Sleep is incredibly important to all kinds of aspects of your wellbeing. You probably don't need me to tell you that, and you probably don't need a special, dedicated week to amplify your awareness of the importance of sleep, either.
That said, Sleep Awareness Week (8-14 March) is happening right now, and it's as good a time as any to address any bad habits you might have fallen into. I spent a year as a Sleep Editor, and I'm well aware of the wide range of gadgets and gizmos on the market that are designed to help improve your slumber. Below I've gathered together some of the most highly rated sleep gadgets, many of which come with TechRadar's personal seal of approval.
Wake-up lights are designed to rouse you from your slumber with a gentle morning glow (rather than yanking you from the land of nod with some aggressive beeping) but they also have features to help you drop off. Most can mimic a sunset, and many have white noise features too. For the distraction-blocking noises without the light, I've included a number of dedicated white noise machines in my Collection, too.
And those of you with a bed-mate who doesn't wish to participate in your chosen soundscape can take things in-ear with the Soundcore Sleep Earbuds. These have a layerable white noise library, meaning you can pick up to three sounds and adjust the volume of each one to create an ultra-specific soundtrack to nod off to.
Data fans might want to consider investing in a sleep tracker — TechRadar's Fitness Editor declared the Samsung Galaxy Ring's sleep-monitoring features "truly excellent", and if you some want a wearable, the Withings Sleep Analyzer under-mattress sleep tracking mat could be well worth checking out. Data on its own won't help you sleep, but it can help you pinpoint specific issues for you to address.
Finally, if you really want to go all-out, the Eight Sleep Pod is a smart mattress cover that offers dual-zone cooling and heating to your exact preferences, plus in-depth sleep tracking and all manner of other features on top. It's wildly expensive, but can you really put a price on a great night's sleep, hmm?
Sleep is an incredibly personal thing and there's no one-size-fits-all solution, so have a browse through the options below and see if there's something that appeals to you and your nighttime habits.
