At the launch of a new year so much is made about getting back into the gym. But truly getting a truly fresh start begins in the bedroom — where we recover from the stresses of the day, both physical and mental. If you have issues falling asleep you are not alone. Studies show that nearly 30 percent of the population struggles with some sort of insomnia.
For those just starting the process of creating a better resting environment, much can be achieved with a few slight adjustments — all you need is a couple of new practices and some dedication. Luckily there are a lot of companies doing solid work in the world of sleep health, and where most modern technology seems designed to steal our focus or energy, there are innovations that can help reclaim it.
Below, we have a list of great gear for anyone looking to level up their sleep fitness. As always, everything you see featured has been road-tested by the crew here at Uproxx and given our stamp of approval. Enjoy!
PRIVE REVAUX BLUE LIGHT BLOCKING GLASSES
Price: $30
The Company Line:
Our blue-light-blocking lenses protect your eyes from harmful blue light and UV rays emitted from screens, digital devices, artificial lights, and the sun. Unlike many blue-light lenses that look yellow, ours are virtually transparent, giving you all the protection you need with a crystal-clear view. These squared lens eyeglasses have an extra-lightweight construction for comfortable all-day use. A must-have for every screen lover.
How It Helps:
These days, it’s rare to go an hour without staring at some sort of screen for work or for fun, and often our tech dependency runs late into the night. Staying fully off of the tech — even before bad — is rarely an option, but what we can do is protect our eyes from blue light in the evening hours, when it can disrupt our natural circadian rhythm.
The inventory from Prive Revaux is also pretty stylish, so you can look good on your late-night Zooms while saving your sleep.
EIGHT SLEEP POD 3 COVER
Price: $2100
The Company Line:
No more blanket hogging or thermostat squabbles within the household. Each side of the Eight Sleep pods and covers can cool or heat between 55 degrees and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. The pads detect when each person falls asleep, automatically adjusts temperature through the night, and turns on and off based on your individual schedules. The functions of the item are built to support the flow of each sleep cycle and maximize your recovery.
How It Helps:
For everyone who has struggled with finding a comfortable temperature in bed, and has had their seen sleep affected, this is the answer. The price tag is significant, but when you factor in how significantly your life could be positively affected, the number makes sense. The first product Eight Sleep released was a mattress, but this new cover is a way to upgrade your current setup with their breakthrough cooling and warming technology. Everything is controlled with an app on your phone, making it easy to better control your sleeping environment and collect sleep data without a wearable.
AMAZONBASICS ULTRASONIC AROMATHERAPY ESSENTIAL OIL DIFFUSER
Price: $32
The Company Line:
Enhance your mood and enjoy invigorating natural fragrances with the AmazonBasics Ultrasonic Aromatherapy Essential Oil Diffuser. This easy-to-operate device is perfect for placing in a bedroom or common space to gently distribute diffused scent throughout the day or night. Featuring a rounded, modern design, the oil diffuser fits in beautifully with existing decor. To use, simply fill the water tray and add a few drops of essential oil to relax, energize, or uplift your senses.
How It Helps
Studies have shown scientific proof that scent can promote a better sleep and create a more relaxing environment, especially scents like lavender and chamomile. The molecules from the liquid placed into the diffuser are pumped into the air, inhaled, and then enter the bloodstream naturally. The subjects in those studies saw activation in the alpha brain waves that improve relaxation and found sleep more suddenly.
WELOV P200S AIR PURIFIER
Price: $170
The Company Line:
Know your indoor air quality in real-time, and always make it sure it’s easy to breathe fresh air. The Welov purifiers for home track indoor air quality and automatically adjust fan speed to consistently maintain clean air. Brightly-colored LED and the data display let you know how clean or dirty your indoor air is every minute of the day. The purifiers your bedroom operate as low as 23 dB in sleep mode, so you will never be bothered by annoying noises.
