I'm a Certified Sleep Coach but early motherhood means I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in nearly four years. Most mornings I battle with sleep inertia — that dense, groggy feeling when your brain refuses to reboot. I’ve been relying on caffeine for an energy boost, but it’s interfering with my sleep (caffeine has a half-life of up three to seven hours in adults).

To break the cycle, I decided to stop propping up my morning brain with caffeine and start biohacking it instead. That’s how I ended up testing the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses (from $249/£249 at Ayo)—lightweight phototherapy frames that use blue-enriched light to fine-tune my circadian rhythm.

NASA’s Fatigue Countermeasures Lab team, led by Dr. Erin Flynn-Evans, is doing some interesting research into blue light as a way to reduce sleep inertia, so I was curious to see how effective AYO’s blue light glasses were. Here’s my experience after testing them for three months…

At a glance: Key takeaways

• The AYO+ glasses effectively reduce sleep inertia: The 470nm blue-turquoise light effectively flushes out deep, heavy brain fog after waking.
• They help stave off afternoon slumps: In my case, implementing a 20-minute ‘blue light boost’ session after lunch stopped me from crashing later that afternoon.
• Total freedom of movement: Unlike traditional 10,000-lux light boxes, you can go about your morning routine, get dressed, and pack lunches when wearing the AYO+ glasses.
• AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses are not an overnight miracle: It took around three weeks of consistent daily use for me to feel a noticeable biological shift.
• Some people need to exercise caution: Light therapy glasses aren’t suitable for everyone. People with cataracts, bipolar disorder, or lupus should speak to their doctor first.

What are AYO+ Light Therapy glasses?

• 10,000-lux equivalent: Because they sit in close proximity to your eyes, the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses produce the same powerful wake-up signals as a clinical grade light therapy box.
• Targeted blue-turquoise light: The AYO+ emit a 470nm wavelength, which studies show as the sweet spot for stimulating your internal body clock and boosting daytime energy.
• Eye-safe: These narrow-band LEDs are free of harmful UV rays and infrared rays, making them safe for daily wear.
• Optimized light strength: They deliver a peak irradiance (light intensity) of 250 µW/cm² – that’s an effective clinical dose of phototherapy without causing glare or eye strain.

AYO+ are the next-gen version of the original AYO Light Therapy Glasses, which began life as a Kickstarter in 2019. They’re often pitted against rival phototherapy glasses such as Luminette, and are fall into the circadian tech bracket – a branch of sleep tech designed to regulate, fine-tune and strengthen your circadian health.

The AYO+ glasses emit a blue-turquoise light at around 470nm (nanometer), with a ‘light strength’ (irradiance) of 250 µW/cm² (250 microwatts of light energy per square centimeter).

This targeted 470nm wavelength works by stimulating specialized receptors in our eyes called ipRGCs. Neuroscientists at Harvard discovered these receptors are uniquely tuned to blue-turquoise light for regulating sleep and alertness.

I wear contact lenses and prescription glasses and the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses work well with both.

On an eye health note, I haven’t experience any side effects since using the glasses, but on its website AYO lists possible side effects while your body adjusts to the glasses. These include headaches, eye strain and dizziness.

The glasses themselves are incredibly lightweight and can easily be worn over prescription eye glasses, emitting light downwards into your eyes via four light-emitting diodes.

The glasses turn on as soon as you open up the arms, kick-starting a 20-minute light therapy session. In the app you can change the duration of your session from 5 minutes (minimum) up to 90 minutes.

The light intensity can also be customized – choose from low, medium or high (most effective), or a custom intensity from 10% to 100%.

You also have the option of finishing your blue light therapy session with three minutes of red light.

There’s lots to dig into with narrowband red light, but in a nutshell it can stimulate the "powerhouses" of your cells (the mitochondria) to produce more energy. In terms of eye health, narrowband red light can help lower inflammation and give retinal cells a boost.

The root cause of my sleep and energy issues

There are two pain points in my day: feeling like a zombie when I wake-up, and hitting the wall, energy-wise, around 2.30 p.m. most afternoons.

In my defence, my sleep hygiene is excellent. I keep a consistent sleep schedule, follow the same bedtime routine, and go device-free and switch to circadian lighting an hour before bed. I drink water and eat soon after waking to give my body those wakeful cues, and I start moving my body.

None of that is a match for my wakeful three-year-old.

Sleeping has always been hard for him, for various health reasons. So I’m awake multiple times a night with my son, and that’s without my daytime caffeine habit fuelling more overnight chaos.

I can easily get through four or more cups of tea or coffee by 3pm. If I had to guess, I’ve probably been consuming around 400mg of caffeine in an eight-hour period (7am to 3pm) most days.

Caffeine can stay in your system for up to seven hours, which can make falling asleep within a decent time frame (20 minutes is average) quite tricky.

And according to the National Institutes of Health, even if you can fall asleep after a day on the caffeine train, high doses can reduce the amount of deep sleep you get. They can also trigger overnight awakenings.

Trading caffeine for circadian-optimized shots of blue light

I’ve tested many traditional light therapy boxes throughout my career working across Tom’s Guide, T3, TechRadar, and Top Ten Reviews, and while these S.A.D. lamps are highly effective, they require you to sit still.

The AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses are my first long-term experience using wearable phototherapy — and they’ve been a revelation.

Instead of being stuck at my kitchen table for 20 minutes each morning sat near a lightbox, I simply pop the AYO+ glasses soon after waking and get on with my morning routine.

From a productivity perspective alone, being able to move around the house while getting my daily dose of light therapy is convenient. And honestly? I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a stationary light therapy box.

But convenience wasn’t my main motive for testing the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses. Instead I was desperate to tackle three major, interconnected issues:

• Intense grogginess upon waking – that heavy, stubborn sleep inertia that makes me feel like a zombie.
• Regular afternoon slumps – the ones that left me reaching for caffeine long past the recommended midday cut-off.
• Frequent overnight wake-ups – which I strongly suspect my caffeine habit was worsening.

To break the cycle, for three months I used the AYO+ glasses for 20 minutes soon after waking every morning. I wanted to see if they could reduce my morning fatigue and help me gain day-long energy without hammering the caffeine.

Here’s what happened…

My 90-day testing experience with the AYO+ Light Therapy glasses

When you’re rolling a huge sleep debt and feel so tired each morning that you want to crawl back into bed, setting up fiddly tech is a hard no. Luckily, the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses are easy to use.

I keep mine next to my bed, nestled in the pill-shaped hard travel case they come in. My routine is simple: wake up, get out of bed, put on the AYO+ glasses, and go about my morning.

Here’s how effective, or not, the glasses were against each of my three big interconnected energy and sleep issues…

Sleep inertia

The AYO+ glasses were shipped to me during deep winter with its pitch black mornings. I’d given my Lumie light therapy box to a friend who was struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D.), so I’d been without a light therapy device for weeks at that point and I was really feeling it.

The AYO+ glasses came packed in a white reinforced cardboard box with the brand’s logo on the outside. Inside was a hard travel case, housing the glasses, a white charging cable, and a small dust bag / soft travel pouch.

After charging the glasses (a full charge takes around three hours and lasts for around nine 20-minute sessions), I placed them on my nightstand ready for the morning.

I chose my normal wake-up time of 7 a.m. as the approximate start time for each daily session, as numerous studies have shown that light therapy is most effective within an hour of waking.

On my first day of testing I used the pre-set 20-minute session. While the glasses were a novelty – they look quite ‘Tron-esque’ when switched on – I didn’t feel any benefit.

I was still yawning after taking them off, and by mid morning I was flagging and hitting the caffeine. At 2.30 p.m., despite staying hydrated, eating a good lunch and going for a brisk walk, I was firing up the kettle.

AYO states that it can take a few days to a few weeks (or longer, depending on the individual, severity of symptoms, and lifestyle habits) to see any improvement.

So I persevered for a week to see if repeated daily use would nudge my body into easing off the melatonin and ramping up the cortisol and other wakeful hormones soon after waking. But it didn’t.

Come week two, however, I was beginning to feel less groggy in the mornings.

I usually need a cup of coffee before leaving the house for work or nursery drop-off. On the morning of day eight I didn’t. Instead, I had my first cup of tea at around 11 a.m. However, I was flagging again in the afternoon.

This became my pattern for another week. During my third week of testing, my morning grogginess had vastly reduced. In fact, I was waking up a few minutes before my alarm and feeling energised to boot.

And from a caffeine perspective, I was down to one cup at 11 a.m. These were huge wins for me compared to even a month before when I would be finishing my third cup by 10 a.m.

The afternoon slumps were still hell though, so I went back to the biohack drawing board. That was when I decided to introduce what I now call my ‘2 p.m. blue light boost.’

It was a game-changer…

Goodbye, afternoon slumps

Ever heard of anticipatory anxiety? It’s a phenomenon where you have a feeling of dread or worry about something that hasn’t happened yet.

Mine would start creeping in soon after lunch, when I’d begin worrying about the inevitable energy slump waiting to ambush my afternoon.

I’d panic about not having enough fuel in the tank to get through my work-load, or to keep up with my busy bee of a son for another five hours.

So after three weeks of single-dosing with light therapy I started double-dosing. I wasn’t expecting it to work so fast, but it did; like a gentle bubbling up of fresh energy that carried me through the afternoon.

Was it as instantly powerful as a cup of coffee? No. But it also didn’t give me jitters, heart palpitations or interfere with my sleep at night.

This post-lunch, 20-minute blue light boost has become a reset button for my afternoons. And I no longer have a physical need to consume caffeine after midday.

I always finish my second dose of phototherapy by 2 p.m. too, as blue light exposure can affect sleep in some people when used later in the day.

Why the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses didn’t stop my overnight wake-ups

The AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses are an excellent tool for strengthening your natural circadian rhythm and for understanding the best times of your day to eat, exercise, be productive, sleep, and wake up.

When your body clock is properly anchored, your brain naturally learns exactly when to produce the right hormones at the right time — whether that’s cortisol to keep you energized during the most productive parts of the day, or melatonin to help you wind down for sleep at night.

Biologically, this predictable rhythm should help you settle down, fall asleep faster and boost your chances of sleeping through the night.

So why am I still waking up at 1 a.m., 2 a.m., 3 a.m. and on? I mentioned him earlier: my three-year-old who wakes regularly due to ongoing health issues. As effective as the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses are, they can’t help me there.

What I can say is this: when I do wake at night now, I fall back asleep fast. When I was necking loads of caffeine in the day, it took me an age to fall back asleep each time at night, even after practising techniques like 4 7 8 breathing or cognitive shuffling.

Energy levels rising, caffeine reliance dropping: Three months on

After three months of testing, the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses have become a daily essential for me.

I love putting them on each morning and seeing that slim band of turquoise-blue sitting above my eyes. It feels summery, tropical and mood-boosting, even on dark winter mornings.

Having spent years reviewing traditional 10,000-lux S.A.D. lamps across Tom’s Guide, T3, and TechRadar, the freedom of wearable phototherapy has been a revelation and one I wish I’d embraced sooner.

The AYO+ didn't solve my interrupted nights — no piece of wearable tech can reprogram a wakeful three-year-old. But by using clinical-grade blue-turquoise light to anchor my circadian rhythm and reduce my morning grogginess and afternoon slumps, it did something much better: it gave me my days back.

I no longer feel like a zombie in the mornings, I don’t hit the wall at 2 p.m., and I no longer have to chug several coffees just to survive the day.

My reliance on caffeine has plummeted from around 400mg a day to just one solitary, late-morning cup of tea – and some days I even skip that.

Is light therapy suitable for everyone? No. According to AYO, people with bipolar disorder, those with eye conditions such as cataracts, people on photosensitizing medications, and those with skin sensitivities such as lupus should be cautious when considering light therapy glasses.

I’d recommend speaking to your doctor or healthcare professional first.

My verdict

If you’re looking for a magic wand that instantly guarantees seven+ hours of uninterrupted sleep a night, the AYO+ glasses aren't it.

As a Certified Sleep Science Coach, my recommendations there are choosing a few good sleep hygiene tips and sticking to them, keeping a consistent wake-up time, investing in the best mattress you can afford, and not stressing too much about ‘perfect sleep’ (orthosomnia).

But if you are a parent, a shift worker, or someone drowning in sleep debt and looking to break free from a vicious cycle of morning fatigue and afternoon caffeine crashes, the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses are worth it.

Amazon is full of sleep tracker deals this Prime Day, but it can be hard to know what's a good deal or what tech is worth buying. That's why we've rounded up every deal on every sleep tracker we've ever tested and loved, and that includes the Oura Ring 4 (now down to $226 at Amazon and £199.99 at Amazon UK)

The Oura Ring 4 may be our favorite sleep tracker, but it's not the only entry in our best sleep trackers guide to get a price drop this Prime Day. In this sleep-tracking deals hub we've included all the best Amazon discounts on top choices from Apple Watch, Garmin, Oura, Whoop, Withings, and Fitbit, all reviewed by the Tom's Guide team.

While Amazon's Prime Day event has, to be honest, been underwhelming in some areas, it definitely hasn't let us down in the sleep tech department. So, here's a list of the top five sleep tracker discount in both the US and UK, and why they're the best Amazon Prime Day mattress and sleep deals we've seen so far.

Don't forget your Prime Membership...

Top 5 sleep tracker US Prime Day deals

Top 5 sleep tracker UK Prime Day deals

Amazon Prime Day is a great time to shop tech. While not all gadgets are good news for sleep (your smartphone could be what's robbing you of quality ZZZs), wearable tech from trusted brands certainly has a place in the bedroom.

Right now, you can save 48% on the Oura Ring 4 at Amazon and take 33% off the Fitbit Versa 4 at Amazon. These devices can help you learn more about your sleep habits and supercharge your rest this summer.

I've spent the past two years on the hunt for the best sleep trackers on the market, putting various watches, rings, armbands, and mats through our sleep tracker testing methodology, and recording their sale prices along the way.

That means a) I know what design elements, software, and sensors make a good sleep tracker, and b) I can spot a worthy deal when I see one. So, here I'm zoning in on the best tracker deals in current Amazon Prime Day sleep sales on both sides of the Atlantic right now.

Don't forget your Prime Membership...

Top 4 sleep tracker US Prime Day deals

From 48% off the world's top-rated smart ring (need we mention, it's the Oura Ring) to $38 savings on an up-and-coming, contact-free sleep monitor, here are the deals I recommend checking out if you're in America...

Top 4 sleep tracker UK Prime Day deals

For UK folk, the best Prime Day deals feature Oura (shock), Fitbit and Withings. Read on for all the deets...

If you've been eyeing up an Oura Ring, there's never been a better time to buy one. Not because the thinnest-ever, smartest-ever Ring 5 has just launched, but because the Oura Ring 4 is up to 48% off at Amazon this Prime Day.

That means our top-rated sleep tracker is down to its lowest-ever price of $226. Until now, $249 was the best price we'd ever seen it sell for — that extra $23 saving can cover your subscription fee for the next four months.

I've tested over a dozen sleep trackers the past year and the Oura Ring 4 is the only one I still go to bed with every single night. I'm yet to get my hands on the Oura Ring 5 (it's on its way), yet I can confidently recommend shopping the Oura Ring 4 for an outstanding price in current Amazon Prime Day sleep sales.

• Shop all Prime Day deals at Amazon

What makes the Oura Ring 4 such a great sleep tracker?

If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me about my Oura Ring, I'd be able to fund my monthly Oura subscription no problem. But what are the features I boast about most?

Admittedly, it isn't my favorite tracker for my runs, cycles, or swims (for workout tracking, I rely on my trusty Garmin smartwatch), but by night, it's simply the best wearable I've tested.

It's comfy, accurate, and keeps me accountable. Under review following our robust sleep tracker testing methodology, the Oura Ring 4 came out on top, with nightly sleep reports matching up with my perceived sleep quality.

Said reports offer the most detailed metrics without becoming too overwhelming for average users (for reference, the Whoop MG is an equally good tracker but better suited to athletes who want VO2 max readings and more fitness-focussed data).

I especially love the Oura chronotype feature which has helped me create a consistent sleep routine that's in tune with my natural energy peaks and troughs throughout the 24-hour day. As a morning lark, my Oura Ring suggests relatively early sleep and wake windows, and I've noticed an improvement in my sleep quality after prioritising regular sleep timings over the past year.

What's more, the Oura app is loaded with sleep content including a personalised sleep advisor that literally tells me when my body could do with an extra hour of down time in the evenings, and a library of sleep sounds I can use to block out my partner's snoring or send my nephews to sleep when I'm babysitting.

The best thing? There's hardly any difference between the Oura Ring 4 and Oura Ring 5 in terms of sleep tracking functionality. The key difference between the two is design based (the Ring 5 is thinner and lighter). So, while it may be marginally more discreet to wear overnight, it's not a deal breaker worth $173 in my opinion.

Honestly, I've been waiting for the Ring 5 to release so I could tell all my friends to RUN to buy the Ring 4 at its lowest-ever price, and I'm not disappointed by Amazon's Prime Day deal this year.

A bed topper is a cost-effective way to upgrade your sleep setup without having to spend a fortune on a new mattress, and this new Amazon Prime Day deal proves it. The Niagara Sleep Solutions Bamboo Mattress Topper, now down from £28.99 to £23.19 in a double at Amazon, is a hit with customers who want to add a soft, cooling touch to their bed.

While it has a much different design to the foam mattress toppers found in our best mattress toppers guide, this ultra-cheap bamboo mattress topper is an excellent choice if you want to add a breathable, pillow top layer to your bed in a pinch. It currently has a 4.2 star score from over 24,000 customer rating — 66% of those customers awarded the bed topper five stars.

Still, its design is more akin to a mattress pad than a bed topper, but as far as Amazon UK Prime Day mattress deals go, this discount definitely offers the best value for money. Here's more on what customers love (and don't love that much) about it...

What customers like about this 'cloud-like' bamboo mattress topper

There are plenty of reviews on this Amazon product, with the vast majority being very positive. Most praise the cooling breathability of the bamboo viscose material. One reviewer calls it "comfy and cool" while another customer shared that their bed "definitely feels cooler".

Softness received mixed reviews, with one customer saying it felt "incredibly soft and cloud like" while another said it it "definitely doesn't feel like sleeping on a cloud". We expect this, as the topper contains no foam, meaning that it's unlikely to change your mattress's firmness.

However, its value price tag and its machine-washable and tumble-dryer friendly design make it a low-cost, low-maintenance alternative to plusher and thicker mattress toppers. So, if you're priority is is saving your mattress on a smaller budget, we think this Bamboo Viscose Mattress Topper is an ideal choice.

Want something softer? Try this...

The Oura Ring 4 is hands-down our favorite sleep tracker, and it's just had a major price cut thanks to a new Amazon Prime Day deal. The Oura Ring 4, now up to 46% off at Amazon UK provides accurate sleep tracking, a comfy fit, and a panoramic, analytical view of your sleep.

The Oura Ring 4 takes the top spot in our guide to the best sleep trackers, thanks to its advanced features and seamless design. Lead tester Eve Davies rates the Oura Ring 4 for the way it helps her keep a consistent sleep schedule, as the smart ring's accompanying app reminds her when bedtime is approaching. "If sleeping better is your priority, the Oura Ring is the winner," says Davies.

While there are now plenty Amazon UK Prime Day mattress deals, this Oura Ring deal stands out as one of Prime Day's best savings for your sleep. Here's a more in-depth look at the Oura Ring 4, its spectacular Prime Day discount, and why it's great investment for your sleep.

Why the Oura Ring 4 is our #1 sleep tracker

Our lead tester says that the Oura Ring 4 helps her keep to a consistent sleep schedule, making it "my secret to falling asleep fast and waking up refreshed". But what sleep-improving features does the Oura Ring 4 boast?

First of all, the accompanying Oura app sends bedtime reminders to help you maintain your sleep schedule. The next benefit (and arguably most important) is the Oura Ring's accurate, precise sleep tracking, which gives the user key insight into their sleep stages and any nocturnal awakenings, data which betters your understanding of your sleep patterns.

Using your sleep data and sleep scores, the Oura App then offers an AI Oura Sleep Advisor who offers you tips and recommendations to enhance your sleep and improve any problems that may be lowering your sleep score.

Other benefits include a lengthy battery life, sleek screenless design, and an intuitive app that "presents data in a digestible, user-freindly format".

Smaller budget? Try this...

