Hearing one of your coworkers say they got a good night’s sleep has become as rare as hearing they’re glad the weekend is over. Whether the blame is placed on over-caffeination, using devices late into the night, or those noisy neighbors that play techno music until the wee hours of the morning, there’s a good chance you’re not getting enough sleep either. Perhaps it’s that the time-honored traditions of a glass of warm milk and counting sheep late into the night just won’t cut it anymore.
According to the CDC, over one third of adult Americans don’t get enough sleep, which can lead to everything from sickness and exhaustion to obesity and unneeded stress. Smart devices have taken much of the blame, as they can bring an extra layer of stress to our lives. While in the past you could come home and relax after a long day of work, nowadays your phone can be buzzing all night with constant meeting reminders and work emails. Additionally, they can directly affect sleep patterns, as the “blue” light they emit tricks the brain into thinking that morning has already arrived.
While tech can be a major sleep deterrent, it can also be a sleep solution – with the sleep tech business growing considerably over the past few years. And, thanks to the emergence of this multi-billion dollar industry, we may be looking at a golden age free of nodding off in the middle of work meetings. With everything from smart earplugs to bioceramic pajamas, let’s build the perfect sleep setup for the exhausted insomniac and casual napper alike.
Settling the Firm Vs. Soft Debate
Let’s start with the essential piece of furniture for catching Zs. The Intellibed looks to revolutionize bedtime by presenting a comfortable (and health-conscious) bed. Originally developed for use in hospitals, the specialized Gel Matrix technology used in the Intellibed settles a major battle between bedmates: firm or soft? Firm beds generally lack comfort while soft beds fall short in terms of support. Firm beds are good for back health, but with a soft bed you toss and turn less and get deeper sleep. Until now, it has always been a trade-off between support and pressure relief. This bed’s revolutionary Gel Matrix technology now does both at the same time, adapting to your body’s need for a feel that’s both firm and soft. For example, it is three times firmer than typical foam, but, through the physics of column buckling, the matrix adapts to your pressure points (like your hips and shoulders), resulting in a more comfortable feel than even an extremely soft bed.
In addition to its advanced comfort, the Intellibed promotes a healthy lifestyle. Unlike typical memory foam and spring beds, the Intellibed won’t put any pressure on your body while you’re trying to rest. Hospitals use it to provide extreme pressure relief for healing. And, because of its mixture of firmness and comfort, you will not only avoid back pain; you’ll be able to physically recover from the longest workday and toughest workout alike.
You can also put off shopping for your next mattress for quite some time, as the Intellibed boasts a 30-year warranty. The non-toxic Gel Matrix is made from resilient molecules that will continue to keep their spring for 30 years. Considering the Better Sleep Council suggests evaluating your mattress after only seven years, the Intellibed guarantees that you won’t be wasting countless Saturdays on mattress shopping.
The ZEEQ Pillow: Snore Silencer
The ZEEQ Pillow is more than just something comfortable to lay your head on. The smart pillow, designed to improve your relaxation, analyzes your sleep and uses sleep-enhancing sounds. However, it benefits more than one bedfellow. Thanks to music streaming through the pillow itself and advanced snoring deterrents, your partner will sleep undisturbed. (Possibly for the first time in months.)
Super Bowl Sleep
Popularized by Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady, the Athlete Recovery pajamas Under Armour has developed can raise circulation and aid your body with recovery while you sleep. Considering Brady just won his fifth Super Bowl, continues to dominate at age 39, and, if we’re being honest, still looks like Tom Brady, these bioceramic pajamas definitely might be worth considering.
Soothing Smart Sleep Masks
With the recent innovations in smart sleep masks, you won’t need to stare into space while you wait for the
Sandman. What used to be little more than a piece of felt to block out the light is now a dedicated sleep aid, with products that can put your mind at ease with pulses of light (Sleep And Wake Mask), manage your sleeping schedule (Lumos Smart Sleep Mask), or work with an entire system to help rest your mind (NuCalm).
Hush Does Just What It Says
Earplugs aren’t just for heavy metal concerts anymore. With the Hush smart earplugs, worrying about your noisy neighbors will be a thing of the past. Utilizing noise eradicating foam and relaxing noises, you only hear what you want to hear. Which most likely isn’t the couple in the next apartment getting into an argument.
Alarm Clocks You Won’t Throw Across The Room
There are plenty of options when it comes to smart alarm clocks, whether you’d like the Kello to wake you up with its dynamic speaker, the BEDDI to help you plan your morning commute, or the Withings Aura to track your sleep. At the very least, you’ll be less likely to smash the snooze button every morning.
SMARTDUVET Does Its Own Chores
Finally, let’s eliminate the least desirable task of the morning: making the bed. Originating on Kickstarter, this inflatable plastic sheet might not seem like very much to the naked eye. However, this crowdfunded smart tech knocks one more thing off your morning to-do list, as it literally makes the bed for you by itself. With the push of a button, the SMARTDUVET inflates, getting your bed back in shape immediately. Without the need for that morning chore, feel free to sleep in those extra thirty seconds.