How It Helps:
There is no way to create a truly healthy sleeping environment without addressing the air that surrounds us during those resting hours. Knowledge is power when it comes to wellness, and the display on the unit showcases the numbers you need to know about the room you lay your head down in. The purifier uses medical-grade HEPA filters which help eliminate any harmful particles like pollen, dust, smoke, and pet dander. They took the light sleeper into consideration, with machine noise kept to a minimum, allowing for a peaceful and purified sleep. Great for nurseries too.
BOSE SLEEPBUDS II
Price: $250
The Company Line:
Sleepbuds, not headphones: Designed for sleep. Sleepbuds may look like tiny headphones, but they don’t stream music or podcasts, instead they deliver relaxing and noise-masking sounds to help you fall asleep and stay asleep all night. Bose sleep technology is clinically proven to help you fall asleep faster. They use innovative noise-masking technology – not noise-canceling. Bose-engineered masking sounds combine with the noise-blocking design of the buds to cover unwanted nighttime disturbances
Why It Works:
How many times have you jostled out of sleep because of noise from outside of your home or apartment? Or perhaps you share the bed with a partner who snores a little bit. Instead of moving to a different room, or having to play some sort of audio to drown out the sound, these Sleepbuds come in clutch to protect your quiet. Their proprietary ear tips are made of soft silicone for a snug fit. The fact that they don’t stream music or entertainment prevents the temptation to distract rather than rest. They can play stream content from the Bose Sleep app, which can access a library of 50 curated sounds to calm your racing mind.
EARGASM SQUISHIES
Price: $14
The Company Line:
Our proprietary moldable silicone material is gentle on your ears and conforms to any ear shape, perfect for swimming, working, and sleeping in. Fantastic noise cancelling and noise reduction capabilities. The moldable silicone earplugs are 50 percent larger than many competing brands to provide more material per earplug to get the best fit. Have smaller ear canals? No worries! Eargasm Squishies can easily be broken apart into small pieces to find the best fit possible.
How It Helps:
Creating a quiet space for sleep is absolutely critical to a worthwhile recovery from the day. For those who might not want to spend the money on big-name brands and more advantaged technology, this low-tech solution is a great option. Their noise reduction rating comes in at 22 dB, which makes them fantastic for reducing any unwanted noise. They also make for great travel companions, so you can create a quiet environment whether you are on a plane or in a noisy hotel.
WHOOP 4.0
Price: $300 (+ $20/monthly membership)
The Company Line:
Whoop tracks all 4 sleep stages with precise accuracy: slow wave sleep (SWS), REM, light, and awake. Each stage serves a different function of your recovery. Sleep is one of the most important things you can do to improve recovery, boost the immune system, and make fitness gains. WHOOP recommends hours of sleep needed for optimal recovery and tracks sleep stages, disturbances, respiratory rate, and more.
How It Helps:
There are a lot of great fitness trackers on the market, but for those looking for something less imposing, this is a great option. Just a few wears of the Whoop at night will provide you with a great number of insights, helping you to better shape your routines and schedule. The piece doesn’t just tell you how much sleep you got, but it details your respiratory rate, efficiency, and any undisturbed rest. Being a fitness tracker, it also will help you take that data to best strategize your workouts.
JALL SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK
Price: $42
The Company Line:
This is the newly upgrade model of the JALL sunrise simulation wake up light. This sleep aid digital alarm clock is designed for everyone, especially for heavy sleepers and kids. Sunrise simulation light will first start gradually from ten percent brightness to one hundred percent brightness before the alarm goes off. The engineers utilized the latest digital control technology to achieve precise control of each RGB pixel level luminous point, with the light being bright and soft.
How It Helps:
The end of our sleeping period and the very beginning of our waking hours is a profoundly important part of our day. For those looking for a better way to start their morning than a jarring alarm, this sunrise clock is specially designed to create a calming and gradual waking period. This begins with recreating the natural world outside, mimicking the rising sun in the sky by slowly brightening up your room when it is time to get up.