I was a sleep tracker skeptic until I got my Withings Sleep Analyzer and now I check my metrics every morning. For a long time my sleep score has hovered around the low-70s, but recently I noticed my sleep score tracking upwards. The other day, I finally cracked 90. And it's all thanks to the 7:1 sleep method.

This simple rule, backed by a huge new study, prioritizes consistency over hacks and it's given my sleep the boost it needs. The best sleep trackers take in a range of metrics before giving your final score and with the 7:1 sleep rule, I'm pleasing all those data points.

It's not just my sleep tracker that's noticing the results. I'm experiencing fewer 3 a.m. wake ups, I'm getting up before my alarm and I feel fresher during the day. Here's why the 7:1 sleep rule is the sleep hack you (and your sleep tracker) will love — and how to follow it yourself.

Key takeaways

• The 7:1 sleep rule encourages you to get seven hours sleep a night, falling asleep within a consistent one hour time frame, and doing so at least five nights a week.
• This consistent sleep schedule helps regulate your circadian rhythms, so you fall asleep faster, experience less late night wake ups, and wake up fresher.
• If you're tracking your sleep, following the 7:1 rule can boost your metrics to achieve a higher sleep score.

What is the 7:1 sleep rule?

The 7:1 sleep rule was coined following a white paper created by Vitality and The London School of Economics, which found those who followed simple sleep hygiene rules could potentially increase their lifespan by four years.

The rule has several key principals: at least seven hours sleep a night, falling asleep within a consistent one hour time frame, five nights a week.

While many think of 'eight hours' as the gold-standard for good sleep, after analyzing the data of over 100,000 individuals the researchers found the time you go to bed has as big an impact on your health and wellbeing as clocking up enough hours.

"Our bodies run on an internal 24-hour clock known as the circadian rhythm," explains Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, health and longevity expert at International Pause Institute. "Think of it as your master body clock that regulates everything from hormone production and metabolism to immune function, body temperature, digestion and brain performance."

"Many people focus on getting a certain number of hours of sleep, but the timing of that sleep could be just as important," she says.

How the 7:1 sleep rule is boosting my sleep scores

I started using the 7:1 sleep rule almost by accident when my bedtimes happened to align across a week.

I stuck with the 7:1 sleep rule when I noticed I was sleeping better — and my sleep scores had skyrocketed. And not just my overall sleep score; on the whole my metrics had a boost.

"Sleep consistency is one of the most overlooked tools we have for improving our total health," explains Dr. Greenleaf.

"Sleep consistency has huge downstream effects from a hormonal standpoint," she says, noting that your sleep schedule impacts stress, blood sugar, and even the growth hormones necessary for repairing tissue.

Here are the benefits of the 7:1 sleep rule my sleep tracker has picked up on...

1. I'm falling asleep faster

Sleep latency is the time it takes you to drift off from the moment your head hits the pillow. A healthy sleep latency is around 10 to 20 minutes and the 7:1 sleep rule can help you achieve it by teaching your body the time to sleep.

"When your body knows when to expect sleep, it starts getting ready in advance," explains Dr. Greenleaf. "Melatonin [the sleepy hormone] is more predictable, cortisol [the awake hormone] rises properly in the morning, and falling asleep is easier and more efficient."

Sleep latency is something I've often struggled with but since following the 7:1 sleep rule, I'm falling asleep faster night after night. That's less time spent tossing and turning, more time spent in high quality sleep.

2. I'm waking up less at night

It's normal to wake up a few times during the night as you transition through cycles of light, deep and REM sleep. However, these fleeting disruptions can turn into longer 3 a.m. wake ups when your sleep schedule is irregular.

"One big advantage of a consistent sleep and wake schedule is that people tend to sleep more without even knowing it," explains Dr. Greenleaf. "Consistency will help you sleep better. Eight hours of broken bad sleep is not equal to eight hours of restorative sleep."

The 7:1 method regulates your circadian rhythms, which means your body and your hormones are all primed to sleep during the night. This helps you ease between the delicate sleep stages without waking you up.

3. I'm waking up fresher

I used to consider my alarm to be enemy number one as it rudely interrupted my slumber. We're on better terms lately, because my regular sleep schedule means I'm ready to go by the time my alarm chimes.

Waking up is another part of the hormone cycle your circadian rhythm regulates. When you have a consist routine, your body will start releasing the chemicals it needs to feel alert during the early hours of the morning. Think of it like a cup of coffee in your sleep.

And because you've slept with fewer interruptions, you've not only cleared away the sleep pressure that builds up during the day, you've also enjoyed the vital restoration of deep sleep.

"We often think of sleep as something that happens at night, but the truth is that good sleep starts the moment we wake up each morning and is built from the habits we repeat every day," says Dr. Greenleaf.

More ways to boost your sleep score

Your sleep score isn't the be all and end all of sleep but it's a good way to determine the quality of your rest and find areas for improvement. And it's nice to see your score tick up — who doesn't like getting a good grade in sleep?

Alongside the 7:1 sleep method, here are some other hacks you can use to boost your sleep:

• Keep to a set wake up time (even on weekends): A regular wake up time reinforces your body clock and can help you keep to the 7:1 sleep rule (waking up at the same time, gets you tired at the same time.)
• Get sunlight in the first hour after waking up: Sunlight tells your circadian rhythm it's time to be awake, so try drinking your coffee outside.
• Lower the lights before bed: Bright white lights remind your body of daytime, so opt for dim amber bulbs in the evening.
• Stop drinking coffee in the afternoon: Caffeine has a half life of around five hours, which means your 3 p.m. latte can still be in your system at bedtime.
• Stay active: Exercise creates adenosine, the hormone responsible for sleep pressure, so keeping active makes it easier to fall asleep (and bonus, it'll please your fitness tracker as well.)

Our favorite sleep tech

I always appreciate how well stocked my office keeps the candy jar but this CEO's gift has blown that out of the water — Factory employees each received one of the best smart beds from CEO Matan Grinberg in hopes of boosting productivity.

Speaking on 20VC, Grinberg explained that when his start up had 30 employees each one received a $3,000 Eight Sleep smart mattress cover to "[squeeze] out every ounce of brain power" through the power of good sleep.

And he might be on to something. Our sleep tech specialist Eve Davies told me that using the Eight Sleep smart bed took her sleep score from 59 to 91 and sleep experts agree that good sleep is essential for learning and memory. Not to mention, Factory has since grown to over 120 employees... So is a smart bed the secret behind better work?

• Read more: 4 sleep experts share how they fall asleep fast and skip waking up at 3 a.m. in hot weather — 4 steps to take tonight

What is the Eight Sleep Pod smart mattress cover?

The central benefit of the Eight Sleep system is its integrated liquid-based temperature control, which allows you to heat or cool the bed to suit your preferences. Larger sizes also include dual-temperature control, so both sides of the bed can sleep comfortably.

In addition, the Eight Sleep cover is woven with sensors to track your sleep during the night. This data is used to optimize the temperature control features, and you can access your info via the Eight Sleep app.

Newer models also include a smart alarm, while an optional adjustable bed base is also available with the Pod 5 (from our sleuthing, we think Factory employees received either the Pod 3 or 4.)

• Read more: I tried the 7:1 sleep rule and finally hit 90 on my sleep tracker — here's all the ways it's boosting my metrics

How a smart mattress can improve productivity

1. Temperature controls help prevent 3 a.m. wake ups

High temperatures don't just make you sticky and uncomfortable when you're trying to sleep — they work against your circadian rhythms, which prefer a cooler bedroom to drop off (65 to 70°F / 18 to 21 °C.)

Excess warmth can also disrupt the delicate movement between sleep cycles, meaning you're more likely to wake up when you shift into lighter or REM sleep around 3 a.m.

But the Eight Sleep uses integrated trackers to monitor your temperature and respond, ensuring you stay comfortably cool all night long.

As a result, you can enjoy higher quality sleep as your body is able to move smoothly through every sleep stage. (Eight Sleep notes the automatic temperature adjustments can improve deep sleep up to 34%.)

2. Sleep trackers help you identify problem areas

Sleep tech tester Eve noted that one of the big benefits of her smart bed is that it helped her take accountability for her sleep problems and in doing so finally take control of the hit-and-miss sleep schedule that was dragging her score down.

Of course, this isn't exclusive to the Eight Sleep — the best sleep trackers should all help you get to grips with your sleep by providing clear metrics. These allow you to wade through the murky hours you've spent dozing until you have a proper picture of your rest.

It's then down to you to make these changes (even the latest Eight Sleep Pod can't force you into bed.) But the big red warning signs of your sleep tracker often function as good motivation.

3. Waking up at the right moment beats sleep inertia

The latest models of the Eight Sleep come with built-in alarms that recognize when you're at a lighter stage of sleep and use either temperature, vibration or audio to wake you up.

Smart alarms ensure that rather than being jolted awake during a phase of deep sleep, you're gradually roused when your body is naturally poised to wake up. This helps prevent sleep inertia (the groggy feeling you get first thing in the morning.)

From a productivity stand point, a fresher wake up ensures those first few hours of the day are spent feeling alert and ready to go — not waiting for your coffee to kick in.

The best sunrise alarm clocks are another way to start the day better. By slowly flooding the room with light, they ease you into the day comfortably.

How does sleep help learning?

Your brain is busy while you're asleep. During deep sleep memories are strengthened and muscles are repaired, while REM sleep helps with problem solving. If you want to learn, the key isn't a late night cramming session — it's getting a good night's rest.

You also have more willpower and better decision making when you're well rested, alongside better mood control.

And during sleep your body also clears away adenosine, the hormone responsible for sleep pressure, allowing you to wake up fresh.

So if your employers have been looking for ways to boost production, maybe drop them a link to the Eight Sleep store?

The upcoming FIFA World Cup has highlighted just how important sleep is for athletes to perform at the top of their game. With the tournament set to commence on June 11, it's been reported that players are currently battling heatwaves, jet lag, and hectic schedules to try and get some much-needed sleep.

In fact, global media outlets have published that the England team will even bring their own sleep kits consisting of the best mattress toppers, cooling gel pillows, and ear masks to combat sleep disruptors such as noisy sleep environments and too-firm hotel beds.

If you're dealing with similar sleep disruptors at home, we're here to help. Here we've curated our own sleep survival kit to help you fall asleep fast at night, especially during hot weather, so you can be on your A-game by morning...

World Cup 2026: Top-rated US sleep kit

Breathable bedding to help you sleep cool

With temperatures rising, feeling too hot to sleep has been a common complaint of many soccer stars taking part in this year's World Cup. Cooling bedding can help prevent overheating while sleeping. Here's what our experts recommend...

Mattress toppers to make hard beds feel softer

Another complaint of some English soccer players staying at The Inn at Meadowbrook hotel is 'too-firm beds'. A soft and contouring gel memory foam topper can be an instant fix for hard mattresses. Here are the ones we recommend...

Sleep tech to block out unwanted noise and light

This year's World Cup players have been relying on scores of noise-cancelling sleep earbuds to block out noise from neighboring rooms. Here's where to start if you're also dealing with noisy neighbors...

World Cup 2026: Top-rated UK sleep kit

Breathable bedding to help you sleep cool

Temperatures are set to rise across the UK this weekend, and being feeling to hot in bed can make it harder to fall asleep – and sleep through the night. Cooling bedding can help prevent overheating. Here's what our experts recommend...

Mattress toppers to make hard beds feel softer

A major complaint of this year's English squad is that the mattresses their sleeping on are too firm to promote deep, restful sleep. If your bed at home is too firm, but you're not ready to switch to the best mattress for you, then try a soft bed topper instead.

Sleep tech to block out unwanted noise and light

The ideal bedroom for sleep is cool, dark and quiet. If you need to optimize your bedroom for sleep, change things pronto with our top-rated sleep earbuds and light-blocking sleep accessories...

As a sleep tracking aficionado, I love the insight of my Withings Sleep Mat and I've used it to make real changes to my rest. But one thing it won't do is take an active role in getting me better sleep. The Muse S Athena headband, however, promises to improve my sleep while I'm literally snoozing.

The best sleep trackers right now are all about the data. But recently tech has started moving beyond simple tracking to responsive intervention. The Muse S Athena with its Sleep Assist and Deep Sleep Boost is at the forefront of this innovation. It helps that it comes with gold-standard sleep tracking, as well.

But at $474 for the Muse S Athena Sleep Headband from Amazon, you might expect your sleep tracker to tuck you up with a hot cocoa. I admit, I was a skeptic but after a week of testing one feature has me convinced the Athena can read my mind — and it's using those powers to help me sleep.

What is the Muse S Athena Headband?

The Muse S Athena Headband is a health tracking wearable that uses in-built sensors to monitor your sleep and brain health. These insights are accessible via the Muse app.

But the Muse S Athena doesn't just watch your sleep; it's designed to actively improve it. Using trackers to identify changes in brain signals that indicate different sleep stages, it intervenes using targeted sounds to improve the quality of your sleep.

And it's not all about sleep... ish. The Muse S Athena also works as a meditation headband, with courses available in the Muse app.

During these meditation sessions, the Muse draws on your data to provide feedback and target the session to your needs. As a result, Muse claims regularly using the headband can improve focus, memory and, yes, sleep.

How does the Muse S Athena Headband work?

Along the straps of the Muse S Athena headband are a series of sensors that sit on your forehead and tuck behind your ears.

These sensors carry out three levels of tracking (brace yourself for some acronyms). First, PPG (Photoplethysmography) sensors monitor your heart rate. Next, fNRI (functional near-infrared spectroscopy) tracks changes in blood flow and oxygen in your brain. Finally, EEG (electroencephalogram) sensors monitor the electrical signals in your brain.

With this tracking triple-threat, the Muse S Athena closely mimics polysomnography aka the gold-standard of sleep tracking. It just does so without the wires, machines and the doctor watching in another room.

Having collected this data, it uses the results to give your sleep a nudge in the right direction, all while you're snoozing away.

• Read more: 'I sleep much faster and way deeper': DUSQ's wearable detects 3 a.m. wake ups and sends you straight back to deep sleep in new frontier for sleep tracking

A wearable to help you fall asleep fast

I'm still in the midst of testing my Muse S Athena headband (it takes a few days to set it up properly.) With that said, I'm confident I already know what my favorite feature is: Sleep Assist. Specifically, the drowse-inducing volume moderation.

The Muse S Athena app comes with a series of sleep sounds, including meditations and white noise. Personally, I'm a big fan of the Woodland Marsh with binaural beats. To me, it sounds like a hot Louisiana night (keep in mind, I've never been to Louisiana.)

So far, so ordinary. What really makes the Athena stand out is the volume adaptation.

When the sensors identify you're approaching sleep, the volume of the sleep sound lowers to match, And if you start to wake up, the volume lifts again, so you can hear your relaxing sounds properly..

For me, it's like turning sleepiness up a few notches, because it accurately mimics that natural slow, soft move towards sleep. It tricks my brain into thinking I'm getting veerryy sleeeeppy and can take me from wide awake to the edge of snooze in minutes.

It's also great at easing a racing mind (night is prime time for anxiety, in my experience.) I've found as the Muse gets quiet, so do my troublesome thoughts.

It prevents late night wake-ups

The other big feature of the Muse S Athena is the Deep Sleep Boost. While the Sleep Assist helps you drift off, the Deep Sleep Boost keeps you asleep.

It does this again by monitoring your brain signals and playing a 'whisper-quiet' sound once you're in deep sleep (the sleep stage most associated with recovery.) This sound strengthens slow wave brain activity (associated with deep sleep), so you're less likely to wake up. And by deepening this recovery stage, you wake up feeling fresher.

I can confirm that 'whisper-quiet' is accurate — I haven't heard the sound once. I've also experienced few late night wake ups during my testing period.

However, the Deep Sleep Boost is also intended to enhance the quality of your deep sleep and it takes some time to make sure it's personalized to your needs. I want me and my Muse to get to know each other better before I cast my judgement.

Final thoughts

The Muse S Athena is a health tracker that uses gold-standard sleep and brain tracking to not just measure your sleep but to actively improve it. Although it feels bulky at first, I quickly adapted to having it on my head and it does accurately track my sleep.

So far, the stand-out feature for me is the Sleep Assist, which responds to your brain waves by turning the volume up or down on your favorite sleepy-sounds. It perfectly recreates that feeling of drifting into sleep and it's a cue for instant drowsiness.

For those who often find they wake up groggy, the Deep Sleep Boost could be the secret to fresher mornings — but I'm holding judgement until I've got the personalization right.

If it's simple sleep sounds you want, the Muse S Athena is a high-cost investment. The MUSICOZY is a much cheaper alternative. And while the sleep tracking is good, the Oura Ring is just as impressive and less bulky. The Muse also doesn't have the general health tracking of the Oura Ring or Apple Watch.

However, none of these products claim to actively improve your sleep and if the Deep Sleep Boost is at good as helping you wake up fresh as the Sleep Assist is at helping you drift off, the Muse might be worth the investment.

What if I told you there's a way to boost your longevity that doesn't involve red light, cold plunges, or quaffing superfoods? In fact, it's something we can all do for free: keep a regular sleep schedule.

My sleep tracker is always urging me to get to bed on time and, judging by two major new studies published this year showing that sleep regularity is a crucial aspect of ageing better, it's clear that my sleep tracker is looking out for my long-term health.

Below, we'reeve looking at what is a sleep regularity (also known as sleep consistency) sleep score, where to find yours, and how to improve your score based on advice from board-certified physician Dr. Kenneth Ro and renowned health and longevity expert Dan Miller.

Key take-aways: At a glance

• The 'master switch' for longevity: Sleep regularity is the ultimate predictor because it sets the schedule for your entire body. It's what controls the timing of the cellular repair that keeps your organs young.
• The one-hour sleep rule: Science now indicates that staying within a 30-minute window of your target bedtime and wake time every day is vital for longevity. Being consistent with this 'one-hour' window is the gold standard for a healthy circadian rhythm. So if your bedtime anchor is 10pm (the time you'd like to fall asleep), your one-hour window is split 30 minutes either side of that.
• The 4-year longevity boost: A huge new study by Vitality and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) found that consistent sleep timings paired with getting 7+ hours of sleep a night can help increase your life span by up to four years. This is known as the 7:1 Sleep Rule.
• The weekend lie-in trap: Scientists now believe that 'social jetlag'—shifting your sleep schedule on the weekends—accelerates biological aging and decline.
• The 'Regularity' metric: Most high quality sleep trackers, including the Apple Watch, Oura Ring, and Garmin Index Monitor, track 'sleep consistency' to help you monitor this vital longevity marker.
• Optimizing your bedroom for sleep: Experts recommend using temperature-controlled bedding and smart lighting to anchor your circadian rhythm and help you stick to a regular sleep schedule.

• Read more: Science says my poor sleep habits mean I'm at risk of developing cancer and I'm terrified — 5 experts share their top tips for getting more rest, starting tonight

What is sleep regularity?

Sleep consistency is all about going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time every day to regulate your circadian rhythm (and therefore your sleep/wake hormones).

Instead of simply focusing on how many hours you sleep, researchers now use the Sleep Regularity Index (SRI). According to the doctor-cited science health journal Nature, the SRI is used to "measure an individual’s sleep/wake consistency over time."

According to a paper by the researchers who created the SRI, 'the index is scaled so that an individual who sleeps and wakes at exactly the same times each day scores 100, whereas an individual who sleeps and wakes at random scores 0.'

"Higher sleep regularity scores are associated with better metabolic health, improved cardiovascular markers, and lower mortality risk," explains Dr. Ro.

When you have an irregular sleep schedule, you’re essentially putting your body in a state of stress, he says. This can fast-track you toward type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cognitive decline.

• Read more: Experts share 3 reasons why your Apple Watch sleep score is ‘Low’ even when you get 7 hours or more sleep a night

The social jetlag trap

Social jet lag (when your work or social habits get in the way of your sleep patterns) is the most common interference in sleep consistency.

People's sleep schedules tend to shift significantly between weekdays and weekends — I must admit, I'm guilty of this.

Dr. Ro says a common example is waking at 6am during the workweek and then sleeping until 9am or 10am on the weekend.

"Even though the person has not traveled, the body experiences a shift similar to crossing time zones. Repeating that cycle week after week can disrupt hormone rhythms, metabolism, and sleep quality,” he explains.

Why sleep regularity is the master switch for longevity

While CDC guidelines still recommend that adults get 7 or more hours' sleep a night, new research shows that sleep regularity is actually a stronger predictor of mortality risk compared to how much sleep you're getting, and combining that regularity with enough sleep can add up to four years to your life.

