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I braved awkward stares for the best in-flight sleep of my life.

The Sunany travel pillow is a lightweight, packable pillow designed for sleeping face-down on a plane tray table instead of trying to force your neck into a traditional U-shape pillow. On a recent flight to Taiwan, I was reminded of why this travel pillow is so great and a steal at just $24, too.

Traditional neck pillows push your head sideways, and while they might be comfy for a short nap, they often leave your neck twisted and sore on longer journeys. You end up waking up constantly, adjusting your position, and never truly getting solid rest.

This inflatable pillow changes the game by letting you lean forward and rest your face naturally, supported by your arms through the side openings. It takes the pressure off your neck, stops the head bobbing, and creates a much more comfortable way to sleep upright — perfect for those marathon flights when sleep is non-negotiable.

Forward lean position (center)Instead of fully collapsing onto the tray table, you hug the pillow upright and lean your head into it. Your arms go through the side openings, which keeps your head stable and prevents that annoying forward head-bob that happens when you try to sleep sitting up.

Upright chest-hug position (see top photo)In this setup, the pillow sits vertically against your chest while you lean back in your seat. You wrap your arms around it and rest your chin or cheek on the top. It’s surprisingly comfortable and gives your neck support while staying in a more typical seated position.

The window lean position (my personal favorite, on the far right)If you secure a window seat, slightly deflate the pillow and wedge it between you and the plane window. It basically turns the wall of the plane into a cushioned headrest — perfect for leaning sideways without smashing your face into the plastic.

When you’re ready to sleep, you take it out of your bag and blow it up — which takes about 30 seconds and 7-8 good puffs — thanks to the two valves: one for easy inflation and one for quick deflation. After inflating, just press the valve flat against the pillow so it stays out of the way.

Then choose one of the four sleeping positions (or a mix) that work best for you. I’ve used it on a couple of long-haul routes in economy seats — New York to Edinburgh (seven hours) and most recently Los Angeles to Taipei (15 hours) — and both times I can honestly say I slept like a baby.

This setup isn’t for everyone. Because it requires your tray table for the main sleeping position, it’s not ideal during meal service or when the tray table needs to stay up. And of course there’s the aforementioned ridiculousness of blowing it up. (My husband, for example, cringes whenever he sees me pack it because he hates watching me blow up this obnoxious travel accessory.) It’s probably best suited for travelers who don’t care about a little secondhand embarrassment — and for anyone taking long-haul flights, frequent red-eyes, or struggling to sleep with a traditional neck support.

“We travel abroad several times per year. I was so tired of a sore upper back, neck, and shoulders after a long plane ride, so I tried this thing. [Oh my gosh], it was amazing. First, it deflates to a tiny box so you can easily carry on. Plus, you can use it in a variety of ways, from filling the void between you and the window, to cushioning your ribs from the hard armrest, to leaning forward on. I liked it so much I bought one for my husband and best friend, who travels with us. Side note, it folds so small that she didn’t know I had it when we went to Italy last year and I sat right in front of her. The medium is a good size if you aren’t overly tall. I’m 5’2” and my husband is 5’10” and we both felt it provided support and back pain relief. It’s also easy to sanitize. Highly recommend [making] air travel slightly less miserable.” —Amazon Customer

“This pillow is a lifesaver as someone who cannot sleep on planes and often flies on red eyes. It’s easy to blow up, stays inflated for the entire flight, and is comfortable to use. The material on it is soft, but I’m confident it would be easy to clean, which is important to me as someone who thinks planes are disgusting. I love how small it shrinks down so it does not take up a lot of space in my bag. Would recommend.” —Ciara

“This pillow is amazing! I fly several times a year and used to be able to sleep pretty well on planes, but in the last few years I’ve had more trouble. I’ve tried several kinds of travel pillows, but this is by far the best one I’ve ever used. Easy to inflate/deflate and can be used in multiple positions. I was able to sleep comfortably for hours with this pillow on my most recent flight.” —Courtney

Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.