Our initial venture into sharing a room as a family on vacation was far from successful. We had brought along Olivia, at the youthful age of four months, who generally was an excellent sleeper.
This circumstance made us assume that vacation sleep wouldn't present any challenges. Against our expectations, it proved to be treacherous. Every slightest noise from us seemed to stir Olivia awake, breaking her peaceful sleep.
Frustratingly, a seemingly negligible sound like creaking floorboards or fleeting flash of phone light unceremoniously broke Olivia's slumber. The cycle continued when she resumed sleeping as Olivia falls into the category of 'active sleepers.'
She continually grunts and whimpered, keeping my husband up all night long. Come the second day, the exhaustion had set in, straining our patience and spurring snappy attitudes.
This unpleasant experience put a dampener on my enthusiasm for future trips. From eagerly awaiting, I found myself reconsidering its worth altogether. Serendipitously, I began encountering ads for SlumberPod, a blackout 'sleep tent.'
Mother influencers swear by this product, but in my view, it seemed like a ridiculously expensive tent. I couldn't shake off the skepticism, with questions like its audibility levels, its heat retention, and its ease of setup lurking at the back of my mind.
The constant use of this product for the last four years has answered all my questions positively. The first time I used it during a Vermont trip, I wasn't entirely convinced.
The first night played out just like it always did. However, by the second night, we had given up on our usual cautiousness.
We let Olivia sleep, the room kept well-lit, and we even watched a movie at a regular volume. The miracle was the fact that Olivia didn't stir. She enjoyed her undisturbed sleep, while we finally could afford to relax, just inches away.
Relieved, we took advantage of the built-in monitor pouch, which helped us keep an eye on Olivia without disturbing her. The pod managed to block out enough light and sound that my husband could appreciate a night of uninterrupted sleep, a rarity with Olivia's usual nighttime noises.
The morning brought along its set of challenges. The room was filled with the early morning sunlight, usually a signal for an uncomfortably early wake-up call.
I decided to try out the pod myself. With its bottom open, I was unsure of its effectiveness, until I was zipped up inside and witnessed the complete absence of light.
The design of SlumberPod is carefully thought out with due consideration for airflow. It uses breathable fabric, supplemented by a ventilation panel, and pockets to accommodate a small fan, should the need arise.
The feature that I was initially skeptical about turned out to be a non-issue. The glaring demerit of this product is its setup process. Not necessarily difficult, but it does need adequate space for bending the long poles into place.
It's a good idea to practice setting it up at home first and do so as soon as you get to the venue. Trying to set it up while you're sleep-deprived will only lead to additional frustrations.
Even though it's quite a hit on the pocket generally priced between $180 and $200, considering the alternative of getting a bigger hotel room or revisiting the nightmare of the initial trip, the SlumberPod turns out to be a worthy investment.
Family vacations are hardly devoid of stress but sacrificing sleep doesn't have to be on the list. SlumberPod has not just bettered Olivia's sleep quality on vacation, but it has also helped us reclaim our evenings.