A 2024 Windred et al study of more than 60,000 participants found that sleepers with higher SRI scores had a 20% to 48% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those with low scores, and was a stronger predictor of all-cause mortality than sleep duration.

Additionally, the Vitality and LSE study of more than 47 million nights of sleep data, published in January 2026, concluded that getting seven hours of sleep per night, while maintaining a consistent bedtime within a one-hour window, can lead to 24% lower mortality risk when compared to people who don't do either.

In terms of lifespan, they translated that to up to potentially four more years of life.

Miller, who is on a journey to reach 130 years old, explains: "Consistent sleep allows your body to predict when to repair tissue and flush toxins.

"When our circadian pattern is disrupted too often, we pay the short-term price (inflammation, brain fog, lack of energy) and the price long-term (early death and a great chance of diseases).

“​​Quality is a byproduct of consistency," he adds. "If you want to live longer, stop chasing the amount of sleep and start mastering the timing of it."

So below, we'll cover habits that can improve your sleep regularity, and look into how the best sleep trackers can help you ace that consistent sleep schedule...

How to find your sleep consistency score

As I mentioned earlier, my sleep tracker, an Oura Ring, doesn't let me get off lightly when I have a late night. It sends me notifications reminding me I should be asleep and deducts points from my sleep score if I sleep at irregular times, even if I clock eight hours.

That's why a reliable sleep tracker is such a handy tool for maintaining that all-important, and potentially life-extending sleep schedule. All the best trackers measure sleep regularity and take consistency into account when calculating your nightly sleep score.

“Sleep tracking can be useful because it turns something invisible into measurable data," emphasises Dr. Ro. "Wearable trackers can highlight patterns such as bedtime variability and sleep timing drift. When people see those patterns clearly, it often motivates them to create more consistent sleep habits.”

Here's how to find your sleep consistency metric on popular health trackers:

Oura Ring

Oura measures sleep consistency by tracking the regularity of your bedtime and wake-up times. You'll find a dedicated sleep timing measurement in your sleep report.

After 90 days of constant wear, Oura learns your natural chronotype and will align your sleep timing with this data under the 'Body Clock' tab.

Apple Watch

Your bedtime is one of three key metrics that go into calculating your Apple sleep score. In the sleep section of the Apple Health app, you can view how close your bedtime was to your average.

Whoop

The fitness and performance focused Whoop band delivers a 'sleep consistency' percentage under the sleep tab. This percentage reflects how similar your bed and wake times are over a rolling four-day period.

Garmin

Although there isn't a dedicated sleep consistency measurement in the Garmin sleep report, you can view your detailed breakdown of sleep times and stages to manually cross-check your consistency.

How to improve your sleep consistency score

So, you know sleep regularity enhances your chances of living a longer, healthier life, and you know where to find the metric on your sleep tracker of choice. But what can you do, starting tonight, to improve your sleep consistency?

Strap in, I've got the tips and tactics from the experts...

The 7:1 Rule

Of course, it's nigh-on-impossible to fall asleep at the exact same minute every night, so experts recommend a one hour window around sleep and wake times.

Obtaining 7 hours of sleep per night within a 1-hour window is one of the key sleep behaviours recommended by Vitality researchers for extended life expectancy. Dr. Ro also highlights that avoiding large timing swings helps maintain circadian stability.

This one hour window takes the pressure off falling asleep as soon as you get into bed. Instead of panicking about getting to sleep right on time, prioritise maintaining a calming nighttime routine. Once this routine is established, your body should get used to winding down at roughly the same time each night.

Anchor your morning

Dr. Ro says locking in a stable wake time, and exposing yourself to sunlight soon after waking, is the best starting point for avoiding sleep deprivation and getting better sleep.

“Natural light exposure within the first thirty minutes after waking helps reinforce the body’s internal clock,” he explains. Essentially, the sunlight tells you brain it's time to be alert.

Light, along with waking at roughly the same time each day, signals the brain when to release cortisol in the morning and when melatonin should rise later that evening. "Once that rhythm stabilizes, the body naturally begins to develop sleep pressure at a predictable time at night," says the Texas-based physician.

That means you fall asleep fast and reap the health benefits of a consistent sleep schedule. It's a double win.

Don't over-correct

Now, I had a pressing question for the experts: There are people who cannot perfectly control their sleep schedule (new parents and shift workers, I'm thinking of you), so what is the most important anchor for them: bedtime or wake time?

"The biggest anchor is a consistent wake-up time," confirms Miller, and you should "protect this at all costs." Experts now agree it's better to wake up at your usual time, even if you have a late night, and take a 20-minute nap later than to "sleep in" and shift your rhythm.

The founder of Eternum Longevity Center advises: "Try to schedule 7 to 9 hours in bed if possible, but wake up at the same time every day, even weekends, regardless of bedtime."

Admittedly, skipping a couple of hours sleep one night isn't great, but throwing off your circadian rhythm for the following few nights can lead to accumulating a bigger sleep debt.

The best tech to help you maintain regular sleep times

As tech gurus here at Tom's Guide, we're always keen to wax lyrical about gadgets that improve our sleep routines.

Focussing on the fact light and temperature are two of the biggest factors that influence sleep, here are our tried-and-tested products — all of which can help you get to bed, or get up, on time...

A SMART BED: With features like temperature monitoring to enhance your sleep quality, smart beds like the Eight Sleep Pod, can help you drift off and wake up at consistent times. "I’m a massive advocate for bed coolers like the Eight Sleep Pod 5. Being able to thermally regulate your environment is a game-changer," says Miller.

SMART LIGHTING: If you're looking to upgrade your home for better sleep, Philips Hue lights are a great place to start. With built-in sunset features, these lights can be programmed via the accompanying app to dim in the evening. Being in a darker room can to help promote melatonin release and aid you in feeling sleepy on time.

A SUNRISE ALARM CLOCK: Come morning, the best sunrise alarm clocks, like the Hatch Restore 3 or Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300, can help you hone a consistent wake up time. Gradually getting brighter over a set period of time, they are particularly effective on dark mornings as they simulate a sunrise and help you wake more naturally compared to a blaring alarm.

SMART BLINDS: And when the mornings naturally get brighter, smart blinds are a great home improvement. Typically controlled via apps or home smart assistants, you can set them to let in light at the same time every morning.

When I started using my first Apple Watch to track my sleep, I thought I was doing everything I could to get the most accurate results possible; I always used the Apple Watch's vital settings for precise sleep data, for example. But I was completely oblivious to my bad Apple Watch habits that were secretly interfering with its accuracy.

As one of the best sleep trackers on the market, the Apple Watch offers key features that can boost your sleep. However, keeping your Apple Watch in top condition for optimal sleep tracking performance is all down to you.

I learned that the hard way, making little-known mistakes that I didn't realize were skewing my sleep tracker data — until I noticed some things that didn't add up. So, learn from my mistakes with this guide to avoiding bad lifestyle habits that get in the way of sleep tracking accuracy, plus how I'm keeping my Apple Watch in shape so it can live up to its potential.

• Read more: Experts explain why your Apple Watch tracks your wrist temperature during sleep — 5 key things it can tell you

5 Apple Watch habits to avoid for better sleep tracking accuracy

1. Not wearing your Apple Watch's band properly

Let's start with possibly the most common Apple Watch mistake: not checking the fit of the strap is right. Because while we all have comfort preferences, the wrong fit can impact your tracking data.

Your Apple Watch's strap should accommodate your wrist size, but an Apple Watch that fits too tight or too loose can impair the sensors' job.

According to Apple Support, you should wear the Apple Watch in a way that's "not too tight, not too loose, and with room for your skin to breathe."

Afraid that the watch would slip off in the night, I initially pulled my Apple Watch's strap so tight that it caused irritation. To fix this, I overcompensated by loosening the strap too much.

As a result of the loose fit, the Apple Watch's face (otherwise known as its monitor) started to slide down to my hand or to the bottom of my wrist — a huge problem as the sensors only work when it sits on the top of your wrist. Also, make sure your it's positioned above your wrist bone (towards your elbow rather than your hands).

Basically, the Apple Watch must maintain constant skin contact for accurate results, but not so tight that it causes discomfort or prevents your skin from breathing.

2. Charging my Apple Watch at the 11th hour

Now, it may seem obvious that your Apple Watch will need some juice to track sleep accurately (because it is obvious). But if you're anything like me, it's likely you have a habit of charging your devices at night while you sleep.

Nocturnal charging is all well and good for phones and laptops, but for accurate sleep tracking, it's not surprise you need your Apple Watch out of its charging nest and onto your wrist. The amount of times I've had to postpone my bedtime waiting for my Apple Watch to charge at the last minute is more than I care to admit.

To prevent the battery dying overnight, I've made charging the first step of my evening routine. Putting my Apple Watch on charge before I start my nighttime routine gives it enough time to gather the energy needed to track seven to nine hours of sleep.

Alternatively, set charging reminders on your phone to give you a nudge.

3. Forgetting to update

I allow my iPhone to automatically update while I sleep, as it's typically locked, connected to the WiFi and charging at this time. The Apple Watch needs the same settings to update — and I quickly discovered that it's not possible to automatically update overnight when it's strapped to your wrist.

I'm awful at remembering to update manually, and this can cause major issues. Software updates are important for accuracy: they improve the interpretation of sensor data, fix any bugs, and introduce new health metrics.

I now check my Apple Watch app's settings to see if there are any updates available and pay attention to my Apple Watch's reminders to install.

4. Forgetting to clean it after exercising

As it's more than just a sleep tracker, I often wear my Apple watch during the day; I love having it track my steps whenever I go for a walk.

However, daytime use can allow dirt, sweat, sun block, and natural body oils to accumulate on the back crystal, which Apple Support warns can impact sensor functionality.

When by chance I glanced at the back of my watch, I was surprised by how grubby it had become through everyday use.

To combat grime buildup, I follow Apple's cleaning advice: "Wipe your Apple Watch clean with a non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. If necessary, lightly dampen the cloth with fresh water."

5. Putting it on straight after showering or applying lotion

I'm a night shower-er — night showering is actually better for your sleep — and I often reach for my Apple Watch not long after stepping out of the shower.

But a build up of moisture and lotion can impact sensor readings, so putting my Apple Watch on a damp wrist covered in freshly-applied body lotion and lavender essential oil roll-on isn't a great idea.

I'm now in the habit of letting my skin absorb lotion for at least five to 10 minutes before donning my Apple Watch, to make sure my wrist is thoroughly dried. And I save my roll-on for my watch-free wrist.

3 good habits for Apple Watch sleep tracking accuracy

1. Cleaning weekly

You can make sure your sensors are clean enough to do their job properly by treating your Apple Watch to a once-a-week clean.

A quick wipe down with a lint-free cloth dipped in water is sufficient for day-to-day wear, but our guide on how to give your sleep tracker a 15-minute deep clean will have even the dirtiest Apple Watch performing better in no time.

2. Always keep it above a 30% battery

I mentioned before that forgetting to charge your Apple Watch is a major bad habit. However you may be wondering how much battery the Apple Watch needs to bring its sleep tracking a-game.

According to Apple Support, the bare minimum is 30%: "Make sure you charge your Apple Watch to at least 30% before bed with Sleep Tracking on Apple Watch enabled".

3. Try to wear it every night

And the most important Apple Watch habit of all? Consistency.

Wearing your Apple Watch every night (with a few skips when it's really not possible) helps your watch to establish a baseline for your normal metrics, allowing the watch to highlight any anomalies and to get to know your sleep patterns better.

The Apple Watch 10 and Whoop 5.0/MG both appear in our guide to the best sleep trackers of 2026 and you're probably wondering which is right for you. Apple's flagship watch, first released in 2015, is now in its 11th generation and is arguably the most popular smartwatch of all time.

By comparison, the Whoop fitness and recovery tracker, also launched in 2015, was initially marketed as a recovery tool for elite athletes. The brand has since moved to a subscription model and the device gained more mainstream popularity, particularly with those looking to get more in-depth insights into their sleep.

So, how do they compare? As a sleep tech reviewer (and amateur triathlete), I've put both the Apple Watch 10 and the Whoop MG through their paces under our thorough sleep tracker testing methodology. Here I'll unpick how they compare in terms of cost, design and sleep tracking functionality to help you decide which one to snap up.

• Read more: This is the longevity focused metric in your sleep score that can indicate how well you’re ageing — experts explain why and how to improve yours

Apple vs Whoop: Price & value for money

Whoop runs a unique pricing system. While you don't actually pay an upfront cost for the hardware, you pay an annual membership fee (essentially a subscription) that grants access to health and sleep tracking software.

There are three price tiers. The more you pay, the more luxurious your band and the more features you can access. The most affordable option, 'Whoop One' starts at $199/£169 per year.

The mid-level 'Whoop Peak' costs $239/£229 per year and the top-tier plan, 'Whoop Life', sets you back $359/£349 annually. The first two tiers come with a Whoop 5.0 and the most expensive tier gets you the Whoop MG.

In terms of sleep tracking functionality, there isn't too much difference between the different price tiers, though you do get Whoop's Healthspan, Health Monitor and Stress Monitor features with the Peak plan and up. The Life plan also grants blood pressure insights and on-demand medical-grade ECG sensing.

On the other hand, the Apple Watch comes with a one-off payment rather than a rolling annual fee. Brand new, the 46mm Apple Watch Series 10 is available at $365.68, down from $429, at Amazon US at the time of writing. Or the smaller, 42mm model is at an MSRP of $399.

At Amazon UK, however, there are only used models available, starting from around £230.

As the Series 10 has now been replaced by the Apple Watch Series 11, you can get refurbished and open box models at a cheaper cut from third-party retailers like Best Buy and Walmart, as well as Apple itself.

An open box Apple Watch Series 10 42mm in rose gold with plum sport loop for $194 (was $206) at Walmart is currently the best price we've seen — that includes free shipping and free 30-day returns.

WINNER: APPLE WATCH 10
With a one-off purchase fee and the most up-to-date iOS software, you get great value for money shopping the Apple Watch 10. Just two years Whoop subscription would be more expensive than the Apple Watch.

Apple vs Whoop: Design & Battery

Both wrist-worn, the biggest difference between these two trackers is that the Apple Watch has a screen, the Whoop doesn't (which is a bonus as sleep experts typically warn against brightly lit screens in bed.)

At 7% smaller and thinner than its predecessor, Whoop 4.0, the Whoop 5.0/MG brings comfort improvements.

The pricing tier you pick at Whoop will determine what band and tracking device you get. Whoop One comes with the 5.0 monitor, basic wired charger and CoreKnit band.

Whoop Peak includes the 5.0, SuperKnit band, and a wireless charger. Whoop Life upgrades to the Whoop MG monitor and SuperKnit Luxe band.

I've been wearing the CoreKnit band with my Whoop MG. While soft, I find the thickness of it can feel quite agitating when worn overnight; though I am easily flustered by wearing any jewellery in bed.

The Apple Watch 10 is one of the lightest and slimmest Apple Watches you can buy, weighing around 1-1.5oz/30-42g depending on the version you choose. There are two case sizes (42mm and 46mm) it comes in aluminium or polished titanium cases (and various color and finish options for each).

As the best iOS smartwatch, wearing the Apple Watch is like having your iPhone's younger sibling attached to your wrist. Features include receiving notifications, transferring data from your phone, you can text and call from it, and pay for your groceries via Apple Pay.

Although you can turn on a Sleep Focus mode that dims the screen and silences notifications overnight so you can sleep distraction-free, having that touch screen device on in bed feels a little more obtrusive than the discreet Whoop band.

But if wearing a wristband that's been harbouring your sweat all day to bed irks you (and rightly so in my opinion), then the contactless Withings Sleep Analyzer, which you place under your mattress, could be a better tracker for you.

Battery life is also a key area we assess when reviewing sleep trackers. Since it works a nightshift as well as having daytime tracking responsibilities, it's important your wearable holds charge well and recharges quickly. Frankly, there's a clear winner here: Whoop.

Poor battery life is a commonly cited pitfall of the Apple Watch, especially when compared to other popular wearable brands like Garmin and, indeed, Whoop.

With an epic 14-day battery life on a single charge, the Whoop 5.0/MG simply can't be compared with the Apple Watch's comparably measly 18 hour battery life (though it can last up to 36 hours on low power mode). I've done the math and that means the Whoop outlives the Apple Watch (on full power) more than 18 times over.

Whoop really steps up with its wireless charger — you just slide it onto your Whoop wearable, meaning you can still charge up and track your sleep even if you spot the battery is low before hitting the hay (though, of course, it makes the band more bulky to sleep in with the charging power pack attached).

It is worth noting that the wireless charger only comes with the Peak and Life memberships, though that does mean you'll get it with the MG.

WINNER: WHOOP MG
Screenless and super powerful, the Whoop is better designed for sleep tracking.

Apple vs Whoop: Sleep tracking

Whoop's sleep tracking is more 'nerdy' than Apple's. Geared toward pro athletes, of course, it's going to delve deeper into health data. I tested the Whoop MG, but the sleep tracking features are available on all tiers.

You receive a Sleep Performance score for each night, which is comprised of various elements of sleep that the device tracks, including time spent in each sleep stage, disturbances during the night, sleep efficiency (the percentage of the time spent in bed that you're sleeping), sleep consistency and sleep stress.

Plus, your score factors in 'sleep sufficiency,' which they describe as how much sleep you managed vs the your recommended 'sleep need'. This is based on sleep debt, baseline sleep, naps and the 'strain' (cardiovascular and muscular exertion) your body has been under that day.

An AI sleep coach is also available to help you understand your score and provide sleep tips, and Whoop will also recommend a bedtime based on accumulated sleep debt and how much rest you need to catch up.

During marathon training blocks when I've really been locking in on my physical performance and recovery, I've found Whoop's advanced sleep tracking, and the more health-focused features, really helpful.

The unique 'strain' score and heart rate variability (HRV) readings help me understand when I need to take a little more rest (low HRV usually means your body is under a lot of stress), and I can see how well my body is responding to training via VO2 max figures (higher numbers typically indicate good fitness levels).

However, during down-time between endurance events, I find Whoop's level of health monitoring a little overwhelming. In my opinion, it's not necessary to go into that much depth on your health status for the average person looking to make healthier choices and sleep better.

In this case, Apple's sleep tracking functionality is just right.

The Apple Watch 10 tells you how long you've slept for, including how long you spent in each essential sleep stage, how well you're sticking to a consistent bedtime, how many times your sleep is interrupted through the night, and you're awarded an overall sleep score (though this score is a newer feature and requires you to have watchOS 26).

Are you missing anything by opting for the older model at Apple? Honestly, not really.

You may enjoy six more hours battery life with the Series 11, as well as 5G connectivity, and tougher screen protection. But in terms of sleep tracking, the updates we saw with the Series 11 were mostly software based.

That means, providing your series 10 Apple Watch runs on on watchOS 26, you'll be awarded a nightly sleep score and access all sleep metrics available at Apple.

Apple's sleep tracking functionality is still technical, especially considering the watch has an FDA-approved sleep apnea detection feature. This means Apple's sensors track your breathing and alert you (if you turn on sleep apnea notifications) if it suspects breathing patterns linked to the disorder .

While it's useful information, Apple point out that this feature is not intended to diagnose sleep apnea. Instead, it's data you can share with your doctor who can determine if you may be experiencing the sleep disorder.

You can, in theory, identify symptoms of sleep apnea with Whoop by paying careful attention to your respiratory rate, blood oxygen levels, and nighttime disturbances. But there's no specialised sleep apnea detection feature with FDA backing as there is with Apple.

WINNER: APPLE WATCH 10
Apple takes the edge for me, offering enough detailed insights for most sleepers without getting too complex.

Apple vs Whoop: The apps

Without an actual screen on the wristband, you operate the Whoop through its app. This has an upside and downside: while keeping screens out of bed is a positive, you may be more likely to reach for your phone first thing in the morning (not a great way to start the day, according to health experts) to view sleep metrics rather than glancing at them on a watch.

Loaded with percentages and graphs, the Whoop interface can be a little intense upon first look. But once you have a browse around and read up on what each sleep metric means and how the scores are calculated, it becomes more easy to navigate.

There are plenty of useful features in the app, too, including a sleep diary where you can log any lifestyle habits that may be disrupting your sleep, like caffeine and alcohol consumption, and the aforementioned AI-generated sleep coach.

By comparison, you can find brief sleep data on your actual Apple Watch, with more detailed metrics and charts living in the Apple Health app on your iPhone, including more information about any sleep apnea notifications you have received.

