Take your sleep hygiene to the next level with these devices thoroughly tested by us
Many sleep devices claim to improve rest, but determining which are genuinely useful can be difficult. While no single device is a sure solution, we tested current sleep and wellness technology to separate useful tools from gimmicky ones.
Our selected top products below address various struggles, such as overheating, difficulty relaxing, poor sleep awareness, or inconsistent bedtime routines. Read on for our roundup, where we cover options based on the specific sleep worry you want to address.
Our picks of the best sleep tech
- Nuropod: Best for vagus stimulation before sleep
- Sleepme ChiliPad 2.0: Best for bedtime temperature control
- Moonbird: Best for easing into sleep with breathing guidance
- Oura Ring 5: Best for tracking sleep quality
- Somnee Smart Sleep Headband: Best for falling asleep faster
- Hatch Restore 3: Best for creating a gentle sleep routine
How we tested the best sleep tech
Our testing and selection of the best sleep tech focused on finding out whether each product was useful enough to become part of a regular sleep routine.
After researching their specs on paper, we jumped into real-world testing. We evaluated how easy the devices were to set up and use, trialing apps and manual controls.
We also prioritized comfort and a positive overnight experience, ensuring that each device would actually improve your sleep instead of counterintuitively disturbing it with unexpected noise, light distractions, or discomfort.
Since sleep is also very individual, only customizable devices made our final cut. Finally, we weighed battery life and overall value of the devices to ensure each product on this list is a worthwhile investment in your sleep.
Nuropod
Best for: Vagus nerve stimulation before sleep
- Sleep/relaxation features: Vagus nerve stimulation
- Battery life: A week
- App support: Nuropod app
- Smartphone compatibility: iOS and Android
- Subscription: No
- Price: $936
Vagus nerve stimulation devices, such as Nuropod, are often marketed as having the potential to improve sleep quality. Using one during a bedtime routine is intended to calm the nervous system and support restful sleep.
Our Wareable team rated Nuropod at the top of the sleep category, as it’s a versatile relaxation device supported by over 60 clinical studies—you can use it in various settings throughout the day, not only before bed. The device operates via an earpiece that clips to the ear, delivering electrical pulses to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve.
It includes 45 intensity levels and a built-in timer that can run for up to 60 minutes. Setup consists of connecting the earpiece to the main controller and using the standard on/off button. While an optional companion app is available, the device can be operated entirely through the physical controller.
The brand recommends using the Nuropod for 30 minutes before bed, and since it’s very compact and lasts up to a week on a single charge, you can take it anywhere with you and maintain your bedtime routine even while travelling. Just keep in mind that the sensation produced by the device is distinct, meaning it may not be comfortable for all users.
- Supported by 60 clinical studies
- Easy to use and set up
- Takes just 30 minutes before sleep
- Sensation caused by the device might not be comfortable for all users
Sleepme ChiliPad 2.0
Best for: Bedtime temperature control
- Sleep/relaxation features: Temperature control
- App support: Chilipad app
- Smartphone compatibility: iOS and Android
- Subscription: No
- Price: Starts at $1,599
If you struggle to find a comfortable temperature at sleep time, Sleepme ChiliPad 2.0 might be what you’re after. This mattress topper can cool or heat your bed between 55°F and 115°F (13°C to 46°C), allowing for precise temperature control.
The system operates using water and consists of two main components: the mattress topper and the dock. The dock holds the water and features a digital display, which lets you adjust settings without a smartphone. It’s meant to sit under your bed so you barely see it or hear it.
For easy access, ChiliPad 2.0 includes a nightstand remote that lets you check and adjust the temperature with a twist. Settings can also be managed via the app, which features an alarm designed to gently warm the bed and trigger the body’s natural wake response.
Setting up ChiliPad 2.0 is straightforward, too. Simply secure the topper like a fitted sheet using the attached hooks, connect the hose to the dock, fill the dock with distilled water, and plug it into an outlet. A dual-zone version is also available, providing two independently controlled temperature areas so you and your partner can each find your ideal setting.
Before purchasing, note that the system requires regular maintenance, including monthly washing of the topper and cleaning of the water dock. Additionally, the price varies based on your mattress size and the number of temperature zones you select.
Overall, ChiliPad 2.0 is a solid option for individuals or couples who want to sleep at a comfortable temperature without adjusting or bickering over the room's thermostat.
- Temperature control
- No subscription
- Effortless controls
- Pricey and requires maintenance
Moonbird
Best for: Easing into sleep with breathing guidance
- Sleep/relaxation features: Breathing guidance
- Battery life: 2 hours
- App support: moonbird breathing coach
- Smartphone compatibility: iOS and Android
- Subscription: Optional
- Price: $179.99
Moonbird helps ease you into sleep by guiding your breathing rhythm and calming your state of mind. It’s a sleek silicone device meant to be held in your hand: when it expands, you breathe in, and when it contracts, you breathe out.
