Philips' SmartSleep headband will play soft tones to help improve your sleep

CES 2018: But the design is the stuff of nightmares
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Most sleep trackers simply monitor your night and give you a breakdown of your activity, but a new headband from Philips will use sound to alter your sleep for the better.

The Philips SmartSleep, unveiled at CES 2018 this week, uses built-in sensors attached to the forehead in order to detect brain activity, which then shares data with the connected mobile app to determine whether you're in deep sleep. If you are, the headband's speakers begin filtering in soft tones in a repeating pattern, something Philips indicates will help bring you a solid night of sleep.

Read this: Sleep monitors explained

According to the company, 70% of people who had sleep problems and tried the SmartSleep for two weeks noted feeling less tired.

And while Philips itself seems confident in its ability to improve the z's of those donning the device, we do have some reservations about the design. I mean, look at this thing — it's like someone has turned a baseball cap backwards and cut off the top. Even the guy modelling the SmartSleep above has questions, you can sense it in his uneasy smile.

Anyway, as we know, this also isn't the first sleep aid that has opted for the whole intricate headband design. Startup Rythm released its Dreem headset last summer, which, like Philips, aims to stimulate your brain and lengthen your deep sleep cycles with sounds.

The SmartSleep will be available to pick up for $399.99, and we'll be looking to test out the contraption when it launches later this spring.

Philips' SmartSleep headband will play soft tones to help improve your sleep


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Conor Allison

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Conor moved to Wareable Media Group in 2017, initially covering all the latest developments in smartwatches, fitness trackers, and VR. He made a name for himself writing about trying out translation earbuds on a first date and cycling with a wearable airbag, as well as covering the industry’s latest releases.

Following a stint as Reviews Editor at Pocket-lint, Conor returned to Wareable Media Group in 2022 as Editor-at-Large. Conor has become a wearables expert, and helps people get more from their wearable tech, via Wareable's considerable how-to-based guides. 

He has also contributed to British GQ, Wired, Metro, The Independent, and The Mirror. 


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