Sleep mode: Activated - Powering up the latest tech that promises a good night's sleep
T3.COM AND T3 MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2017
First smart cookers came for your kitchen, then smart TVs took over your living room, now smart homes are making a play for your bedroom. I know what you’re thinking: aren’t we meant to be ditching tech before bed for better ‘sleep hygiene’?
A new wave of sleep devices promises to use high-end sensors and science-backed analysis to improve sleep. The problem? Sleep is tricky to improve. If you haven’t hit your recommended 10,000 steps a day, you can go for a walk. Simple. If you haven’t slept a solid eight hours, you can make changes, but they won’t guarantee success. And the more you worry about losing sleep, the more likely you are to lose sleep. Anyone else feeling tired already?
It’s neat to bundle devices up under the umbrella of ‘sleep tech’, but there are different types and it can be hard to keep track. From wearable trackers and bed trackers, to lamps that send you to sleep or wake you to the sound of fake birds, as well as a whole range of one-off devices in between.
If it sounds confusing, that’s because it is. But as a stressful sleeper, I’m here to find out which devices will improve your sleep, which aren’t worth the money and which just look nice on your bedside table. So cuddle up and let’s get started.