In the app's sleep tab, you'll find your sleep score and nightly sleep stage graph. You can also delve deeper into your overnight 'Vitals' section (like your sleep data, you can see the basic breakdown of 'Vitals' on your Apple Watch).

This tool tracks various metrics overnight, like heart rate, respiratory rate, and wrist temperature, explicitly highlighting whether each reading falls within your typical range. While this information isn't factored into your sleep score, it is useful to be aware of.

You can also set a sleep goal for the amount of sleep you want to aim for each night, and manually set up a sleep schedule (which can be adjusted for different days of the week — who doesn't enjoy a Sunday lie in when they can?!). When you're setting your bedtime and wake times, you'll be able to see if it meets your sleep goal and set wake up alarms. Plus, there's the sleep focus mode we mentioned above.

It's worth noting you can also set your sleep goal, schedule and sleep focus timings directly on your Apple Watch, but you may find it easier to do on a larger screen.

Overall, while Apple Health presents you with plenty of useful data teaching you about your sleep patterns and habits, Whoop helps you understand exactly what you must do to improve your sleep health — like hit a target bedtime to minimise sleep debt.

There is sleep advice in the Apple Health app, but it's not tailored to your individual sleep metrics.

Winner: IT'S A DRAW
Apple's app is easier to digest but Whoop provides more personal, useful sleep coaching.

Apple vs Whoop: Final verdict

It's hard to say which is the better sleep tracker overall. Ultimately, it depends what you want from your tracker and what your lifestyle looks like.

If you're an athlete or fitness fanatic on a strict program working towards a certain goal, there's a lot of value to the Whoop 5.0/MG as it gives you detailed breakdown of how your sleep and recovery is, or isn't, supporting your physical performance.

But, if you want a well-rounded fitness and sleep tracker, which can log your gym classes and give you data on your night's sleep, as well as functioning as a smartphone on your wrist, the Apple Watch is a great choice.

Unless you're an athlete of any kind, pick the Apple.

You'd be hard pressed to find a more functional, trendy smartwatch. And after the initial purchase fee, you won't have to worry about upkeeping a subscription.

I've been tracking my sleep for over a year, and the Oura Ring 4 and the Apple Watch are two wearables I recommend to family and friends who want to sleep better.

But which of these top-rated sleep trackers is more accurate? And when comparing the Oura Ring versus the Apple Watch, which will provide you with the most useful metrics that make an actual difference to your sleep quality and consistency?

Here I'm delving into their key differences to help you decide which, if either, is right for you. I've also compared the Apple Watch vs the Whoop if you're interested in another major sleep tracker. And if you want to upgrading other aspects of your sleep, take a look at our guide to this year's best mattresses.

• Read more: I swapped caffeine for the AYO+ Light Therapy Glasses to fix my morning fatigue — here’s what a daily shot of blue light did for my sleep and energy

Oura vs Apple: Price & availability

As two of the most popular, comprehensive commercial health monitors, neither the Oura Ring nor the Apple Watch are budget buys. But for the price, you get top-notch sleep, activity, and biometric tracking.

The Oura Ring 4 ranges from $349/£349 to $499/£499 MSRP depending on finish and color. We usually see it down to $249/£249 around major sales periods, so keep an eye out for this discount.

Just remember that you have to pay a monthly subscription fee of $5.99/£5.99 to access all features and software the ring offers.

Meanwhile, you're subscription-free with the Apple Watch. The Series 10 we're discussing here is currently on sale at Amazon, where you can get the 46mm size for $354.30 down from $429, or the smaller 42mm model at MSRP for $399.

These are the prices for the aluminum models. Upgrading to the polished titanium collection will drive the starting price up.

Now discontinued as it's been replaced by the Apple Watch Series 11 which launched in September 2025, shopping the Apple Watch 10 (still a highly functional smartwatch) is a wise financial decision, in my opinion.

Refurbished and open-box models are available at a lower price from Apple, as well as third-party retailers like Best Buy and Walmart. It's worth shopping around for the best price. The cheapest I've spotted is $215 for a 46mm Jet Black Aluminum Apple Watch 10 at Walmart.

If you have a tighter budget and want a sleep-only tracker, check out our comparison of the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor vs Withings Sleep Analyzer (both at $169).

Oura vs Apple: Design & battery

The Oura Ring 4 is designed with an all-titanium tarnish-resistant frame with 18 sensing paths that intersect across your finger. It comes in 12 different sizes and six color options including gold, silver, and rose gold, plus a new ceramic collection.

Sat on your index finger, there's one thing I've noticed about the Oura Ring: it's a conversation starter (and I gladly wax lyrical about it whenever someone gives me the time of day). But it's also supremely comfortable to wear overnight — that's coming from someone who is easily irritated by wearing jewelry to bed.

A touch-screen wrist-band, the Apple Watch is a little more intrusive to wear overnight. Although most compatible straps are lightweight and comfortable, having the screen light up around bedtime or during the night can be disturbing (remember experts recommend you keep screens away from bed as much as possible for peaceful sleep).

That said, the Apple Watch Series 10 is the lightest and thinnest Apple Watch you can buy at roughly 1oz/30g and 0.4"/9.7mm (it does in fact it have the same dimensions and screen display as the newer Series 11).

There are two case sizes (1.6"/42mm and 1.8"/46mm) and two different finishes (aluminum and polished titanium), with six case colors altogether.

And if you want to do away with wearables in bed for good but still get sleep insights, check out my review of the Withings under-mattress sleep tracking mat.

With a job to do day and night, strong battery life is essential for wearable sleep trackers. In terms of power, the Oura Ring knocks the Apple Watch out of the park. The watch's 18 hours simply can't compare with the ring's 144 hours (that's six nights of complete sleep tracking on a single charge).

Winner: More discreet and packing tons more power, the Oura Ring is a clear winner in terms of design.

Oura vs Apple: Sleep tracking

During testing, I was impressed by the accuracy and depth of both sleep trackers. Sleep timings and scores from both devices largely aligned with my perceived sleep quality and non-digital sleep diary.

Both trackers keep tabs on things like sleep stages, sleep consistency, overnight heart rate, respiratory rate, and body temperature (which actually has a big sway on how well you sleep). But thanks to more thorough insights and personalized software, the Oura Ring is my sleep tracker of choice.

While I'm aware you can get third-party sleep tracking apps for the Apple Watch, left unassisted, its built-in sleep tracking functionality isn't quite as advanced as the Oura Ring's.

Sure, it can tell you about your sleep timings, sleep stages and interruptions; plus, providing your Watch 10 runs on watchOS 26, it awards you an overall sleep score. But more advanced sleep metrics like HRV (the variation in the time between your heartbeats through the night) and sleep latency (the time it takes you to fall asleep after lying down to rest) are absent.

Where the Apple Watch does impress, however, is in its sleep apnea detection tool. One of the few wearables to get FDA-clearance, the Apple Watch Series 10 can analyze your breathing patterns and alert you if it detects more breathing disturbances than the average, indicating you have the sleep disorder.

That's not to say you can rely on the watch to diagnose sleep apnea. Instead, you can take your sleep data to a medical professional for an official diagnosis and treatment plan.

Moreover, Oura tracks more of your individual biometrics including oxygen saturation and HRV. The latter metric is particularly useful as it reflects how your daytime habits – like drinking alcohol – and stress levels impact the quality of your sleep.

I find that getting a visual indication of the impact these things have on my recovery in my Oura sleep charts helps me make wiser choices. Knowing my Oura Ring will highlight where I've let things slide, I'm more inclined to prioritize a stress-reducing bedtime routine and cut out that glass of wine when it's not necessary.

Understanding the importance of sleeping and waking at the same time every day for positive health outcomes (a large-scale study published this year proved a consistent sleep schedule can add four years to your life expectancy), Oura also pays attention to how well you stick to specific bed and wake times.

After three months of consistent wear, the Oura algorithm will calculate your biological chronotype (identifying whether you're a morning lark or night owl) and chart how well your actual sleep timings align with your body's natural preferences.

Thanks to this Body Clock feature, you can work with your natural energy peaks and troughs rather than against them.

While Apple also keeps an eye on how well you stick to a consistent bedtime, it doesn't provide insight on your chronotype.

Winner: Oura offers more in-depth, personal sleep tracking, providing more and clearer action points for improving your sleep.

• Read more: No, you don't need 8 hours sleep a night — new study shows this is all the sleep you need for healthy aging

Oura vs Apple: The apps

Both trackers connect seamlessly with their compatible apps, where you can find visual, interactive graphs presenting your nightly sleep data.

As a faceless wearable it's pretty crucial that the compatible Oura app is functional, as this is where you access all data. Luckily, the interface doesn't disappoint.

Opening the Oura app, you can quickly glance at the previous night's sleep data via figures and graphs, gleaning plenty of insight into how well you slept and how prepared you should theoretically feel for the day ahead.

In comparison, you can find basic sleep data on your actual Apple Watch, with more details metrics and charts living in the Apple Health app on your iPhone.

The Apple Health sleep tab has a section for your nightly sleep score, sleep stage graph, and your overnight 'Vitals' where a collection of measurements, such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and wrist temperature, are presented with an indication of whether each metric is in your typical range, or if it is low or high.

An atypical reading can signal something is wrong: you could be coming down with a fever, have drunk too much caffeine, or are holding on to too much stress.

While Apple Health presents you with all this useful data, Oura tells you what to do with it through an AI-driven advisor geared towards improving your rest. The chatbot analyses your sleep report each night and provides personalized sleep tips you can put into action the following night.

On the other hand, sleep advice in the Apple Health app, while thorough, is less personal. There's plenty of content to get your teeth stuck into, informing you how to optimize your daytime and nighttime habits for better sleep, explaining what certain sleep metrics mean, and what to do if you have a sleep apnea notification.

But, unlike the Oura Advisor, Apple takes a one-size-fits-all approach. There's no chatbot analyzing your individual sleep metrics to provide real-time, actionable tips on improving your sleep.

As well as sleep data, the Oura app features a library of 26 sleep sounds that you can play to help you wind down at bedtime and drift off peacefully.

Winner: Oura — the Oura app prioritizes sleep content, while the Apple Health app offers general sleep advice.

Oura vs Apple: Final verdict

Overall, the Apple Watch is a more well-rounded fitness tracker for logging workouts and keeping track of your daytime activities. It's also perfect if you want a smartphone on your wrist to take calls from and view notifications.

But if sleeping better is your priority, the Oura Ring is the winner.

Unless you're particularly concerned about sleep apnea (in which case Apple's FDA-approved detection tool would be handy) and just want a sleep tracker to help you stick to a consistent sleep schedule and learn more about your sleep habits and biometrics, you'd get more value with the Oura Ring's core sleep tracking functionality.

It reliably collects sleep data, presents metrics in a user-friendly app alongside pointers on how to improve your snooze scores, and provides extra sleep features like a calming audio library. It does all this while looking chic and sitting comfortably on your finger.

Wearing a watch to bed? Not for me!

The Saatva Solaire and Eight Sleep Pod allow you to customize your bed to suit your sleep needs — but they tackle very different problems via very different builds. If you're looking to give your bedroom a tech-makeover, there's a lot to learn about the Saatva Solaire Adjustable Firmness Mattress vs the Eight Sleep Pod 5.

The Pod 5 is the latest temperature-controlling, sleep-tracking smart mattress cover from Eight Sleep, using water tubes to heat or cool the bed on demand. The Saatva Solaire, on the other hand, uses dual air chambers to adjust the feel of the mattress. And it does so via a luxury build similar to this year's best mattresses.

So, one prioritizes temperature, the other firmness. But that's just the start and below we'll dig into how these smart beds vary in terms of price, comfort, support, and temperature control, to help you decide whether the Saatva Solaire or Eight Sleep Pod is the smartest investment for you and your sleep...

Saatva Solaire vs Eight Sleep Pod: Price & Trial

• You'll pay around $4,000-$4,500 for a Solaire in the Saatva sales
• A queen Eight Sleep Pod 5 is cheaper at $2,999 MSRP but you must buy a mattress separately
• Saatva has better benefits: a 365-night trial and lifetime warranty

The Tom's Guide team of sleep and mattress gurus rate the Saatva Solaire and Eight Sleep Pod as two of the best smart beds you can buy. With this prestige, and loaded with world-first tech, you must expect to splurge if you're eyeing up either of these smart bed systems.

When you shop at the right time, you can score a great price on the Solaire smart bed in Saatva mattress sales — a queen has an MSRP of $4,599 but look out for $400 off and 15% off sales to bring that down.

Frankly, Eight Sleep mattress sales are rarely as generous. But you can frequently save $100 on the Pod 5, cutting a queen to $2,899 from $2,999. Signing up to the mailing list can sometimes score you an extra discount.

But although the standalone price of the Solaire is more expensive than the Pod, remember you must budget for the extras at Eight Sleep, too.

Because the Eight Sleep Pod is just a mattress cover — you need to buy a mattress as well. For the best cooling comfort, we recommend pairing it with a top-rated hybrid mattress. Depending on how luxe you're going, this might set you back between $649 (the price of a queen DreamCloud Classic) and $1,879 (the usual sale price of a queen Saatva Classic).

Plus, to access all smart features like automatic temperature adjustments and sleep tracking, you must pay a subscription fee for Eight Sleep's Autopilot software. This has a three tier pricing system starting at $17 per month, going up to $25 and $33 per month.

When it comes to perks, Saatva is more generous. You can't get much better than a lifetime warranty, one-year sleep trial, and free White Glove delivery. As standard, the Pod comes with a 30-night trial and a two-year warranty, although that bumps up to five years if you fork out for the Enhanced Autopilot plan.

Saatva Solaire vs Eight Sleep Pod: Materials & Design

• Solaire is a luxury mattress, Eight Sleep Pod is a mattress cover
• The Eight Sleep Pod features a hydro climate control system controlled by a bedside hub
• The Solaire pairs a layer of air chambers with latex, foam, and cotton

When it comes to design, the Saatva Solaire and Eight Sleep Pod 5 have some major differences. For a start, the Solaire is a complete mattress. The Pod, on the other hand, is a smart cover that fits over an existing mattress like a fitted sheet.

The Saatva Solaire has six internal layers. The tech, including the air inflator and hoses, sits at the base, followed by the air chambers and a moisture barrier. Next is a later of gel memory foam followed by natural latex foam, finished with a Euro pillow top. Like the best Saatva mattresses, it's all wrapped in an organic cotton cover.

The Eight Sleep Pod 5 pairs a mattress cover with a bedside control hub (at 16 inches long and 17 inches tall, it's bulky but still slips by your nightstand.) Water pipes run through the mattress cover, cooling and heating as required, while integrated sensors track your sleep metrics. There's also a touch panel to operate the thermal alarm, for a gentler wake up..

The Pod 5 is compatible with Eight Sleep's catalogue of smart accessories including a hydro-powered thermal blanket ($999), cooling pillow cover ($999), and adjustable bed base ($1,899 for a queen). The base offers zero-gravity positioning and upper-body elevation for snoring reduction.

Saatva Solaire vs Eight Sleep Pod: Support & Comfort

• With 50 firmness levels, the Solaire accommodates a variety of sleep needs
• The Eight Sleep Pod offers thermal comfort, between 55°F-110°F
• Both offer dual control, to adjust comfort independent of co-sleepers

The Saatva Solaire and Eight Sleep Pod offer comfort and support in different ways. The Solaire excels in customizable firmness (providing 50 comfort levels for you to pick from), while Eight Sleep wins for advanced, automated temperature control (take note, hot sleepers).

The inflatable air chambers in the Solaire allow you to adjust the mattress firmness to suit your needs. This is particularly useful for those with reoccurring pain, who might have different comfort preferences nightly. The lead in our Saatva Solaire mattress review says that; "Living with chronic back pain, I appreciated being able to tweak firmness on a day-to-day basis."

You can also store your ideal firmness level in a 'memory' setting to return to night after night. And with layers of latex and foam completing the build, the Solaire still boasts the hotel-quality feel of Saatva's other models.

The dual air chambers in the Solaire also helps couples avoid compromise (you don't have to suffer through a too-firm mattress so they feel comfortable.) But our Saatva Solaire reviewer noted a "hill and valley" effect when one side is set significantly softer than the other. This might cause some unwanted rolling or sinking.

Honestly, it's difficult to compare the Eight Sleep Pod in this aspect, considering it's a mattress cover. While temperature is an important factor in sleep comfort, when it comes to support, the Eight Sleep mattress cover has little impact — that's down to the mattress beneath it.

But what we can say is that, thanks to the cover's dynamic contouring surface, it adds cushioning to any mattress. While we haven't tested the 5, in our Eight Sleep Pod 4 review the tester noted it gave a pretty worn out IKEA mattress a welcome plusher feel.

Saatva Solaire vs Eight Sleep Pod: Temperature control

• Our hot-sleeping reviewers slept comfortably cool on both beds
• The Solaire has ample airflow for good cooling, but lacks active temperature controls
• Manual and automatic temperature regulation is the Eight Sleep Pod's main selling point

The Saatva Solaire may not feature any active cooling technology, but it is built with air chambers, a breathable cotton cover, and gel foams to support airflow and disperse heat. Our reviewer tends to sleep hot but neither her nor her husband overheated on the Solaire. It maintained a neutral temperature, making it ideal for average sleepers.

However, if you or your partner overheat at night — be that due to menopause, medication, or natural body composition —the Eight Sleep Pod is what you should be buying.

Temperature control is the primary function of the Eight Sleep and the dual control hydro climate system allows you adjust the temperature on each side of the bed between 55 and 110°F (13 and 43°C.)

Working with natural circadian cues, the pod cools down at your pre-set bedtime (signaling that it's time to sleep) and heats up at your alarm time to gently stir you awake and fight off morning grogginess.

And it takes control while you sleep. During the night the thermal sensors lining the mattress cover keep track of your body temperature. This data is fed into an algorithm which makes adjustments accordingly to keep you at an ideal sleep temperature (between 65 to 70 F / 18 to 21 °C.)

This feature seriously impressed our reviewer who slept on the Pod through British heatwaves last summer. That's what makes it one of the best cooling mattresses on the market.

Saatva Solaire vs Eight Sleep Pod: Which should you buy?

Buy the Saatva Solaire if...

✅ Aches and pains are keeping you awake: With 50 different firmness levels you can find your ideal balance between contouring and support so your joints are cushioned and body is aligned through the night.

✅ You and your partner can't agree on firmness: If you and your partner have significantly different body weights, or even just different sleep positions, you'll likely disagree on mattress firmness. With dual control, the Solaire settles the debate.

✅ You don't want too much tech in the bedroom: Controlled via a humble remote control rather than a smart phone app, the Solaire is better for less tech-savvy sleepers.

Buy the Eight Sleep Pod 5 if...

✅ You struggle with night sweats: Climate control is the standout feature of the Eight Sleep Pod. You can manually cool down the surface of your bed and it'll make adjustments through the night to keep you comfortably sweat-free.

✅ You've got a little more to spend: Although the Solaire has a higher price tag, the extras that come with the Eight Sleep Pod (remember it's just a mattress cover and requires a subscription fee) bulk up the overall investment.

✅ You want to learn more about your sleep habits: The Eight Sleep Pod comes complete with sleep tracking sensors and algorithms that provide nightly sleep reports and scores. It's a fitness fanatic's dream.

I developed a bad habit of doomscrolling in bed once the lights were out, and it's been ruining my sleep and energy levels the next day. And I'm not alone in this: over one-third of US adults doomscroll in bed, according to a recent survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

Hunting for a solution to kick my bedtime doomscrolling habit, I downloaded the Google Clock app to my Pixel phone. I wasn't expecting much at first, but since using five overlooked sleep features in the app, I've finally kicked my in-bed phone use habit. The pay-off? I'm now falling asleep faster and sleeping through the night.

Here are the Google Clock features that fixed my messy nighttime routine to sleep better than I have in months...

Key takeaways: At a glance

• The Google Clock app acts as a hub for key features that help me fall asleep faster and sleep through the night: Bedtime Mode, Sleep Sounds, Sunrise Alarm, Google Assistant Routine, and Bedtime Activity Audit.
• You can find these features by downloading the Google Clock app from the Google Play Store (your device needs to be running Android 4.4 or higher).
• Bedtime mode, in particular, can help you unwind faster at night. The more relaxed you are falling asleep, the more you'll boost your chances of sleeping through the night (because you won't have any cortisol-fuelled 3 a.m. wake-ups) and feel full of energy in the morning.
• While the Google Clock Sunrise Alarm brightens your phone's screen over a period of 15 minutes until your alarm goes off, it isn't as effective as a 10,000 lux sunrise alarm clock for waking you up gently in the morning.

