Sleep Gadgets

9 cost-effective tools to enhance sleep!

The last few posts on HIB have been all about sleep. The series led off with an article on why sleep is so important for our health followed by behavioral sleep enhancement strategies and then last week a discussion on supplements that can optimize sleep.

To finish the series, I think it’s important to review popular sleep gadgets that can indirectly promote sleep enhancement. Gadgets are often found to be EXTREMELY helpful and what’s even better is they’re relatively cheap and easy to use.

If you’ve been following along this past month or so, you’ll realize these gadgets relate directly to some of the behaviors that promote sleep as they make these actions easier to perform and enhance their efficacy. If you haven’t had the chance to read the last three posts, I highly recommend you head back into the catalog and read those before going any further as I’m going to skip over some of the details since they’ve already been discussed.

Let’s dive right into it so you can learn about these gadgets!

1. Eye Mask

As I’ve mentioned ad nauseum at this point, a proper light environment is critical for proper sleep. Whether you are conscious of it or not, research has indicated that even small amounts of light in your bedroom during the evening can disrupt sleep. A good eye mask blocks out nearly all the light entering your eyes and doubles as a great travel device to achieve that highly sought after airplane rest.

Recommendation: WAOAW Sleep Blocking Blindfold on Amazon (~$10 at time of post)

2. Blackout Curtains

On a similar note, blackout curtains are a great way to darken your bedroom environment without the need to wear something on your face as this can be uncomfortable to some. They also serve the benefit of keeping your room cooler during the day to cut AC costs, saving you money in the long-run!

Amazon has many great options that can be purchased for less than $20!

3. Artificial Bright Lighting

Staying on the light train, I’ve harped many times on the importance of getting morning sunlight for setting a proper circadian rhythm and more restful nights of sleep. In fact, I have an entire post titled ‘Morning Sunlight’ where you can learn about the scientific explanation of its benefits. Although it’s much preferred, there are times when getting outside in the morning may not be feasible due to weather or work priorities. When this is the case, using an artificial light device such as the one mentioned below, can be extremely useful!

Recommendation: HappyLight on Amazon (~$40 at time of post)

4. Ear Plugs

Moving away from light, sound also plays a huge role in our ability to fall and stay asleep throughout the night. Maybe it’s that garbage truck that comes by twice a week at 4 am or the neighbor’s loud truck that always wakes you up before your alarm. Whatever it is, blocking out sound by wearing ear plugs or at least keeping ear plugs near your bedside for when you need them is an absolute game changer for many.

Any earplugs you find that fit your ear and stay in throughout the night work! They are incredibly inexpensive and re-usable, which is even better.

5. Artificial Noise

Wearing ear plugs and sleeping in absolute silence is not for everyone as others find it easier to sleep with soothing background noise. There are many sound replacement options available including free YouTube clips and various downloadable apps. You can set your phone timer to stop these sounds after a certain time period so they don’t continue to play throughout the night. Two of the most popular noises for sleep are white noise and rain sounds.

White noise machines are available for purchase starting at around $30 but I would recommend trying the free options first if this is something that interests you.

6. Room Spray

Getting into a relaxed state is critical for the onset of sleep which is why those stressful days often lead to a poor night of rest. To help facilitate this process, many find that using a lightly scented room spray containing lavender and/or various other essential oils can offer great benefits.

Interestingly, this can also be especially helpful if you find yourself getting poor sleep when not sleeping in your own bed, such as when you’re traveling. Research has indicated that maintaining a similar scent in your sleeping environment by bringing along the room spray you use at home can be extremely beneficial.

There are many great options on the market – just be sure to use an all-natural product!

7. Air filter

As discussed within this series, maintaining a clean sleeping environment free of excessive dust and external allergens is critical for getting quality sleep. Cleaning your sheets and room regularly will typically do the job, but there are also portable air filters for those wanting to go the extra mile. Pet owners that allow their furry friends into their bedroom may especially want to consider one of these. 

8. Sleep Tracker

If you’re really wanting to dial in your sleep, a sleep tracker may be a good investment… although I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. For those that tend to obsess over sleep, a tracker can sometimes actually do more harm than good as you get more restless the more you strive to get a successful night of sleep (what I like to call ‘overtracking’).

Keeping the score for every health behavior is unnecessary but I’m mentioning sleep trackers here because people often find them extremely useful for exploring the actions that lead to better sleep. As it turns out, exercising tends to be great for sleep whereas alcohol is often detrimental… didn’t necessarily need a tracker to tell you that though.

Recommendation: Oura Ring & WHOOP tend to be the most accurate at the time of this post.

9. High-Quality Mattress

An eye-opening stat that often gets thrown around during the discussion on sleep is that we spend roughly 1/3 (!) of our lives in bed. This is more than the amount of time we spend in our vehicles and every other part of our living spaces. Knowing the incredible benefits of quality sleep leads toward the argument that one should invest in a high-quality mattress.

There are countless options for mattresses on the market today including those that track your sleep and even cool your bed to the optimal temperature (Eight Sleep mattress). Whatever you decide on, do your research to ensure your mattress is a good fit for you.

If you have a gadget you currently use or have used in the past, I’d love to hear about it in the comments section!

Quote of the week:

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything” – Irish Proverb

DISCLAIMER

-       This is NOT Medical advice. Consult your medical professional before starting any supplement, diet regimen, or workout program.