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The Best Sleep Technology For A Peaceful Night's Rest
From sunset-mimicking night lights to sleep tracking tools
According to research from the Centre for Population Change at Southampton University, insomnia rates have been rapidly climbing over the past few months. Since lockdown began on 23 March, the number of Britons suffering from sleeplessness rose from one in six to one in four. The experts put that worrying trend down to anxiety – global pandemics will do that for you – as well as the pressures of home parenting. We reckon the muggy summer nights haven't helped, either.
So what to do? The importance of a good night's sleep cannot be overstated. Not only is it crucial for your sense of general wellbeing, but also for your health in the short-and-long-term. Sleep deprivation has been linked to all kinds of physical and mental ailments, including immune system deficiency and depression. It's not too late to make a change, however.
The good part is you're not alone in this struggle. There are plenty of sleep-aiding gadgets on the market, from meditation pods to sleep lights, that will guide you towards a healthier routine and that coveted 8-hour slumber number. Check out the best of 2020 below.
Air purifiers can be pricy, and it’s galling to hand over so much money for something that works invisibly. You simply have to trust that your new machine is doing its job. That’s why you should put your faith in the Blueair 411, the Good Housekeeping-approved filtration system that removes 99 per cent of airborne particles. It’s said that cleaner air encourages deep sleep (as does the white noise the device gives out), and the removal of allergens could help you snore less too. The device is simple – three power settings, all at the click of one button – and the filters are easy to clean and replace.
Released earlier this year, the Fitbit Charge 4 is an affordable all-round smartwatch that helps you in all aspects of your health and fitness journey – but the sleep features are particularly impressive. The device will provide a score from 1-100, drilling down into your heart rate and sleep stages to ensure you understand the science behind your dodgy sleeping pattern (the Sp02 sensor also tracks your blood oxygen levels and provides a graph in the app, helping you to guard against conditions like sleep apnea). Invest in Fitbit Premium and you’ll get even deeper insights, including a restlessness chart and personalised tips on how to improve your slumber.
The first step to achieving a reasonable bedtime? Setting the mood. We all know that switching off screens and reading a book can help you relax, but turning off the light/lamp and 'deciding' to sleep can still be anxiety-inducing for many of us. The flick of a switch can induce a jolt of expectation that pushes your mind into overthinking mode. That’s why Philips’ Somneo light is so great: it simulates sunset and sunrise to help your body gradually drift off/wake up, doing away with nighttime anxiety and morning grogginess in the process. (The wake-up mode can provide natural sounds or FM radio, too.) It also had a light-guided breathing mode to help you meditate away your way to a gentler sleep.
A similar piece of tech, and perhaps the best-known brand on the market. The biggest different is that the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe boasts DAB+ radio, Bluetooth speakers, a USB port and over 20 sleep/wake sounds. It’s said that light therapy is an effective treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), so the Lumie might become more useful as winter ushers in darker, colder, ever-so-slightly-more-miserable nights and morning. You can also set it to a blue light, if sunrise orange isn't your bag.
Dodow, a natural sleep aid designed by three insomniacs who found a solution in mindfulness and meditation, is based on a breathing technique that helps people drift off within 20 minutes. It’s essentially a crumpet-sized metronome that emits a pulsing blue light onto your ceiling. You breath in as the light expands, and exhale as it shrinks, slowing down gradually until you reach a state of pure relaxation (you can choose between an eight-minute or twenty-minute session by tapping the device.). It’s a far more affordable option than the night lights above, but the effectiveness of slow breathing exercises on our sleeping habits is unquestionable. The only drawback is that it’s powered by three AAA batteries, but that will last you up to 100 sleeps.
It’s difficult to wear headphones to sleep, and it’s even harder to find someone who won’t mind you blaring Jon Kabat-Zinn out of your phone at bedtime. These wireless Kokoon headphones – or should we say ‘bedphones’? (No, we should not) – solve both of those problems. Super comfortable and packed with innovative AI-based features, the app library contains a regularly updated range of relaxing tracks and sleep exercises, which are drawn from tried-and-tested treatments for insomnia (including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy). The on-board biosensors, including EEG (electrical brain activity) electrodes in each ear-piece, analyse your sleep in impressive detail and display the results in the app every morning. You can adjust settings to make sure your night-time routine is as relaxing as possible, with white noise adjustments and the like. They’re great for travel, too.
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