5 Google Clock features that help me quit doomscrolling to fall asleep faster and sleep through the night

For the longest time, I ignored these bedtime Google Clock features and used the app to just set an alarm and sync it with Spotify so I could wake up to my favorite songs.

However, the following features have reduced the time it takes me to fall asleep (sleep latency), and they're helping me to get a good night's sleep by putting an end to my bedtime doomscrolling:

1. Bedtime Mode

• This feature silences notifications and turns your screen grayscale. While it technically uses Android’s Digital Wellbeing engine, you set it up and toggle it within the Google Clock app.

A 2025 medical report published in Frontiers of Psychology revealed that insomnia levels increase by 59% per hour of using screens in bed.

My mental note on stopping doomscrolling at a particular time worked for a few days, until it didn't. What actually made it an achievable goal was switching on the bedtime mode on the Clock app.

By setting the time you go to bed and wake up in the Clock app, you automatically pause all app notifications, calls and messages for the duration.

The best part? You can still allow selected contacts to interrupt your bedtime in case you're expecting emergency calls or messages.

2. Sleep Sounds

• You can choose to play sounds directly from the Bedtime tab. It integrates with Spotify, YouTube Music, or the Calm app, but the play/stop controls and sleep timer live inside the Google Clock app interface itself.

Falling asleep to soothing sleep sounds is more than a viral trend now. Generally, white, pink, green and brown are the popular sleep sound categories.

These basically include sounds at different frequencies which help set up a relaxing and calm environment, perfect to wind down and fall asleep faster.

If you're someone who finds relaxing sleep sounds to help you fall asleep faster, on the Clock app, you can choose from existing options like waves, deep spaces or contemplation, record your new sleep sound or sync it with your YouTube Music Premium or Spotify playlists.

3. Sunrise Alarm

• This feature is native to the Google Clock app. Over a period of 15 minutes, before your morning alarm sounds, it brightens the screen on your phone from black to yellow-orange.

This is perhaps the biggest feature for Google to introduce, considering how sunrise alarm clocks can help convert the dread of waking up into a much more relaxed process.

All you have to do is switch on the sunrise alarm feature while setting up your bedtime routine. This brightens up the screen gradually, 15 minutes before your alarm goes off, simulating a sunrise.

Pairing this up with my favorite morning song makes waking up less of a chore and more of something I actually look forward to.

However, don't expect the Google Clock Sunrise Alarm feature to compare with an actual sunrise alarm clock that emits 10,000 lux of light to wake you up.

4. Google Assistant Routine

• You'll find this within the Google Clock app’s alarm settings. When you tap it, it lets you 'attach' an action to your morning alarm (like having Google Assistant read out your calendar for the day ahead). Once you've set it up in the Google Assistant menu, you can manage it via the Clock app.

Is productivity something that keeps you up at night? For me, thinking about the next day, the list of tasks I need to finish or even the weather, often delays my bedtime.

Google Assistant comes to the rescue by helping you build a morning routine which works with you to have a great start to the day, sans worrying or rushing.

To activate it, click on the 'routines' feature when you set up your bedtime mode. This will give you several options like enabling the voice assistant to tell you about the weather, your daily calendar, tasks or straight open up media and play the news or music, once your alarm goes off.

5. Bedtime Activity Audit

• This is the graph in the Bedtime tab that shows you how much time you spent on your phone after you were supposed to be sleeping. It takes data from Digital Wellbeing, but you can view the graph and a Recent Bedtime Activity card inside the Google Clock app.

Tracking your sleep can be a good way of understanding your habits and tweaking them along the way to ensure you're getting enough hours of rest your body and mind deserve.

While it does not give data on the specific metrics like the best sleep trackers do, the Clock and Digital Wellbeing app together tell you which apps you use during your scheduled bedtime and provide a bar chart view of your estimated time spent in bed.

If you did not use your phone during bedtime mode, it will say "Didn't use phone."

You can also go the extra mile and activate the cough and snore feature. This will allow the Digital Wellbeing app to use your device's microphone to detect coughing and snoring during your scheduled bedtime.

To do this, click on the three dots next to 'recent bedtime activity', choose the manage data option and select cough and snore info.

How does Google Clock compare to a sunrise alarm clock?

The Google Clock sleep features have successfully helped me fix my bedtime routine, wind down faster and get enough hours of rest to tackle my tasks the next day.

However, there are certain limitations I've noticed.

While the Google Clock app sleep features have significantly reduced my doomscrolling and helped me reduce my phone use at night, I've still been reaching out for my phone as soon as my eyes open in the morning.

Experts say that the sudden overload of notifications can lead to mental exhaustion, brain rot and low energy levels even before you start the day.

On the other hand, using body clock with built-in alarms gives me time to gradually take in my day and move at my own pace, without being suddenly exposed to huge to-do lists.

The simulation is also much closer to a natural sunrise, unlike the one by the Clock App, which isn't bright enough to wake you up on its own.

In fact, I use the Lumie Bodyclock Glow 150, one of the best sunrise clocks we've tested in 2026, as a nightlight— something I can't achieve with my Pixel phone.

The Google Clock app definitely offers a good sleep package, which is convenient while travelling, but on days when you'd prefer a phone detox, relying on specialised sleep tech such as a sunrise alarm clock is the way to go.

3 sleep products I recommend for better sleep

The Fitnexa SomniPods are taking on the sleep headphone market by stuffing as much as possible into two tiny earbuds. This is your one stop sleep tracker, audio library, calorie counter and personalized AI coach.

That’s a lot, and a lesser earbud might be overwhelmed. But at the core of the Fitnexa is a solid design that impresses as both a sleep aid and headphones. Plus, the integrated AI wellness coaches add an exciting layer of hands-on self-improvement to an otherwise standard sleep tracker... if you pay to subscribe, that is.

Some necessary compromises hold the Fitnexa back from taking on its biggest competitors (the Soundcore Sleep A30, namely.) I might expect better sound for the price and the cluttered app meant it took me more days than I'd like to admit to figure out basic functions like the alarm.

However, the Fitnexa SomniPods certainly pack in enough features to take on the best sleep headphones we've tested. Learn more in my full Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Sleep Earbuds review below.

• Fitnexa SomniPods 3 at Fitnexa for $189.99

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Specs

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Price & Availability

• Currently $189.99 and only available from Fitnexa
• Similar price to competitors Ozlo and Soundcore
• AI Coach and advanced health tools require a subscription at $49.99 per year

The Fitnexa SomniPods 3 cost $189.99 at Fitnexa US. They are shipped to Canada, Europe and Australia — but you'll have to convert the currency yourself.

That puts them in the same price bracket as the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds — undoubtedly the SomniPods closest competitor — which typically retail at $199.99. Although the Soundcore earbuds have the benefit of being completely subscription free.

While Fitnexa does offer a variety of features for free (including sleep tracking), a subscription opens you up to the AI Coach and the full-range of health tracking features, but adds another $49.99 per year.

As the SomniPods 3 only came onto the market in November 2025, I'm twiddling my thumbs waiting to see what discounts we can expect. If it's anything like the Soundcore sales, I predict you'll need to wait for Black Friday for the biggest discounts.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Design & Comfort

• Comfortable for side sleeping and back sleeping
• Hard body can cause some soreness
• IPX4 waterproofing

Beige and compact, the Fitnexa SomniPods are designed to fit snugly in your ears and get lost easily in your sheets. Thankfully there's a 'find my earbuds' function, or this whole thing would have been a bust from night one.

But the compact design serves an important purpose: comfort. Unlike your standard wireless earbuds, the SomniPods are almost flat, so they won't dig painfully into your ear as soon as your head hits the pillow.

It’s this super thin design that contributes most to the comfort of the SomniPods because while the included silicon ear wings offer some padding, the shell of the earbud itself is hard. Lying on my side, it took some maneuvering to get my ear, earbud and pillow playing nice and I'd often wake up to some soreness. That's not unusual in a sleep earbud — the Soundcore has a similar problem for side sleepers — but it's worth noting.

Back sleepers, however, are golden. And if you’re traveling or working, the lightweight SomniPods are comfortable to wear for extended time periods.

However, I’d be remiss not to mention the experience of my colleague, Frances Daniels. She’s been testing the SomniPods as well and has yet to start the morning with them still in her ears. Maybe she just has freakish ear canals but as she wears the Loop Quiet 2 ear plugs regularly and they manage to stay in during the night, I think the problem lies elsewhere.

We've experienced this problem with both the Soundcore Sleep A30 and Soundcore Sleep A20 too, so it's not an isolated Fitnexa issue.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Controls & App

• Touch controls can be customized
• But require a firm hand to work
• App is packed-full but not the most user-friendly

The Fitnexa SomniPods use touch controls, which can be customized in the app. It's a fairly standard set-up; the hardest part is actually finding the function in the user interface.

The tap controls aren’t particularly sensitive and require a firm hand before they take notice — I use the JLab Go Pods day-to-day and they're much more responsive. However, the upside is that it's hard to errantly change settings in the night, a problem we noticed from time to time while testing the Soundcore A30s.

The app isn’t the most user-intuitive, which I attribute to Fitnexa trying to do so much with it. As well as sleep sounds, ANC and sleep tracking, you can monitor fitness goals, log meals and speak to an AI helper (more on that later.) As a result, some useful features get buried. It took me far too long to find the alarm setting, for example, despite being a basic addition.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: ANC & PNC

• Decent ANC and PNC
• Masks low-level noise and muffles more disruptive sounds

Active noise cancelation is expected nowadays from a sleep earbud at this price point and the SomniPods deliver with built-in ANC.

Overall, the quality is decent — the ANC alone blocked my ticking clock and the traffic passing by my open window. And while I don’t share a bedroom, I did give the ANC a whirl while my mom enjoyed a post-Sunday lunch nap (she really took one for the team) and it successfully muffled her snores.

Best of all, the SomniPods completely masked the sound of my neighbor’s son hitting a basketball against the side of the house over and over and over, something which had me close to pulling my hair out.

The Fitnexa SomniPods can’t beat the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds when it comes to ANC, but should put up a good fight against the Soundcore Sleep A30s. Once you have the ANC running and some white noise hissing, the rest of the world does almost disappear. Yes, even the basketballs.

The PNC (passive noise canceling) itself is good and with just the earbuds in, sounds were muffled but not blocked. If you are just after PNC with no bells and whistles, the SomniPods are outclassed by a pair of silicone Loop Quiet 2 earbuds.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Sleep features

• Impressive sleep library and integrated ANC help sleep
• Sleep tracker captures the basics well
• AI Coach offers personalized advice for a subscription fee

The combination of ANC and side sleeper comfort alone makes the SomniPods strong contenders for our guide to the top-rated sleep headphones and that's just the start of the dedicated sleep features.

First, you have access to a range of sleep sounds in the app, plus some basic sounds stored local to the earbuds. The local sounds are pretty uninspired and loop regularly, so if you have the battery life, go for the app.

I've been using the brown noise to pretend I'm sitting in first class, jetting off around the world (you can't judge another person's happy place), and I've been impressed with how quickly I drop off. And so is my AI coach, FYI.

Other features like integrated alarms and wind-down notifications add to the day-to-day usefulness of the SomniPods, even though these features are fairly standard among sleep trackers.

Wellness tracking

Integrated wellness tracking is the first of SomniPods big features, bar audio, and it goes hand-in-hand with the AI tools, which I'll dive into next. The app covers the basics I'd expect from any of the best sleep trackers: time to sleep sleep, time to wake, and sleep cycles.

Overall, I’ve found the SomniPods sleep tracking less accurate than my Withings Sleep Mat (although the Withings is the gold-standard here.) The timings are largely accurate but I'm not sure it's nailed my sleep stages — my Withings always tracks more deep sleep and, on a similar note, my colleague Frances found that on some nights, the SomniPods detected no REM sleep at all.

However, one metric I do like is position tracking. It’s a neat feature that trackers rarely include, but it might help identify the causes of aches and pains, or even heartburn (sleeping on your left side eases the digestion process.)

One thing to note is that it takes a moment for Fitnexa to get your sleep tracking data together, so don’t freak out when you open the app to discover you only got three hours last night. Like all of us, the SomniPods take a minute to pull themselves together in the morning.

Sleep is the most detailed and least 'hands-on' of the tracking features, but you can also log your meals, hydration and exercise. The AI meal identification is the stand-out here, although it needs some work — there's no way my brown roll racked up over 400 calories.

AI Coach

As a sleep nerd, I love getting data back from my sleep tracker but even I can admit the numbers aren't always that useful at fighting exhaustion and sleep deprivation.

So the SomniPods offer something different. Upgrade to the subscription plan and you gain access to your own AI 'Coach.'

So how does it work? First, set a wellness goal. Next, pick your AI Coach. I opted for Hebe, a detail-orientated helper who gives you the facts, but there's also supportive Lana and pusher Evan. (Although having chatted to them all, there's not a huge personality difference.)

Once the app starts collecting data, you can mine your coach for personal advice. Expect detailed feedback mixed in with reflections from your sleep tracker and actionable advice — Hebe noted my lack of deep sleep might be behind my afternoon slump and recommended some energy boosting exercises.

You’ll get better responses the more you use every aspect of the app, which can be a bit of a time drag. Hebe is often concerned by my lack of hydration, but I’ve simply forgotten to log my drinks. This means I waste some of my precious chat credits being told to drink water (AI credits are limited per day, so avoid chit-chatting.)

I am admittedly wary of relying on an AI coach for sleep advice. If you do think a lack of sleep is impacting your day-to-day life, I'd recommend speaking to a healthcare professional (sorry, Hebe.)

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Sound Quality

• Decent audio quality for everyday listening
• Expect some tinniness
• Sleep sounds perform best

The SomniPods have decent audio quality… for a pair of sleep earbuds. That’s an important distinction because for $189.99, you might get your hopes up that this can rival some of the best wireless earbuds.

Not so, but the SomniPods do offer good overall sound quality for everyday listening. The layered clarity of Berghain by Rosalía was largely maintained but the oomph of those high notes was let down slightly by a lingering hiss and some tinniness. You also won’t get a particularly complex listening experience — leave that to the AirPods Pro 3.

However, if you’re looking to simplify your tech, the SomniPods are useful as all-round earbuds. Particularly as there’s an equalizer on the app, offering some control over your listening experience. Pre-set options are built-in but you can also tinker to create something to your liking.

The sound quality is best when listening to traditional sleep sounds. The white noise is perfectly drone-y and the brown noise is that soothing hum of rumbling along in your private jet. On that note, songs with a strong bass are delivered with heft through the SomniPods. I took Down By The Water by PJ Harvey for a spin and got happily lost in its sneering, scuzzy repetition.

Audiobooks are also crisp and clear, and if you do cycle through the sleep noises Fitnexa has to offer, I can attest that the dolphin sounds are spot on and super weird to fall asleep to.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Call quality

• Can make and receive calls
• Microphone is fine but not best for day-to-day

Being able to make and receive calls is another string to the all-round usefulness of the SomniPods, even if the call quality is distinctly average. You’ll sound tinny to the person you talk to and, in response, they’ll come across a little thin. However, the vocals are clean and there was no issue with background noise during my brief calls.

All-in-all, it’s a useful addition to the Fitnexa SomniPods and helps it stand out against competitors such as the Ozlo Sleepbuds, which can’t take calls.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Battery life

• 12 hour playback time with ANC off
• Only 6.5 hour playback time with ANC on
• Charges quickly in the case and holds 48 hours altogether

There's really two stories to the battery life of the SomniPods: with and without ANC.

Without ANC you have a playback time of roughly 12 hours, which is more than enough to get you through the night (you should be sleeping around 7 to 9 hours.) I never quite knocked out 12 hours in one go but after around six hours at my desk, the battery had dropped by 50%.

When you turn the ANC on, however, the overall playback drops to just 6.5 hours. That's not enough for a full night and means you have to be careful with your ANC use, lest your sleep tracker packs in around the early hours. After an hour of ANC paired with brown noise, I was down to around five hours of charge.

To help preserve the battery life, make sure to turn on the Sleep Detect feature. This spots when you've fallen asleep and turns ANC off accordingly (the Soundcore A30s have a similar feature.)

The SomniPods also offer timers for almost everything, so you can set your sounds going for as long or as little. By ensuring your music / audiobook / white noise only plays for a set amount of time, you can save some battery life for when it's needed, and not waste energy piping in brown noise when you're already asleep.

The ANC battery life isn't necessarily a flaw — the Soundcore A30 and Ozlo have similar issues — and by the time the buds die, you're asleep. However, if you wake up in the night, you often won't have enough juice to get yourself back to sleep.

Thankfully, the buds charge quickly; after 30 minutes, the case had jumped to around four hours battery life (from completely dead) and it took less than two hours to be back to 100%. Plus, the case holds roughly two days of power, meaning you don't have to charge the earbuds every morning.

Fitnexa SomniPods 3 Review: Verdict

Fitnexa attempts a lot with the SomniPods and for the most part, this is a solid pair of sleep headphones. The combination of good ANC with a decent audio means if unwelcome noises are keeping you up, you can enjoy a more peaceful night with the SomniPods.

However, the strongest feature is the AI Coach, which is primarily for subscribers. The advice is both helpful and actionable, and because it draws from your own sleep tracking data, it goes beyond the usual AI sleep routines.

It is a case of 'you get what you put in' and to make the most of the features, you'll need to log your food, drink and exercise regime. This is a bit of a time suck, but it might be worth it to avoid my AI Coach telling me to drink another glass of water, especially as chat credits are limited.

If you aren't interested in the AI upgrade, however, the SomniPods fall just behind the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds overall. Both are good all-rounders but the SomniPod newcomers are just pipped by the old guard when it comes to sound quality and ANC.

Still, the Fitnexa SomniPods 3 put up a good fight and at $189.99, I would consider them a decent investment — you get a lot for your money, even though you might question if you need it all.

• Read more: QuietOn 4 Sleep Earbuds review

I thought my nighttime routine was pretty solid, until I was gifted the NEOM Wellbeing Pod (available for $100 at NEOM) last Christmas and bed time seriously levelled up.

It's no secret that I'm a NEOM super-fan. My bedroom is stacked with the brand's candles, pillow mists and body balms. So you can imagine my excitement when I was gifted the Wellbeing Pod (bravo, Santa).

Four months on, I've flicked on the pod practically every night before bed, turning my bedroom into a calming sleep sanctuary. Considering it has managed to give even my small attic bedroom a spa-like vibe, it's safe to say there's a solid case for using aromatherapy for sleep. Here's why my NEOM diffuser is now a staple at my bedside...

The essential oil diffuser I've been using

I'm always looking for ways to turn my bedroom into a sleep-inducing hotel suite with minimal effort, and the NEOM oil diffuser with the Perfect Night's Sleep blend has been an invaluable addition.

Most nights, I tuck my phone away early, turn on my diffuser and read in bed, enjoying a herbal tea before nodding off within minutes.

The essential oil diffuser I've been using is the limited-edition Clementine Wellbeing Pod Essential Oil Diffuser. This means my essential oil diffuser is complete with a gorgeous pink, tortoise-shell-patterned bell jar, which looks the perfect blend of chic and girly at my bedside.

As standard, the Wellbeing Pod comes with a warm white ceramic cover (pictured above). Alternatively, you can now shop the limited-edition Raspberry Ripple or Cinnamon Swirl Pods — both of which sound bliss.

My small bedroom can sometimes feel stuffy, but I find the mist helps give it a fresh feel, creating a more relaxing atmosphere around bedtime. I can certainly see why NEOM is frequented by celebrity shoppers, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Nicole Scherzinger.

And it's simple to use. You simply fill it with water and five drops of your essential oil of choice. The 'Perfect Night Sleep' blend I've been using combines lavender, chamomile and patchouli — scent notes conducive to sleep.

The diffuser also acts as a dimmable night light and has timer settings with the option to continuously mist or run for one, two, three or four hours. Light and misting settings can be controlled via touch-sensitive buttons.

It's hard to say whether the Perfect Night's Sleep blend really has given me a perfect night's sleep (is there even such a thing?). But what I can say is I've been getting consistently high sleep scores, according to my trusty sleep tracker.

How essential oils can help you sleep in spring

Spring is here and while the longer, warmer days are very welcome, if you're anything like me, you're probably apprehensive about the return of allergies, which can steal sleep.