With time, it reads and learns your pulse so it can help you breathe at your own pace, versus the standard six breaths per minute that most apps or audio guides use. The tactile cues give you something to follow without screens or other distractions.
Turn it on by putting your thumb on the sensor and giving it a gentle shake. During or after a session, you can check your feedback on duration, heart rate, HRV, and how you felt. Aura, the AI breathing coach, reads your data and suggests a personalized breathing rhythm. The more you use it, the better it gets.
However, most of these features, along with immersive soundscapes and storytelling, are locked behind a premium monthly subscription. On top of that, the device only offers a 2-hour battery life, which means you’ll have to recharge it quite frequently.
Still, if you feel like most breathing exercises don’t work, you may want to give Moonbird a try and see how personalized breathing rhythm might help you sleep better.
- Personalized breathing guidance
- Free of distractions
- Comforting design
- Advanced features locked behind paywall
Oura Ring 5
Best for: Tracking sleep quality
- Sleep features: Sleep tracking
- Battery life: 6-9 days
- App support: Oura app
- Smartphone compatibility: iOS and Android
- Subscription: Yes
- Price: From $399
Now even lighter and smaller than its predecessor, Oura Ring 5 is a wellness tracker disguised as a piece of jewellery. According to the brand, it measures over 50 metrics using various sensors, including sleep-related ones that help to spot nighttime trends that you can later improve on.
One of the sleep metrics that Oura Ring 5 monitors is sleep stages. By reading your heart rate, breathing, temperature, and movement, it can gauge whether you’re awake or in light, deep, or REM sleep. Additionally, it can detect your blood oxygen saturation levels, which can provide insights into your overall health as well as indicate possible breathing disturbances.
All these data points combine into a daily sleep score, helping you decide whether to take it easy or stick to your normal routine. To further boost your rest, the device provides personalized bedtime guidance and wind-down reminders.
A single charge lasts up to nine days, covering a full week of tracking. Its main drawback is the required $5.99/month subscription to access advanced insights. However, if you don’t mind the ongoing fee, this discreet device is a solid tool for understanding and improving your sleeping habits.
- Discreet and comfortable to use
- Battery life of up to 9 days
- Helps track and improve sleep habits
- Requires subscription
Somnee Smart Sleep Headband
Best for: Falling asleep faster
- Sleep/relaxation features: Neurostimulation and sleep tracking
- Battery life: 1 night
- App support: Somnee app
- Smartphone compatibility: iOS and Android
- Subscription: Yes
- Price: $489.00
Somnee introduces its Smart Sleep Headband as the only headband that actively improves sleep while tracking it. In just 15 minutes, it claims to deliver gentle, personalized neurostimulation that promotes your brain’s natural sleep signals.
While worn overnight, its electroencephalogram (EEG+) sensors track sleep metrics—such as sleep phases and time in bed versus actual sleep duration—which culminate in a sleep efficiency score. Then, Somnee’s SmartSleep AI™ analyzes your sleep performance to continually refine your stimulation. According to the brand, it generally takes 14 to 21 sessions to fully personalize your nighttime stimulation.
The electrodes necessary to use the headband last for three nights, so you will need to purchase replacements once they run out. Overall, the design is comfortable and easily adjustable with Velcro. The battery lasts for one night, so it is meant to be placed in its charging dock each morning to recharge.
A potential downside for some users is the paid membership required to process and access your data. Fortunately, this subscription comes with regular replacements of the hydrogel electrodes and other additional perks.
So, if you struggle to fall asleep or stay asleep, this may be a device worth trying out. It provides neurostimulation to help you drift off, while delivering sleep tracking insights you need to better understand your sleep patterns.
- Helps fall asleep faster
- Tracks sleep
- Wireless charging
- Paid membership
Hatch Restore 3
Best for: Creating a gentle sleep routine
- Sleep/relaxation features: Wind down, white noise, gentle wake-up
- Battery life: Plug-in
- App support: Hatch Sleep
- Smartphone compatibility: iOS and Android
- Subscription: Yes
- Price: $169.99
Hatch Restore 3 is a smart sleep clock designed to help you build a relaxing, phone-free sleep routine. Press the large top button to start your customized wind-down phase, featuring your choice of meditation, podcasts, music, and lighting. Press it again to activate the sleep phase, which plays white noise overnight or for a set duration.
When it’s time to get up, the clock wakes you with a light that mimics a natural sunrise, gently cueing your body to awaken without jarring alarm sounds.
Customizing your routines requires the companion app, but afterward, the clock can be controlled manually. You can adjust the volume by rotating the main button, swap routines using the three-dot button, or pause audio as needed. A long two-second press turns off the alarm, and for added convenience, the side panels feature a toggle to enable or disable all alarms, alongside a dedicated button for a warm white bedside light.
While the device works without the optional Hatch+ subscription, the free library of sounds and lights can feel a bit limited. The clock features a calming aesthetic and must remain plugged into an outlet to function. All in all, it’s a solid option for people looking for a companion to create a soothing sleep routine without any screens.
