office.
What I liked about it
I was impressed right out of the box with the pillow’s construction. Made of a combination of viscose and elastomer, it’s soft to the touch, with a feel similar to that of your favorite worn T-shirt. The pillow weighs a little under 0.75 pounds and is stuffed with a Styrofoam-like microbead fill, giving the pillow body and volume without heaviness. The seams across the pillow also help ensure that the fill stays evenly dispersed, preventing saggy spots that lack cushioning. In addition to the large head hole, the pillow has a center hole for your mouth and nose (so you can breathe) and two upper holes that give your hands a place to rest when you’re lying down. There’s no denying that the Original Napping Pillow is extremely comfortable, and even if you’re not wearing it fully on your head, it’s also great for squeezing across your chest, sitting on or adding extra cushion anywhere else you might need it.
The Ostrichpillow also does the job it promises to do: It helps you nap better.
Before I ventured into the outside world, I tested the pillow from the comfort of my own bed. The pillow stayed snug on my head as I rolled around, trying to find the optimal napping position. I’m naturally a side sleeper and I loved that my neck felt supported by the plushness of the pillow. Plus, the cocoon head blocked out the natural light coming through my windows, helping me fall asleep in a snap. After a quick 26-minute nap, I woke up feeling recharged and ready for more.
From there, I loaded the pillow into my tote bag and braved taking it into the office for some on-the-clock, manager-approved workplace napping. After I secured a quiet (and empty) conference room, I tried snoozing while sitting upright in an office chair, with my head on the table and on the floor to mimic what it might be like to try to do a quick airport nap with the pillow. Granted, a desk or floor is never going to produce the most amazing or ergonomic nap, but the Ostrichpillow definitely yields better sleep than a balled-up sweatshirt or napping without a pillow at all.
When I finally braved taking the Ostrichpillow into the open floor plan area of the office, in full view of my peers and co-workers, I felt nothing short of ridiculous. I slid it on and lay face down, letting both my head and hands become enveloped in the Ostrichpillow’s embrace. And while my co-workers chuckled and laughed at the sight of me, fully cocooned in the Ostrichpillow, all I could think was, “Man, this thing really is comfortable.”
While other travel and napping pillows usually focus only on supporting the neck or head, I liked that the Original Napping Pillow’s design gives love to both. The cushioning around the top of the head also makes the pillow ideal for window seat napping on a plane or train, and it creates a much softer resting place for your forehead if you prefer to nap face down. And if you’re confined to an office chair or the middle seat on the plane, where your only option is tilting your head back,?the Ostrichpillow will help keep your head supported so you wake up without soreness. While you’ll still have to figure out how to get the rest of your body comfortable, the Ostrichpillow has got your head comfort covered (literally).
As silly as it looks, there’s something very soothing about being fully cocooned by the Original Napping Pillow. Maybe it’s the gentle pressure around your face, the dampening of outside sounds or the convenience of finding a pocket of darkness in even the brightest spaces, but once immersed in the pillow’s embrace, I found it hard to fight any sort of sleepy sensations.
What I didn’t like about it
The Original Napping Pillow isn’t exactly the most subtle napping device, and for all its comfort, it never stops feeling a bit silly to slide on.
It’s also not great if you’re hoping to end your nap looking as pristine as you started it.?As someone with long hair, I found it difficult to slide on the pillow without strands getting in my face. Similarly, makeup wearers should be warned that the pillow’s tight fit may smudge your foundation and lip products, or at the least result in some staining on the inside of the pillow (which you’ll want to gently spot clean). Even if you do manage to get the pillow on smoothly, taking it off always resulted in a bed-head look I didn’t love dealing with in the middle of the workday.
It’s also a device that’s best suited for side or stomach sleepers. Unlike a sleep mask, there’s not a tight seal between the pillow and your eyes, so when I flipped onto my back, I found that light tended to sneak in from the breathing hole in the center of the pillow, disrupting the darkness of my napping cocoon. Hot sleepers may also find the pillow too stuffy for extended naps.
While the plushness of the pillow is great for comfort, it’s not ideal for travel. The Original Napping Pillow doesn’t come with any travel bag or storage container. It took up a decent amount of room in my tote and duffel bags, and because of the microbead filling, the pillow didn’t compress down into a smaller size. With many airlines cracking down on personal item and carry-on allowances, the Original Napping Pillow might not be your best bet if you’re looking to maximize your luggage space.
Finally, there’s the price. With other napping and travel pillows available for under $50 (including others in Ostrichpillow’s own product line), spending double that on the Original Napping Pillow can be hard to justify, especially if you’re not a frequent napper.
Bottom line
The Ostrichpillow Original Napping Pillow is a truly one-of-a-kind pillow that delivers on its promise of creating a soothing napping experience almost anywhere. If you’re planning on taking the pillow outside of your home, note that it will turn some heads (though, once you’ve got the pillow on, you won’t be able to see any confused expressions anyway).
For those who put napping and maintaining their sleep above all else, the Original Napping Pillow is one of the comfiest options on the market. But those who are just looking for a part-time travel companion and rarely nap outside of their home might be better served by a more traditional neck pillow.