Window closed, I'm too hot. Window open, I'm sniffling through the night. But the good news is, essential oils can be used to manage allergies and hayfever and promote better sleep, according to Healthline.

Certain oils — namely, lavender, eucalyptus, tea tree and peppermint — can help manage allergy symptoms overnight because they act as natural anti-inflammatories, decongestants, and antihistamines.

Healthline concludes "aromatherapy can be a fun way to help alleviate your seasonal allergy symptoms," and there are various scientific papers to prove it.

For example, a 2025 study by Chinese researchers found eucalyptus citriodora essential oil (found in NEOM's $24 Bedtime Hero Essential Oil Blend, if you're wondering) has strong potential to be used as a natural alternative to synthetic pesticides for dust mite control. Dust mites are a common cause of allergies, especially in the bedroom.

Good sleep is important any night of the week. But the night before running 26.2 miles, it's pretty crucial. Without it, neither your body or mind would be up to the enduring challenge over 1.1 millions runners globally now complete each year.

Having just completed my second marathon, I've learnt a thing or two about endurance running. Put simply: 1) It's a mental as much as a physical challenge. 2) Carbs are good for you. 3) Quality sleep is your best friend.

When I spoke to sports chiropractor and practitioner Dr. Logan Sherman ahead of running the London Marathon last year, he told me: "Sleep is one of the most important recovery tools. Training for a marathon demands a huge energy expenditure, and getting enough sleep helps your body and mind bounce back stronger and faster between workouts."

"Keeping your mind sharp is just as crucial as training your lungs and legs," the athletic performance specialist added.

Here are the products and gadgets that helped me get that all-important shut eye in the lead up to race day (dare I say they helped me knock 23 minutes off my PB)...

I've been wearing my new Apple Watch to bed for a week now, and I must say I'm impressed. From accurately tracking my sleep stages to giving me gentle nudges to start winding down, the Apple Watch has helped me understand my sleep while showing me key ways to improve it.

Still, as with every time I try out one of the best sleep trackers, I feel there are modes and settings that I'm completely oblivious to — and it could be standing in my way of seeing lab-accurate results.

So, to find out, I've called on Dr. Audrey Wells, Chief Medical Officer at SLIIIP.com and Dr. Joshua Roland, Medical Director at Dreem Health, to give me some helpful pointers. Here, the two board-certified sleep doctors reveal the five Apple Watch settings that increase the accuracy of my sleep tracking.

Key takeaways: At a glance

• The Apple Watch can track your sleep duration and sleep stages, but there are key hidden settings that need to be activated for more accurate results.
• Activating Wrist Detection and Sleep Focus are vital for accurate results, as they allow your Apple Watch to know when you're wearing your device and are intending to sleep.
• Other settings, such as Wrist Temperature and Sleep Apnea notifications, can give you invaluable insights into your health, such as sleep disorders, medical conditions, or illness.
• While research shows that consumer sleep-tracking wearables are improving in accuracy and can give you useful data on your sleep duration and patterns, board-certified sleep physician Dr Wells notes that an Apple Watch won't give you data as accurate as a clinical sleep study's data.

The 5 vital Apple Watch settings for accurate sleep data

1. Sleep Focus

Let's begin with one of the most important Apple Watch settings for your sleep: Sleep Focus mode. In fact, it was the first setting I learned about when I set up my Apple Watch, and while it prepares you for rest by reducing distracting notifications, it's also needed for accurate tracking.

"Sleep Focus mode signals to the watch that you’re intending to sleep, and this allows it to more accurately detect when you fall asleep and stay asleep, rather than misinterpreting late-night phone use or movement as wakefulness," says Dr. Roland, a board-certified sleep medicine physician.

"Without it, the watch may confuse quiet rest, like lying in bed scrolling your phone, with sleep," agrees board-certified sleep medicine physician Dr Wells.

• Read more: Experts explain why your Apple Watch tracks your wrist temperature during sleep — 5 key things it can tell you

2. Wrist detection 

Wrist Detection is another important one as it lets the Apple Watch know you're wearing it and, according to Dr Roland, it's "essentially what allows all the sensors to function properly" when you're wearing the watch to bed.

"Without it, the watch can’t reliably track movement, heart rate, or sleep stages, which means your sleep data may be incomplete or inaccurate," the sleep expert warns.

Dr Wells also agrees that Wrist Detection needs to be on so the Apple Watch can track the "main signals" it uses for sleep. The doctor also reminded me of another essential thing you should do that's outside your Apple Watch settings: wear the Watch correctly.

"If it's too loose or not positioned correctly, the device can’t reliably track movement even with Wrist Detection," she reminds me.

3. Sleep apnea notifications

Okay, so the Sleep Apnea notifications tool is the one setting that I actually can't activate as, according to Apple Support, it's only available on the Apple Watch Series 9 or later, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, or Apple Watch SE 3.

However, sleep tech writer Eve Davies swears it's an essential hidden Apple Watch sleep tracking feature if you or your partner are prone to snoring.

This sleep apnea tool flags potential breathing disturbances during sleep, which Dr Roland emphasizes is important, as you probably don't notice these disturbances yourself.

"Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed, but it can seriously impact sleep quality and overall health," he explains.

"Having a tool that monitors for irregular breathing patterns can prompt you to seek medical evaluation if something seems off," he adds.

4. Wrist temperature

One of the health metrics (or vitals, as Apple calls them) I was eager to see was the Wrist Temperature measurement. Dr. Roland told me the Wrist Temperature setting was important for assessing my "body's overnight physiology".

"Changes in skin temperature while you sleep can reflect things like illness, hormonal shifts, including menstrual cycle phases, or recovery status," notes the physician.

I was a little disappointed to wake up after the first couple of night and seeing no Wrist Temperature data, but Dr Wells assures me this was normal.

"Wrist temperature doesn’t measure sleep quality or diagnose sleep problems, so think of it as a trend over time, not a single-night insight," she tells me.

Dr Wells says that, as wrist temperature can give you helpful context about you nocturnal patterns (including changes to your overall health and circadian rhythm), "it may be worth paying attention if you notice consistent changes."

5. Charging reminders 

Charging Reminders are a setting you may not even associate with sleep tracking, but it's important for accuracy because, as Dr Wells puts it, "If your watch runs out of battery overnight, you won’t get sleep data."

"The real value of wearables comes from consistent trends over time, not one or two nights of data," says the sleep expert. "So charging reminders help you build that consistency so you get to know your own patterns and the information is actually useful."

3 things my Apple Watch data has revealed about my sleep

1. My average sleep duration is way less than the recommended 7-9 hours

The main draw of the Apple Watch's sleep tracking is seeing how much sleep you managed to get each night, along with amount of time you spent in each sleep stage.

After I started building enough sleep data, the Health app gave me overview of how much sleep I get on average. Today's weekly average? 6 hours and 11 minutes.

Now, some people may be tugging on my neck collar, wondering how on earth I can function on so little sleep. After all, the recommended sleep duration for adults is seven to nine hours. But...

2. ...but my high sleep scores say it's not a huge problem

...I'm scoring pretty high sleep scores on less than seven hours of sleep. Apple Watch sleep scores are basically marks out of 100, categorised into four scoring groups: very low, low, high, and very high. On average, I'm achieving a 'high' score — sometimes even in the 90s.

Of course, your sleep score isn't only calculated on duration. It also takes into account your sleep regularity (for example, going to bed within the same window every night) and how many times you experience nighttime awakenings.

3. Health metrics rule out any sleep disorder

As I mentioned above, there are some tools I can't access (most importantly the Sleep Apnea Notifications), but I still get to see important health metrics on the Vitals app, an Apple Watch app that gives me a daily snapshot of key measurements.

These include respiratory and heart rates and blood oxygen levels, which can provide data used to suggest sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, dehydration, or overconsumption of caffeine or alcohol.

Luckily, my health metrics indicate that I'm not experiencing any sleep disorders, but I know that if I spot any changes outside my typical range, I can use these patterns to identify any problems.

Is Apple watch sleep tracking accurate?

If you're wondering how to make your sleep tracking more accurate, you're probably also questioning how accurate an Apple Watch's sleep trackers are (or how accurate wearable sleep trackers are in general).

Luckily, a study has proven the value of consumer sleep-tracking devices, concluding that at-home trackers have a similar accuracy to research-grade actigraphy when estimating total sleep duration.

Other research even predicts that consumer wearables will "likely provide sleep information on par with actigraphy."

But are we there yet? According to Dr Wells, not quite. "The data should be viewed as an approximation of sleep patterns, not a precise measurement of sleep stages or quality," says the sleep expert.

"Remember that the Apple Watch is estimating sleep based on patterns, not directly measuring brain activity like a clinical sleep study would," she adds.

As a senior with a smart watch you might notice that your sleep score just isn't hitting the high numbers these days, and it's likely down to one metric: sleep fragmentation.

From circadian shifts to aches and pains, there are many reasons why it's perfectly normal for your sleep to be more fragmented as you age.

I spoke to Dr. David Garley, BM, MRCP, MRCGP, DTM&H to learn why nighttime awakenings are more common in people aged 65 and over, and when you should consider a low sleep score a problem (the red flags to watch for). Here's what he said...

What is sleep fragmentation?

In technical terms, sleep fragmentation refers to repeated short interruptions of sleep. On your Apple Watch sleep tracker, this is represented by small gaps in your sleep stages chart and reduced sleep efficiency (the amount of time you were asleep versus lying in bed.)

We don't all sleep in a single block overnight, and sometimes experience awakenings between sleep cycles, explains Dr. Garley of the Better Sleep Clinic.

"This can be normal for some people," he adds. "But if you're struggling to get back to sleep, or find that you're feeling sleep deprived during then day, then this is unlikely to be normal and you should consider speaking to a doctor or sleep clinic."

Fragmented sleep is a common problem among older sleepers. Research shows that as we age, sleep typically becomes lighter and more fragmented.

“Sleep changes over a lifetime," explains the sleep specialist, "and when people understand and anticipate that change, it tends to cause less of a problem.”

How to find your Apple Watch sleep fragmentation score

Nighttime interruptions is one of three key barometers that go into your Apple Watch sleep score; it accounts for 20% of the overall score.

When you visit the sleep tab of the Apple Health app each morning, you will see exactly how many times your sleep was interrupted / fragmented through the night and how long in total you spent awake due to these interruptions.

Apple's algorithm gives you a 'interruptions' score out of 20 based on your usual, individual sleep patterns and baseline.

3 reasons for fragmented sleep at age 65+

From hormone shifts to pressure points, there are many reasons why sleep becomes fragmented in later life.

Yes, it's frustrating, but it's usually normal and nothing to fret over. Let's look at the three most common reasons now...

1. Reduced sleep pressure

Due to circadian and hormone shifts, older adults often get less sleep than younger adults, leading to longer periods of light, fragmented sleep.

“Sleep becomes more fragmented as you age as your circadian rhythm drifts slightly," explains Dr. Garley.

Typically, your circadian clock shifts earlier meaning you feel tired (due to earlier melatonin release) and sleep earlier in the evening and can find yourself laying awake in the pre-dawn hours of the morning as that melatonin wears off.

“After 55 you have a more noticeable decrease in melatonin," adds the doctor, "and melatonin is a hormone that coordinates the sleep phase of your circadian rhythm, so you can get a degree more fragmentation of sleep as you get older.”

2. Nocturia

Nocturia, waking up multiple times at night to use the bathroom, becomes more common with age, according to science.

Causes in older people include reduced bladder capacity and increased nocturnal urine production, alongside decrease in levels of antidiuretic hormone at night (the body just doesn't produce hormones like it used to.)

Those bathroom breaks can disrupt sleep cycles, sometimes preventing seniors from entering the all-important later stages of sleep like deep and REM sleep.

3. Aches and pains

Aches and pains can come with aging, and unfortunately that doesn't bode well for sleep.

Pain points tend to be more sensitive when you're laying in one position for an extended period of time through the night.

“When you’re lying still for between seven and nine hours, if you have a bad back or shoulder, that can cause pain, which can cause you to wake up,” says Dr. Garley.

How to interpret your score

While tracking your sleep can be a useful tool in helping you understand your sleep patterns and identify underlying issues, doctors warn you shouldn't get too caught up in the metrics.

Dr. Garley says there is a problem when people try to pursue perfect sleep (known as orthosomnia) which, in his words, “doesn’t exist.”

“The pursuit of perfect sleep will always generate worry and anxiety, and that in itself can disrupt sleep.

"If you take a too meticulous an approach to sleep, that can pose a problem.”

There are two ways to look at sleep without a tracker, he adds.

1. Look at the night, questioning: How long did I sleep for? Did I wake up? How long did it take me to fall asleep? 2. Observe your energy and functioning through the day.

Taking note of how you feel when you wake up and during the day is sometimes more useful than having a watch tell you how energized you are.

“Sleep is about supporting daytime function, so that’s absolutely the best barometer to how your sleeping,” says the doctor. Here's how to navigate your data and daytime feelings...

How to reduce sleep fragmentation

Although sleep fragmentation is just something that naturally happens as we age, there are thankfully things you can do by day to set yourself with the best chance of clocking quality sleep by night. Here they are...

1. Move through the day

Moving more, or as much as you can, throughout the day builds greater sleep pressure, helping you drift off at night.

Recent research from published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found taking a daily walk — for as little as 20 minutes — can help reduce symptoms of Obstructive Sleep Apnea. And, a benefit of less severe OSA symptoms is that you may be able to sleep more seamlessly.

Alternatively, my 75-year-old grandfather finds swimming is a massive help to his sleep — I've checked out the science behind it, and it gets the green light from the sleep doctor.

2. Sleep at regular times

One of the simplest ways to get better sleep is to get the timing right, and by that I mean sleeping and waking up at consistent times from one night to another.

This regulates your internal body clock and hormone cycles. Your brain and body will know when it's time to wind down to sleep and wake up and be alert, so both will happen more easily, and on time.

A large scale study by Vitality and The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) published this year revealed that consistent sleep times and getting 7+ hours of sleep can boost your longevity, potentially adding up to four years to your life expectancy.

3. Optimize your sleep environment

Whether you're struggling to sleep or not, making your bedroom a sleep sanctuary can do wonders for your sleep quality and ability to fall asleep.

Firstly, finding the best mattress to support your body type, sleep style, and sleep needs (hot sleepers will love our cooling mattress top-picks) can help you rest peacefully.

Sleeping on a mattress with the right firmness level to support your body while contouring pressure points could even help alleviate some of those sleep-disrupting aches and pains that can come with age.

Then, controlling environmental factors like light, sound, and temperature can help you optimise your bedroom for rest. It's best kept dark, quiet, and cool to induce the temperature drop and calm you need to feel sleepy.

Red flags you shouldn't ignore

While you shouldn't stress over a sub-70 sleep score, fragmentation can sometimes signal underlying issues like sleep apnea.

“Sleep is so subjective. If the person thinks their sleep is fine it’s probably fine. But if they think there’s an issue, there’s more ground to look in detail,” advises Dr. Garley, who is director of The Better Sleep Clinic.

He suggests looking for these red flags: excessive daytime sleepiness (falling asleep while reading or driving), loud, chronic snoring followed by gasping, or a sudden, drastic change in your baseline fragmentation over a week.

If you notice these, it's best to consult a GP or sleep clinic. It can be helpful to take your sleep tracking reports with you. Although consumer wearables don't provide medical-grade monitoring, they can provide a useful baseline for identifying issues.

I recently got my first ever Apple Watch, and while it has a multitude of functions, I've primarily been using it as a sleep tracker. Each night, it's given me high sleep scores (even up to 92 out of 100), despite the fact that I average around six hours of slumber a night.

However, the expert-backed 7:1 sleep rule has shown that sleeping for at least seven hours a night and following a consistent sleep schedule can decrease mortality risk by 24%— which could add up to four years to your life.

That's why I've decided to use one of the best sleep trackers to help me stick to a regular nighttime routine and increase my average sleep duration from six to seven hours. Here's a breakdown of how I'm using the Apple Watch's sleep tracking to meet the 7:1 sleep rule...

• Read more: These 5 overlooked Google Clock app features helped me quit bedtime doomscrolling to get more sleep

Key takeaways: At a glance

• Recent research shows that that getting 7 hours of sleep and falling asleep within the same 1-hour window — dubbed the "7:1 sleep rule" — can lower mortality risk by 24%.
• While my Apple Watch has awarded me sleep scores of up to 92 for less than seven hours of sleep, I'm using its key features to follow the 7:1 sleep rule.
• Functions such as its Sleep Focus mode, Sleep Schedule and Wind-Down Feature help me maintain a consistent sleep schedule and build a calming nighttime routine.
• The Vitals App offers a panoramic view of my overall health, informing me of any sleep issues and their causes, while also illustrating how the 7:1 sleep can improve health and wellbeing.

What is the 7:1 Sleep Rule?

Experts have long recommended that adults should sleep between seven and nine hours a night for optimal health and wellbeing, and a groundbreaking study has recently echoed this advice.

The research, conducted by the the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and insurance company Vitality, found that getting 7 hours of sleep and going to bed within the same 1-hour window can lower mortality risk by 24% if practiced at least five nights a week, .

And it's not the only research that shows how important getting at least seven hours of sleep is to our lifespan. Last year, research conducted by the Oregon and Health and Science University found that getting less than seven hours of sleep can have a worse effect on longevity than a poor diet or lack of exercise.

The 3 key Apple Watch features I'm using to follow the 7:1 Sleep Rule

The Apple Watch's sleep tracker can give you a detailed breakdown of your four sleep stages each night: the N1 and N2 light sleep stages (lumped together as 'core sleep' on the Apple watch), deep sleep, and REM sleep.

However, it's not simply a sleep tracker, it's also a sleep-boosting device that can help you maintain good sleep hygiene.

For instance, Sleep Focus and Schedules on watchOS (the Apple Watch's operating system) can help you keep to a consistent sleep schedule; going to bed within a 1-hour window.

Then there's the Wind Down feature, which can help you stay away from sleep-disrupting habits and distracting iPhone features to reduce revenge bedtime procrastination and help you fall asleep by your chosen time.

However, if sticking to a consistent sleep routine isn't giving you the sleep duration you want, you can identify how long it takes you to fall asleep by using the Health App, which can distinguish between the time you spent in bed vs the time you actually spent asleep.

With all Apple Watches that operate on the watchOS 11 (such as the Apple Watch Ultra that I'm using), you can access the Vitals app only on your Apple watch.

The app, which acts as a snapshot of all your health metrics (it condenses all the vital health data from your iPhone's Health app into a daily health summary), validates the rule as I notice it shows improved Heart Rate and Respiratory data whenever I edge closer to meeting the 7:1 rule.

1. Sleep Focus and Schedules

One of the most important things you should do before tracking your sleep (besides enabling sleep tracking and, y'know, remembering to put your Apple Watch on) is to make sure your watch and phone is in Sleep Focus mode.

This mode prepares your watch for tracking, can silence distracting notifications from your chosen apps (from social media to work emails), and dims and simplifies your watch face and phone lock screen. (My phone's lock screen wallpaper is covered in snoozing emoji faces when Sleep Focus mode).

You can manually activate the Sleep Focus mode via the Control Center of your watch or iPhone, but my Focus mode turns on automatically thanks to the Sleep Schedules function.

This function allows you to set your preferred bedtime and wake-up time, which then creates bedtime reminders and morning alarms.

Both the Sleep Focus mode and Sleep Schedules are helping me to stick to 7:1 sleep by encouraging me to go to bed and wake up within a 1-hour window. This sleep regularity is resetting my circadian rhythm, preparing my body clock for sleep at the right time.

2. Wind Down feature

While the Apple Watch's sleep schedule creates a sleep plan for you, the Wind Down feature helps you stick to the plan by limiting distractions (in a similar way to the Sleep Focus mode) and preparing you for sleep by launching relaxing activities like mediation for calming music.

The great thing about this feature is that you can turn it on just minutes or even hours before your bedtime, and it also activates the Sleep Focus mode outside your sleep schedule.

Mine is set 30 minutes before bed, but a one or two hour wind down is great if you want to stick to the 10-3-2-1-0 rule for longer sleep and consistent routines.

3. Vitals app

Launched in 2024 as part of the watchOS 11 update, the Vitals App provides a condensed view of your health metrics (a.k.a. vitals), such as respiratory rate and blood oxygen levels, as well as your sleep duration.