- Creates a relaxing sleep environment
- App and manual controls
- Screen free
- Paid subscription
Best sleep tech compared
| Best for | Device type | Primary function | Key sleep feature | App | Battery/power | Subscription | Price | |
| Nuropod | Vagus stimulation before sleep | Earpiece | Delivers electrical pulses to the auricular branch of the vagus nerve | Vagus nerve stimulation | Nuropod app | A week | No | $936 |
| Sleepme ChiliPad 2.0 | Bedtime temperature control | Mattress topper | Cools or heats the bed | Temperature control | Chilipad app | Plug into an outlet | No | Starts at $1,599 |
| Moonbird | Easing into sleep with breathing guidance | Handheld device | Guides your breathing rhythm by expanding and contracting | Breathing guidance | moonbird breathing coach | 2 hours | Optional | $179.99 |
| Oura Ring 5 | Tracking sleep quality | Wellness tracker ring | Measures over 50 metrics using various sensors to spot nighttime trends | Sleep tracking | Oura app | 6-9 days | Yes | From $399 |
| Somnee Smart Sleep Headband | Falling asleep faster | Smart sleep headband | Delivers gentle, personalized neurostimulation to promote natural sleep signals | Neurostimulation and sleep tracking | Somnee app | 1 night | Yes | $489.00 |
| Hatch Restore 3 | Creating a gentle sleep routine | Smart sleep clock | Uses light to help you wake up gently | Wind down, white noise, gentle wake-up | Hatch Sleep | Plug in | Yes | $169.99 |
How to choose the best sleep tech
Sleep is highly individual, so finding the right device for your situation means weighing several key factors. To make the process easier, we’ve put together this checklist that breaks down exactly what to look for before you buy.
- What sleep problem are you trying to solve: There’s no one-size-fits-all device that could eliminate all factors that interfere with your sleep. So try to identify one main issue you want to tackle, whether it’s overheating, difficulty relaxing, poor sleep awareness, or inconsistent bedtime routines.
- Tracking vs. intervention: Then decide if tracking is enough for you or if you need a device that would actively help to change your sleep habits.
- Comfort and overnight usability: Sleep tech should improve your sleep instead of disturbing it. Therefore, they must be comfortable, free of distractions, and feature effortless controls so you don’t have to fiddle with them while winding down or half asleep.
- Battery/power requirements: Check how often the device needs charging. The longer the battery life, the less you need to worry about recharging your device, whether that’s a tracker or relaxation product.
- App quality: We believe that hardware is only as good as its software. So make sure that the app is user-friendly so using the app is effortless instead of causing friction.
- Personalization: Because sleep needs vary, the best sleep tech should adapt to you. Look for highly adjustable settings, such as customizable temperature, soundscapes, or adaptive technology.
- Partner compatibility: Think about how the device affects the person sleeping next to you. Dual-zone climate controls, directional speakers, or silent alarms ensure it doesn't disrupt your partner.
- Subscription costs: Watch out for ongoing fees. Many premium sleep tech apps hide their advanced insights and features behind paid subscriptions.
- Privacy/data considerations: Sleep tech collects biometric data. If you value your privacy (who doesn’t really?), check the manufacturer’s privacy policy to ensure your health information is securely encrypted and not sold to third parties.
- Price and long-term value: Weigh the device’s cost against usability, quality, and offered features. A premium price tag is only justified if the product genuinely helps have more restful sleep.
Other sleep and wellness reviews
Manta White Noise Machine review: Time to retire your white noise app?
Fitnexa SomniPods 3 review: Can these earbuds improve your sleep?
Best sleep trackers: Tested and rated options from our reviews
Best bed cooling systems: Our top picks for a cooler night's sleep
Final verdict
Based on our testing criteria, the top-performing sleep device is the Nuropod. The vagus nerve stimulation it uses has the potential to calm your mind and body before bed. Plus, it can be used throughout the day as a relaxation device, not just before sleep.
However, if you're looking for temperature control, we recommend the Sleepme ChiliPad 2.0, while sleep tracking is best handled by the Oura Ring 5. For personalized support, it’s worth considering the Somnee Smart Sleep Headband, and bedtime routines are made easy with the Hatch Restore 3.
Just remember that the most useful sleep tech ultimately depends on the specific struggle you want to address and whether the device is practical enough to become part of a consistent routine.
FAQ
The best device for tracking sleep on our list is Oura Ring 5. Disguised as jewellery, it’s barely noticeable overnight. On top of that, it reads your heart rate, breathing, temperature, blood oxygen saturation, and movement to provide insights into sleep stages, possible breathing disturbances, and your overall health.
Yes, sleep tech can help you relax before bed, whether that's by masking distracting noises, guiding your breathing, or other methods. Just make sure to choose a device that best fits your needs.
Sleep tech supports better sleep hygiene, which in turn may have the potential to improve sleep quality. However, each situation is individual, and only you and your healthcare provider know what really fits your needs.
Sleep tech may help with insomnia, but it’s not a complete fix, so we’d recommend discussing it with your healthcare provider first.
