The evenings are drawing in, the clocks will be going back soon (or, if you're in the UK, they have already), and while the lack of sunshine can feel gloomy, I say it's the perfect time to lean into the cosiness. Below, I've rounded up my favorite sleep and relaxation aids designed to help you wind down, chill out, and get some high-quality rest. Some of these are designed for use in the day, if you're feeling overwhelmed, and some will be helpful if you're struggling to drop off at night.
I spent two years as a Sleep Editor, and one of the key things I learned is that sleep is an incredibly personal thing, so what works for one person won't necessarily work for everyone. Take a look at the gadgets below and see what appeals to you — I've added a blurb for each one, explaining what it is and how it's designed to work (tap the View details button to see it).
Wind-down time
This whimsical relaxation aid is controlled via a mixture of symbols and winding keys — not only is there no screen, there aren't any buttons or even words on this gadget, save for the brand name, surrounded by twinkly stars. Twist the keys to select one of 218 breathing and relaxation routines, and how long you want to listen for (8 or 20 minutes). Options include routines designed to calm your heart rhythm, guided visualizations, and background noise from the natural world.
Want to be able to tune into your favorite wind-down podcast without disturbing your bedmate? Most headphones aren't particularly comfortable to sleep in, but these have an ultra-shallow profile that means they'll tuck neatly in your ear, with minimal protrusion. They're also designed to help if it's your bedmate causing the disturbances: there are twin-seal ear tips to block out sound, and you can pipe in white noise to drown out snores.
At a glance, the Therabody SmartGoggles might look like your average sleep mask, but they're actually a whole lot more hi-tech. Sure, they'll black out all the light. But they'll also deliver a compression massage, soothing heat, and/or vibrations, depending on what sounds good to you. The brand says these can also help with stress relief and headaches.
The Restore is an alarm clock with a difference: instead of emitting an aggressive beep, it gradually brightens to mimic the sunrise and rouse you gently from your slumber. The Restore can also emit soothing sleep sounds, and double-up as a nightstand light, and there's a dimmable digital clock display.
Ignore that slightly NSFW appearance — the Moonbird is actually a minimalist breathing aid to help relive tension and calm you down. You hold it in your palm and it'll expand when you should breathe in, then contract when it's time to breathe out. This gadget includes a heart rhythm sensor, there's a companion app that provides data on every session, and you can also pair it with Oura, Apple Health, or Google Health.
The SoundSleep Aura is an all-in-one, screenless relaxation aid that can operate as a meditation guide, sound machine or night light. It can glow different colors (with adjustable brightness), emit a whole range of sounds, and guide you through three different breathing routines. It's compact and cordless, with up to 68 hours of battery and USB charging, so perfect for traveling with.