These metrics give me key insights into my sleep and potential sleep disorders. For example, my blood-oxygen levels are consistently high, meaning I can rule out sleep conditions such as sleep apnea as a cause if my sleep data shows frequent awakenings.

The Vitals App can show you when your metrics are "within typical range" or when your health metrics are higher or lower than usual. The Vitals App can also suggest reasons behind the change. For example, if your heart rate becomes more elevated, the app suggests it could be caused by consuming too much caffeine.

On the flip side, when you follow the 7:1 sleep rule and improve your sleep, your health metrics may improve, such as a lowered heart or respiratory rate.

Why I’m not chasing perfect sleep

It would be remiss of me not to mention one important thing to remember when tracking your sleep with an Apple Watch: Don't use it to chase the perfect sleep because the perfect sleep doesn't not exist.

Becoming fixated with your sleep data will likely exacerbate any sleep issues you're experiencing — this phenomenon even has a name: orthosomnia.

The study behind the 7:1 sleep rule emphasised focusing on the rule for five days a week to help you reap the longevity-boosting benefits, so don't beat yourself up if you sleep in on a Saturday morning or experience a bout of the Sunday scaries. It's all about trying to improve your sleep when you're able (and willing) to.

Besides, tracking my sleep has actually made me feel less worried about my sleep.

Despite an average sleep duration of less than seven hours a night, I'm consistently achieving high sleep scores (sometimes in the 90s), experiencing a normal amount of short nighttime wake-ups, and seeing health metrics that indicate I'm not experiencing any sleep disorders.

Science has even shown that some people are just "short sleepers", thriving on six hours a night without any health drawbacks.

All in all, I'm happy with my sleep, but I'm more than happy to improve it, too.

Deep breathing exercises such as box breathing and the 4-7-8 method have been linked to stress reduction and better sleep. I start practicing them with the best intentions, but it doesn't take much for my mind to wander.

That's why the moonbird, from $199.99 on Amazon, caught my eye. This small, smooth, pebble-shaped handheld device uses tactile pulses to guide you to breathe in and out. No screens, no distractions — just a calming, pulsing sensation that helps reset my nervous system before bed each night.

After a week of testing, here's how the moonbird is helping me to fall asleep faster, sleep deeper, and increase my energy levels from the moment I wake up...

Key takeaways: At a glance

• The moonbird is a handheld device designed to reduce anxiety, stress and insomnia via deep breathing exercises.
• It targets your 'fight or flight' response to reduce sleep-onset insomnia and improve overall sleep quality.
• Physical breathing prompts, like the kind the moonbird generates, are harder to ignore than just a voice narrating instructions.
• Simply pick an exercise via the moonbird app (iOS, Android) and follow along to the calming instructions.
• You can view your Heart Rate (HR) and Heart Rate Variability (HRV) metrics to see what impact the moonbird is having on your stress levels.
• The more you relax before sleep, the better your chances of having an optimal amount of deep sleep; crucial for your body's recovery and repair work.

What is the moonbird anti-insomnia, stress and anxiety device?

The moonbird is a handheld device that uses "tactile guidance" to encourage 'measured breathing' for relaxation.

When you're stressed, your heart rate increases, your breathing becomes shallow and fast, and your muscles tighten.

Measured breathing helps undo this tension so you feel calmer and more relaxed.

Breathing techniques for stress relief work best when practiced regularly. But following a structured breathing method isn't easy for everyone. This is where the subscription-free moonbird steps in...

This app-controlled device breathes along with you, expanding and contracting in your hand while you match each of your breaths to each movement the device makes.

Simply place your thumb on the sensor and the moonbird comes to life, using optical PPG (photoplethysmography) to track your heart rate and heart rate variability; two key metrics that indicate how stress, anxious or wired you are.

In the app you can pick from a variety of breathing exercises, including multi-day programs, or a 'build your own'.

moonbird claims that regular use can lower stress and anxiety, as well as helping you to enjoy improved sleep quality Here's what happened to my sleep and stress levels when I tried it...

My experience using the moonbird

The moonbird arrived in a small box with a travel pouch and charging cable. I downloaded the free companion app (iOS, Android), connected the device via Bluetooth, and fired up my first breathing exercise.

First impressions

It took a handful of minutes to set up the moonbird; it's intuitive and the app is streamlined. The most time consuming part was getting used to the device itself, which is unlike any other sleep tech I've tested.

Thin and oval, the moonbird has a soft finish and a single sensor for your thumb to rest on. There are no screens, no buttons.

On either side of the moonbird is a set of wings which lift away from the 'body' during use. When they expand, you breathe in. When they contract, you breathe out.

It's an odd sensation. I'd compare it to resting your hand on the flank of a sleeping cat, without the danger of getting scratched.

My first attempt at an exercise was a wash, as I focused less on my breathing and more on the device itself. The next go went better — as moonbird suggested, I started with a shorter program to get used to it

By go three, I'd shaken off any hesitation and was ready to dive in.

Putting moonbird to the test

For me, the moonbird's greatest strength is that it acts as a physical anchor during breathing exercises.

When my mind inevitably begins to wander, I simply direct my thoughts back to the moonbird as it moves in my hand.

Combined with the calming and meditative narration the app provides, that's two things to concentrate on other than stressful thoughts.

As a result, I've found using the moonbird much more effective than following breathing exercises on my own.

On my own, my mind drifts, I'm compelled to look at the time, I lose track of my ins and outs... no wonder anxious thoughts are adept at worming their way through.

But the moonbird takes some of the burden, allowing my body to relax, and giving me a place to direct my thoughts when they threaten to go off-track.

Using the moonbird before bed helps me feel calmer which in turn helps me fall asleep faster; just the weight of it slowly moving in my hand is enough to encourage my breathing to slow.

It also has a screen-free mode. Simply place your thumb on the sensor and a simple breathing exercise will start (admittedly, I've found it can take a while to kick in.)

This is great as part of my bedtime routine but particularly useful when I find myself waking up at 3 a.m. due to anxiety. I just grab my moonbird and allow my breath to flow alongside the movement.

Verdict: Is the moonbird any good?

While it looks slightly strange, and feels even stranger at first, the moonbird has won me over.

As a person who struggles to commit to breathing exercises, it's the perfect physical reminder to inhale and exhale.

The connected app is easy to navigate and the HR tracking allows you to see the benefits of using the moonbird over time.

Because the device helps me move faster from 'fight or flight' (sympathetic mode) to 'rest and digest' (parasympathetic), I've likely increased my restorative sleep (Deep Sleep and REM Sleep). That means I have more energy after waking each morning.

The biggest stumbling block is the price. At $199.99 (US)/ £159 (UK), the moonbird isn't cheap.

However, it's a one-off payment. So unlike a lot of other sleep tech, you don't need to pay a subscription fee to use it ongoing.

For kids, there's also the moonbuddy. This lacks the personalized exercises and biofeedback, but offers practical help to children trying breathing methods (at just $99.99/£69.)

I'd honestly consider the moonbuddy as an adult, particularly for anyone looking to save money and already tracking their heart rate (it's a common feature on the best smartwatches and best sleep trackers.)

Breathing techniques for sleep to try today

If you want to try some calming breathing exercises without the gadgets, I recommend the following:

• 4-7-8 breathing: Breathe in for four, hold for seven, exhale for eight. This can be tricky to master, so it requires practice.
• Box breathing: Breathe in for four, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. This technique is good at grounding you.
• Moon breathing: Close your right nostril with your thumb and breathe in through the left nostril. Release the right nostril, cover the left, and breathe out through the right.
• Resonance frequency breathing: Lie back and inhale through the nose for 4-6 seconds, then exhale through the mouth for 4-6 seconds.

Blackout curtains can create an environment proven to help you fall asleep fast, but science warns they could also be the reason why you're waking up tired. However, the good news is that a simple habit could help give you a morning energy boost, and it only takes seconds.

While blackout curtains are commonly used for blocking sleep disrupting light, with 270 million blackout curtains installed in the US in 2023, physician Dr. Fábio Luiz Vieira, founder of My Brazilian Doctor, warns they may disrupt our circadian rhythm and cause morning fatigue

"Sleep quality is largely determined by darkness at night and light in the morning." says Dr. Vieira. "Waking in darkness can delay circadian signaling and reduce morning alertness."

• Read more: I have more energy and better moods since making this simple change to my sleep routine — but there’s a catch

Key take-aways: At a glance

• Studies show that blackout curtains create a dark environment to boost melatonin, a hormone which helps us fall asleep.
• However, blackout curtains block out morning light, which the body uses as a signal to produce cortisol, a hormone that help us feel awake and alert upon waking.
• When cortisol is reduced due to a lack of daylight in the morning, this can lead to morning fatigue, plus a delayed wake-up time and bedtime.
• To increase alertness in the morning, aim to open your blackout curtains immediately upon waking, urge experts.
• Using a sunrise alarm clock has been proven to increase cortisol and serotonin production, a get-up-and-go hormone combination.

How blackout curtains can cause morning tiredness

Research has shown that those who sleep in a room affected by light pollution are more likely to experience sleep deprivation and anxiety. Meanwhile, a 2021 study found that being exposed to even a small amount of light while sleeping can lead to more nighttime awakenings.

That's where blackout curtains and blinds can step in. Blackout curtains have become a popular sleep tool to reduce the affects of light pollution, creating a dark environment free of sleep-disrupting light.

"Blackout blinds can be beneficial, particularly if you live in environments with lots of light exposure," says James Wilson of Bensons for Beds.

"If we’re woken in the night for whatever reason, the complete darkness helps us to settle back into to sleep more easily than if we were exposed to light," the sleep practitioner adds.

However, while blackout curtains create a sleep-inducing environment at night, they can also create an environment that decreases energy levels in the morning.

Research has found that the addition of blackout curtains can disrupt our natural circadian rhythm, which is our body's internal clock. Study participants reported feeling more alert at night and sluggish in the morning when sleeping in a room with blackout curtains.

This lead to an out-of-sync sleep schedule, characterized by delayed wake-up times and bedtimes.

But why does waking up in darkness cause morning tiredness? Dr. Vieira explains that it's all to do with how darkness increases the production of sleep-promoting hormone melatonin.

"Light is the primary cue for suppressing melatonin and activating the brain’s wake systems," the doctor explains.

Studies have even highlighted how our biological clock relies on light to know that it's daytime, with sunlight boosting cortisol, a hormone that promotes energy and alertness.

According to Wilson, blackout curtains remove a natural (and crucial) wake-up cue.

"Waking up in the dark means our bodies aren’t given the signal to stop producing sleep hormones and to start producing cortisol, which helps us start the day," he warns.

3 quick and easy ways to boost morning energy

While blackout curtains can play havoc with your sleep schedule, Hannah Shore, Head of Sleep Science at MattressOnline, highlights how they're still important — especially during the summer months.

"If we don’t have these, we would be waking up when the sun rises, which can be as early as 4:30am in peak summer," she warns.

Luckily, sleep experts say that there are quick and easy ways to enjoy the sleep-promoting benefits of blackout curtains at night and in the early hours of the morning, without skipping the energy-boosting sunlight when you need to get up.

1. Open your curtains as soon as you wake up

The quickest and easiest way to feel energized in the morning is to head over to your window as soon as you wake up and draw back the curtains.

"Blackout curtains are best combined with intentional morning light exposure, such as opening curtains immediately upon waking, to maintain circadian alignment," advises Dr. Vieira.

In fact, Ruth Jones, a Senior Sleep Writer here at Tom's Guide, swears by this five-second morning habit.

"I needed blackout curtains to fall asleep in a room plagued by streetlights, but the lack of morning sunlight left me groggy and fatigued," says the sleep writer.

To remedy her morning fatigue, Jones says she would open her curtains as soon as her alarm beeped.

"At the first chime, I'd fling my curtains back before hitting snooze, allowing the natural daylight to slowly rouse me; I was awake and alert before the second alarm could start," she tells me.

2. Invest in a sunrise alarm

After testing my first wake-up light for my Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM sunrise alarm clock review, I am now someone who preaches about how refreshing it is to wake up to a gentle, gradually-brightening light instead of a harsh iPhone alarm.

Sunrise alarms work by mimicking a sunrise, and this dawn simulation has been shown to increase cortisol.

"If you're using blackout blinds, I always reccomend coupling them with one of the best sunrise alarm clocks to wake up by light as well as an audible alarm," advises Wilson.

3. Go for a walk in the first hour of the day

Another morning habit I swear by is a quick walk in the morning light. Not only is a morning stroll a great way to get a boost of Vitamin D, it's also proven to be a great way to boost sleep quality and increase energy levels.

To feel more refreshed in the morning, all you need to do is head out the door between 30 and 60 minutes after your alarm.

"Getting access within the first hour of waking every day, so long as it is the same time, will help to set your body clock, which in turn can make it easier to fall asleep and wake up in the future," says Shore.

3 products that boost morning energy

Fitness trackers are great tools for helping you hit your health goals. They remind you to move throughout the day, keep track of changes in your heart rate, keep you accountable around your step count and, for better or for worse, let you know when you've had a rough night sleep.

Although perfect sleep every night just isn't viable, if you're consistently waking up to poor sleep metrics on your sleep tracker and, crucially, you also feel groggy or under-rested, it could be time to think about brushing up on your sleep habits.

Ahead, I'll be sharing the simple habits that I believe truly help me sleep at night, including tips from various experts who explain exactly how these habits result in better sleep.

My average sleep score

Thanks to a culmination of gadgets and healthy sleep habits, my sleep score comfortably sits in the 80+ bracket.

That means my Oura Ring sleep score usually sports a golden crown and my Apple Watch sleep score usually enters the 'High' or 'Very High' ratings (excuse the humblebrag — you'll be to hear I'm sharing my sleep secrets here.)

Take my sleep reports from the end of last week for example. My average sleep latency sits between four and ten minutes, I spent at least 14% and 20% of each night in deep sleep and REM sleep respectively, and achieved at least 90% sleep efficiency (the percentage of time spent asleep while in bed.)

• Read more: Experts explain why your Apple Watch tracks your wrist temperature during sleep — 5 key things it can tell you

5 key habits that help me sleep well every night

Sleeping well doesn't need to be a costly, overwhelming affair involving red lights, supplements, or intricate bedtime time rituals. I put my great sleep down to simple healthy habits.

Although I don't encourage you to constantly chase high sleep scores, if you're a consistent smartwatch wearer, you'll know that 85+ score is nice to see sometimes. Here's how you can get there...

1. I resist the snooze button

Studies show more than 55% of people hit the snooze button every morning, and that has a negative impact on our brain and body. You keep restarting the 'wake-up' process, throwing off sleep and wake hormone cycles, causing prolonged grogginess in the morning.

With a lot of people falling short of the recommended seven hours sleep a night, it's no surprise they try to cram in an extra few minutes when the alarm sounds. But hitting snooze is not the best way to handle sleep deprivation, say experts.

"While it feels comforting in the moment, hitting snooze disrupts your natural waking process and can lead to sleep inertia — that groggy, heavy-headed feeling that lingers after getting out of bed," explains licensed clinical psychologist specializing in sleep and trauma Dr. Leah Kaylor.

This is because you're not getting "meaningful rest" during those extra 5 to 10 minutes, just "fragmented sleep that confuses your brain," says the FBI sleep expert.

Avoiding the snooze button simply takes discipline. I stick to a regular wake up time of 6am so my body clock knows when it is time to rise each day.

Bonus: consistent sleep timings have been proven to add yours to your life, according to a huge new study by Vitality and London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) published this year.

2. I let in light immediately upon waking

(Strictly not light from a screen.)

I first heard about the importance of morning sunlight from neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Huberman. Listeners of the Huberman Lab podcast will know morning sunlight is something the neuroscientist advocates.

And there's plenty of studies showing morning light is indeed critical to sleeping well. As one of the key regulators of the circadian rhythm, light tells your body and brain to wake up and be alert in the morning.

You may have a full day to get through before you sleep again, but ensuring you expose yourself to natural light first thing in the morning helps reset your body clock.

The light essentially kick starts your 24 hour sleep-wake hormone cycle, so by the time evening rolls around, you're producing enough melatonin to make you feel sleepy.

3. I move plenty throughout the day

How much you exercise influences many things in your body from your weight to your heart health to your mental wellbeing, and it has a big sway over your sleep, too.

When my friend asked me the other day what she can do to improve her Garmin deep sleep reading, I immediately recommended a daily walk. In fact, by walking outdoors, you're ticking three boxes on the healthy sleep habits checklist: Get fresh air, plenty of vitamin D, and move your body.

Getting plenty of movement through out the day physically tires you out, building up sleep drive in your body. It also has a positive impact on your mental health (hello, endorphins), which we know gives you a better chance of sleeping at night (goodbye, anxious thoughts.)

This doesn't mean you need to subject yourself to an intense bootcamp every day, even just a daily walk or 20-minute yoga routine can make your body more conducive to sleep.

But, if vigorous activity is what gets you going, experts generally recommend completing it earlier in the day, and practising more gentle exercise in the evening, so your body has time to wind down before bed.

Following this sleep-first exercise routine, my sleep tracker shows my heart rate is lower through the night and I coast more stably through sleep cycles.

4. I eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated

There is a close relationship between what you eat and drink and how well you sleep.

There are plenty of foods considered 'sleep-friendly'. These are typically foods high in magnesium or tryptophan, like tart cherries (remember the sleepy girl mocktail trend), almonds, kiwis, or warm milk.

Eating plenty of these foods within a well-balanced, nutritious diet helps maintain stable blood sugar levels through the night leading to more stable, uninterrupted sleep cycles.

On the beverage side, alcohol and caffeine are, unsurprisingly, not great news for sleep. They raise your heart rate, keep you stimulated, and fragment sleep cycles. But keeping hydrated is crucial for sleep.

Drinking plenty of h20 prevents headaches, cramps, and snoring, while aiding the cooling process and heart rate stability needed for peaceful sleep.

"When you're dehydrated, your body struggles to regulate temperature and balance, making it harder to enter the deep, restorative sleep phases," explains Dr. Jeff Rosenberg, physician at Prime IV Hydration and Wellness.

5. I leave my phone outside my bedroom

Our phones, the devices attached to our hand for too many hours of the day, are the biggest stealers of quality rest.

Be you procrastinating bedtime by scrolling, flooding your eyes with light when you wake up at 3a.m., or reaching for it first thing in the morning, your phone simply doesn't bode well with sleep.

“Phone use keeps the mind cognitively active," explains GP and physician Dr. Ola Otulana. "Whether you’re reading, reacting, or scrolling, your brain stays alert and engaged.”

“This mental stimulation can delay the natural rise of melatonin and interrupt your body’s circadian rhythm and also increase the likelihood of restless sleep," the doctor adds.

To kick my bedtime doom scrolling habit, I started leaving my phone to charge in a different room overnight back in January and haven't looked back.

Now I fully rely on a sunrise alarm clock to wake me up and read before bed, and I'm certainly seeing the sleep benefits. I'm falling asleep on time and, without a stack of notifications inducing stress, I'm waking up feeling calmer and more prepared for the day.

The Oura Ring 4 has sat on my left index finger for over a year now, tracking my health during the day and monitoring my sleep during the night. It’s safe to say, I’m obsessed with the data.

Because the Oura Ring doesn’t just track my sleep; it’s helped me understand and improve it. The detailed data collection and easy-to-understand displays are turning me into a better sleeper, so I can start each day full of energy.

Accurate tracking is just one of the reasons I rate the Oura Ring as the best sleep tracker of 2026. With excellent battery and a comfortable fit, it's impressive all-round.

And having seen me through marathons and helped me hit near perfect sleep scores, I sing the praises of the Oura Ring Sleep Tracker to anyone who’ll listen... now it's your turn!

Key take-aways: At a glance

• The Oura Ring 4 is our top-rated sleep tracker of 2026, thanks to its comfortable fit and accurate health tracking.
• Understanding your Oura Ring data can help you become a better sleeper.
• The Oura Ring sleep score emphasizes the importance of good sleep architecture — that means high quality sleep, not just high quantity.
• Consistent wear also has benefits, including sleep chronotype data and tips to suit your sleep style.
• All-round health tracking encourages responsible habits for better sleep.
• Our testing showed the Oura Ring has great battery life and a more comfortable fit than many other wearables.

3 things the Oura Ring taught me about sleep

After 12 months of wearing it, here's everything the Oura Ring has taught me about my sleep...

1. The importance of deep and REM sleep

Even if I get eight hours of sleep, my Oura sleep score is never 'excellent' unless I spend ample time in each crucial sleep stage, namely deep and REM sleep.

Essential for physical repair and mental sanitation, deep and REM sleep are the stages of sleep that really matter; the ones that make sure you wake up feeling restored and energised. They are the protein and carbs in your sleep diet, if you will.

Your Oura Ring knows this. Therefore, to unlock a high sleep score you must spend around two hours in both deep and REM stages rather than coasting through the night in light sleep. These are the scientifically-backed guidelines around what sleep good quality.

Whereas before I assumed sleeping eight hours was the answer to good health, I now understand that sleep architecture is more important than sleep duration if you want to waking up feeling physically and mentally restored.

2. You can work with your chronotype for increased energy

Being an early bird, someone who's wired to fall asleep early and rise early, is just the way I'm wired. Now I'm an Oura Ring guru, I understand how I can work with my biological chronotype — aka your body’s natural timing preference — to sleep well and feel energised when I need to.

Oura is one of the few sleep trackers to cover your chronotype, and its chronotype data is certainly the most comprehensive compared to other wearables.

After wearing the Oura Ring 3 or Ring 4 for three months consistently, it calculates your chronotype and then tracks your sleep against your natural preferences. Combined with Oura’s Body Clock feature, this pinpoints your ideal sleep window according to your biology.

That means you can identify the time you’re biologically primed to fall asleep. This way you'll know the exact sleep and wake times you should aim for to optimise your energy levels and function in line with your body's natural cycles.

What's more, this makes it easier to maintain a consistent sleep schedule, which new studies prove is essential to boosting positive health outcomes and longevity. Oura really is looking out for your health and wellness.

3. Your daily habits impact your sleep more than you may think

A daily walk, good nutrition, and plenty of sunlight are all on the sleep green list, whereas late night meals, alcohol, and avoiding movement get the red card from the sleep doctor. And I've seen how these habits actually impact sleep quality through my Oura Ring sleep reports.

Pre-Oura-Ring I knew alcohol and too much caffeine weren't great news for sleep. When booze was involved, I'd typically loose hours of sleep, run a little hotter at night, and wake up feeling groggy. Now, I understand exactly how alcohol impacts my sleep health.

From high overnight heart rate to poor HRV readings, disjointed sleep cycles and shallow sleep, my Oura sleep report is always impacted by drinking alcohol or caffeine too late in the day.

Having this ring keep me accountable, I've found I'm making healthier choices to protect my sleep and heart health. Sure, as a twenty-something, I still enjoy a drink at social occasions, but I now chose to prioritise my sleep at least five to six nights a week. It's all about balance, right?

3 other reasons to love the Oura Ring

From comfort to value for money and sleep knowledge, there's plenty of reasons to love the Oura Ring.

1. It's comfortable to wear to bed

From a sleep comfort perspective, the Oura Ring sits comfortably, almost unnoticeably, on your finger through the night.

I'm a nighttime wriggler and only one night during the whole year have I found my ring displaced while I've been asleep. Don't ask me how, but one night it happened to slip off my finger (at 4am according to when my sleep tracking stopped) and I found it wrapped up in my sheets in the morning.

2. Sleep tracking is top notch

Along with my own testing under our robust sleep tracker testing methodology, scientific studies reveal it to be the most reliable consumer sleep tracker on the market. Plus there's plenty of value considering it goes beyond simply tracking your sleep to providing personalised sleep advice.

The AI-powered Oura Advisor offers sleep tips based on your individual sleep metrics and patterns. And you'll get a nightly notification delivered to your phone reminding you to leave enough time to wind down for quality sleep.

3. It helps you prioritize your wellbeing

Certified health and wellness coach Erin Clifford, LPC, NBC-HWC, agrees that the Oura Ring is a great tool for monitoring and improving your sleep health.

"I always encourage my clients to track their sleep," the licensed professional counselor says. "I track my sleep with an Oura Ring. And what I like about it is that it can not only help you with seeing when you go to bed, how your different sleep is, how you're recovering.

"But also if you're someone who struggles with their sleep, it can be encouraging at times too, because even if you woke up during the night, or maybe you didn't get your full seven to nine hours, you can still see that you're getting some good sleep."

Clifford's favorite feature? It's the recovery score because that focuses on the main purpose of sleep — priming our recovery for optimal functioning and performance the following day.

Clifford says paying attention to this feature is just as important as the sleep score. "When you have a recovery that's low, you should listen to that," she advises. That may mean swapping a planned heavy workout for a gentler walk or yoga class.

Finally, Clifford cautions it's important not to get too caught up in the data. "Allow yourself to have some breaks here or there," she says, "if you feel yourself getting a little too dependent on your sleep tracker."

Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is one of those sleep tracker metrics that doesn't often step into the limelight, but understanding what it means and how to improve yours is crucial for getting a better quality of sleep, and for sleeping through the night.

I recently spoke to endocrinologist and geneticist Fady Hannah-Shmouni MD FRCPC, Anna Elitzur, a mental health expert at Welltory, plus sleep and recovery specialist Anna West, to get a clear definition of HRV and its relationship with sleep.

They explain why a high HRV (typically 70ms – 100ms+) during sleep is a good thing, what impacts it, and the three easy steps you can take starting today to increase your low overnight HRV (20ms – 30ms) for better sleep and more energy in the mornings. Here's what they told me...

• Read more: Experts explain why your Apple Watch tracks your wrist temperature during sleep — 5 key things it can tell you

What is Heart Rate Variability (HRV)?

"Heart Rate Variability is the variation in the time between individual heartbeats, measured in milliseconds," explains West.

"Even if your smartwatch says your heart rate is 60 beats per minute, the time between each beat isn’t perfectly regular. One gap might be 980 milliseconds, the next 1040."

Your HRV reading accounts for the change in the interval between heartbeats. It "measures how quickly your body can go from a state of being alert to a state of being calm, or vice versa," adds Hannah-Shmouni, who is a Professor at the University of British Columbia.

Generally, high HRV means you handle stress well and your nervous system is flexible (which equals quality sleep), while low HRV indicates stress, fatigue, or less resilience (leads to poor sleep).

West says a simple way to think about it is like a suspension in a sports car. "A car with good suspension can absorb bumps and adapt to the road. HRV reflects how well your body can adapt to the “bumps” of life — training, work stress, travel, or poor sleep," the sleep and recovery specialist illustrates.

Although there is not a direct correlation, when your resting heart rate is up due to stress, your HRV is generally down.

HRV is primarily a biomarker for exercise recovery, but as the body does most physiological maintenance overnight, wearable rings and many top-rated sleep trackers like Garmin, Oura and Whoop include an HRV reading in their sleep reports.

Understanding HRV and sleep

While a low heart rate indicates solid health, a higher HRV overnight generally signals better recovery and sleep quality.

"Typically, HRV is the highest during deep non-REM sleep, showing strong parasympathetic activity that supports tissue repair, hormone regulation, and immune recovery," explains Elitzur.

Light sleep is associated with moderate HRV, and "during REM sleep HRV naturally fluctuates due to bursts of sympathetic activity linked to dreaming," she adds.

A higher HRV overnight usually means the body is spending more time in a parasympathetic recovery state.

Hannah-Shmouni adds that high HRV can be reflective of more consistent, regular sleep, which is crucial for longevity and wellbeing, according to several new studies.

What's really important is stability and regularity in your HRV, says the Medical Director at Eli Health.

"If your HRV is normally high, but one night you notice it was lower than usual, you can identify a period of stress, like overtraining, psychological stress, or burnout," he explains.

"When HRV is lower on a given day, it's important to pay extra attention to managing stressors as they come."

What impacts HRV overnight?

Just like drinking a coffee after 2pm, or staying indoors all day, can have a negative impact on your sleep, your daytime habits and lifestyle choices can influence your HRV overnight.

"Anything that pushes the body toward a 'fight-or-flight' state during the night will usually lower HRV," explains West, and those stress factors can begin in the day.

Here are the specific things that take a toll...

1. Alcohol

Alcohol consumption, even in small amounts, usually decreases HRV and raises your resting heart rate, because it increases stress on your nervous system.

Alcohol is certainly the culprit that I've noticed has had the biggest impact on my overnight HRV readings in my Garmin sleep reports.

"Someone might feel like they slept perfectly fine after a few drinks, but their wearable often tells a different story: heart rate stays elevated, HRV drops, and recovery scores fall," West explains.

That's because the body is still working hard overnight to process alcohol, which keeps the nervous system in a more stressed state.

Booze impairs deep and REM sleep stages, which suppresses physical recovery. The negative impact of alcohol on HRV is dose-dependent, meaning the more drinks you have the more significant the decrease in your HRV.

2. Exercise

Intense exercise puts stress on the body and when you hit the gym or train late in the evening, your overnight HRV will clock the impact.

West explains your body needs time to move from training to recovery. "An athlete might log a very intense session at 9pm, go to bed on time, and still see lower HRV overnight," says the sports scientist.

"The body simply needs more time to shift from a high-stress training state into full recovery mode."

That's why sleep experts recommend tailoring your exercise regime for sleep. Hannah-Shmouni advises completing vigorous exercise early in the day and saving gentle movement, like yoga or a walk, for the evening when it can help shift your body into a relaxed, sleepy state.

3. Stress

From keeping you awake at bedtime to causing sleep paralysis and 3am wake-ups (thanks to cortisol spikes), stress doesn't bode well for sleep.

Reflecting the total stress load on the body, it's no surprise that physical and psychological stress impacts HRV.

"Overnight HRV acts almost like a 'stress audit' for the previous day," says West, "it reflects the combined impact of everything your body had to deal with before you went to sleep."

This stress can be physical as well as psychological. Overtraining your body with too many workouts and not enough recovery time can lower your HRV just as much as a stressful day at work.

4. Illness

Illness pushes the body into a stressed, fight-or-flight state. Therefore, a significant drop in your HRV can also indicate an illness is on its way.

This is because your body will be trying to fight off that cold, virus or infection, increasing stress as the sympathetic nervous system takes over.

A decrease in HRV is often one of the first signs of illness, even before symptoms appear, as the body's immune system activates.

Tracking your HRV becomes very handy here as you can detect an illness, catch symptoms early, and start taking it easy before it escalates.

Essentially, any sudden dip in HRV should be taken as a signal to take a step back, rest and recuperate.

How to increase HRV during sleep

So, to push your body towards parasympathetic activity (and a higher HRV), you need to work on lowering stress before bed. Good sleep depends on how well you reduce your heart rate in the evening. Here's how you can do it...

1. Try a breathing exercise

Elitzur recommends slow breathing exercises for "activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps you prepare better for good quality sleep."

From box breathing to the 4-7-8 method, there are plenty of sleep-inducing breathing practices to pick from.

These methods all work to lower the heart rate and activate the rest and digest response in the body.

Take the 4-7-8 method, for example. You inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds, and this helps you distract your mind while calming your body.

Used as part of a well-established nighttime routine, breathing methods can help your body learn when it is time to wind down for sleep.

2. Prep your bedroom for sleep

The same practices that result in better sleep quality in general tend to be useful for improving HRV and preventing stress when it’s time to sleep. Therefore, a cool, calm bedroom is essential.

"Having a cool bedroom, reducing noise levels, and having a dark environment is crucial for a good night’s sleep," advises Elitzur.

Reserving your bedroom for sleep and making it conducive to rest — with a low temperature (experts say between 65 to 70 F / 18 to 21 °C is optimal for sleep), quiet environment, and minimal light — helps stable melatonin production through the night. This helps you fall asleep fast and sleep through the night.

We recommend finding the right mattress and pillow for your body type and sleep style to ensure you sleep and wake up pain-free.

You can find our seasoned mattress testers' top picks in our guide to the best mattresses and best pillows of 2026.

3. Manage light exposure

If you're anything like me, screens can cause you stress. If it's not my work laptop, it's my notification-infested phone, and either way, it's just not a device I associate with being calm.

"Avoiding phones, laptops, and other screens for at least 30 to 60 minutes before bed helps you sleep better," explains Elitzur, "because blue light suppresses melatonin and keeps the nervous system alert."

The light exposure also keeps the stress and alertness hormone cortisol risen in the body, stopping you from falling into deep, restorative sleep.

Therefore, putting your tech to bed or, even better, leaving your phone out of the bedroom, means you're free of that stress when you enter your sleep space, lowering your heart rate and giving you a better chance of getting a stable, high HRV overnight.

Summary

Remember, HRV is personal

The key thing people often misunderstand is that there isn’t a universal 'good' HRV number, warns West. That's because age, genetics, training status, and even body size can influence HRV.

"What matters most is your personal baseline and trends over time," she says.

"For example, an athlete might normally sit around 80 ms overnight. If it suddenly drops to 55 for several nights, that could indicate fatigue, illness, or accumulated stress — even if 55 would be normal for someone else."

"So, HRV is best viewed like a personalised dashboard metric, not a leaderboard," concludes West.

Sleep trackers that monitor HRV

An estimated 80% of sleep apnea cases remain undiagnosed worldwide but your sleep tracker could hold the key to a successfully spotting symptoms of the condition, a study by Samsung has found.

“For years, the inconvenience of an in-lab clinical sleep study has been a barrier to diagnosing sleep apnea,” explained behavioral sleep scientist Dr. Vanessa Hill to Samsung.

But metrics such as sleep interruptions, total sleep time, and REM sleep could help you seek diagnosis and treatment.

Health tech company Withings is also raising awareness this Sleep Week, with the launch of the Sleep Care Solution, a team-up between your sleep tracker and telehealth. With help from Carlos Nunez, MD, Sleep Health Expert and Chief Medical Officer at Resmed, here's all you need to know.

• Read more: Sleep apnea weakens muscles and bone health, new study says — doctors explain why and how to manage it

Key take-aways: At a glance

• Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) impacts millions of people worldwide but because it's hard to detect, many people go undiagnosed.
• According to Samsung, '80% of sleep apnea sufferers don't even know they have it.' This figure is taken from the Obstructive Sleep Apnea National Indicator Report, published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2023).
• Samsung reports that roughly 23% of users surveyed are at risk of sleep apnea.
• According to guidelines published by the National Institute of Health, sleep apnea symptoms include frequent loud snoring, gasping for air, and breathing that stops and starts.
• Less obvious symptoms, says the Mayo Clinic, include dry mouth, daytime fatigue, headaches, insomnia, and waking at night to pee (nocturia).
• Researchers behind the Samsung survey say that your sleep tracker could help you identify signs of sleep apnea — and it's not just about the snoring detection.
• If your sleep tracker records reduced REM and deep sleep, as well as frequent nighttime awakenings, it might be a sign of sleep apnea. But only a qualified doctor can give a confirmed diagnosis.
• Rival health tech brand Withings has today announced a sleep apnea telemedicine partnership with California-based sleep clinic Dune Health: 'An integrated clinical service aimed at improving sleep health and diagnosing/treating sleep apnea.'

What is the Samsung Sleep Apnea survey?

Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by disrupted breathing during the night, resulting in brief awakenings and poor sleep quality. Dr. Hill warns these awakenings can be the "difference between simply being ‘in bed’ and getting restorative rest."

However, detecting sleep apnea is tricky. "You don't know because you're asleep while it's happening," explains Dr. Nunez.

That's why the Samsung study reports that roughly 23% of participants are at risk of sleep apnea, but they might not be aware of the problem.

“Sleep apnea affects many dimensions of sleep — duration, quality, sleep efficiency and even daytime fatigue,” Dr. Hill explains. “Together, they help determine our health and functioning.”

With a sleep apnea diagnosis typically requiring an overnight sleep study, Samsung wants to draw attention to the often overlooked signs of sleep apnea — including the ones you can observe with a sleep tracker.

“Wearable technology such as Galaxy Watch is a breakthrough because it democratizes that first step, allowing people to gather meaningful data from their own beds and providing a starting point for a conversation with a healthcare professional,” explains Dr. Hill.

The Galaxy Watch's Sleep Apnea feature promises improved at-home detection, using BioActive Sensors to monitor blood oxygen levels and Sleep Coaching tips to target improved sleep health.

The sleep apnea signs and sleep tracker metrics to look for

If you suspect you have sleep apnea the first metric you're likely to check on your sleep tracker is snore detection.

Speaking to us about the symptoms of sleep apnea, Joshua Piper, Sleep Clinician at ResMed UK, described snoring as the "hallmark of sleep apnea."

However, you might be overlooking other, subtler, indicators that OSA is disrupting your sleep, such as awakenings and sleep stage duration.

According to Samsung, those with OSA get overall four minutes less REM sleep and eight minutes less deep sleep due to frequent awakenings. So when you check your tracker, make sure to look at time spent in each sleep stage and interruptions / nighttime awakenings.

Dr. Nunez describes these as "subtle signs and symptoms" that are often ignored. "Just because your tracker says you're sleeping enough hours, if you have something like sleep apnea, every one of those hours, you're actually suffocating, not sleeping," he says.

Your sleep tracker isn't the only outside party you should be consulting.

Dr. Nunez says your family and loved ones are most likely to spot apnea incidents; "it's usually that family member who's close to you who says, 'Hey, you have a problem'." (He himself didn't get tested for OSA until his children pointed out his loud snoring and frequent naps.)

Other symptoms of sleep apnea include waking up with a dry mouth and headache, while Piper describes daytime fatigue as a "red flag" that apnea is preventing you from getting high quality sleep.

Withings announces sleep apnea telemedicine partnership

In 2025, the Withings sleep and health database detected signs of sleep apnea in 35% of users in the U.S., correlating to roughly 2 million nights of disrupted sleep.

To combat this, Withings has teamed up with Dune Health to create Sleep Care Solutions, providing users with access to telemedicine care.

Through the Withings app, users can contact sleep medicine specialists at Dune Health, using data collected by the Withings Sleep Tracker to identify issues and create long-term treatment plans.

“Research supported by connected devices, combined with the expertise of sleep specialists, creates an opportunity to improve sleep care, address long-term health risks, and deliver a more personalized health experience,” said Dr. Singh, a Cardiologist and Special Medical Advisor.

A common household item could be stopping you from falling asleep fast and getting enough deep sleep, without you even knowing. However, the good news is that there is an easy way to fix it.

Health scientist Tom Coleman, who is also a sleep expert at Hillarys, explains how your home's ultra-bright bulbs, especially ones emitting cool blueish-white light, could be making it harder for you to fall asleep and make you more prone to insomnia.

"The last rooms you’re in before you go to bed, such as the bathroom, the hallway and the kitchen, are [normally] fitted with ultra-bright overhead LEDs that are closer to studio lighting than a calming nighttime environment," Coleman says. "Bright, cool-toned light tells the brain it’s daytime."

Here's why ultra-bright LED lights make it harder for you to fall asleep and get the deep sleep you need, plus the $7 fix you could use instead.

Key take-aways: At a glance

• Exposure to bright, blue-white light two hours before bed can shift your circadian rhythm back by two hours.
• This will make it harder for you to fall asleep, and it can increase middle insomnia (nighttime awakenings).
• Exposure to any type of light while sleeping can decrease the amount of deep sleep you get and increase how often you wake up during the night.
• To stop light disrupting your sleep, the health expert recommends switching to warm, amber light in the evenings and especially two hours before the time you want to sleep.
• You could also use light-blocking eye masks and blackout curtains at night.

• Read more: Reading in bed was keeping me awake, but this $16 gadget helps me fall asleep before I can even finish my chapter

How bright light before bed affects your sleep

• Blue light acts as a biological 'off switch' for melatonin, the hormone your body needs to transition into deep, restorative sleep.

I recently tested (and still use) the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM, and I know from its sunrise simulation and sunset simulation that bright, blue-white lightings signal daylight, while dim, warm-toned lighting signals dusk.

And this can be a problem when every room in your house is all aglow with dazzling cool-toned lighting, with one study finding that exposure within two to fours hours before bed can delay bedtime by an average of 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there's evidence that light bulbs, which are found in 47% of U.S. households, in the evening (about two hours before and after usual bedtime) can shift circadian rhythm about two hours later per day.

Meanwhile, LED light bulbs (which 47% of U.S. households) have also been found to emit blue light that can suppress twice as much melatonin than a yellow-green light.

"You’re essentially telling your brain it’s midday," warns Coleman.

Specialized cells in your eyes contain a light-sensitive protein called melanopsin. When hit by blue-wavelength light from your bathroom LED, these cells send a direct signal to the brain's 'master clock' to stop producing melatonin immediately.

Coleman also says that the common nighttime routine mistake of showering, brushing your teeth, and washing your face right before bed can also wreak havoc on your sleep thanks to bright bathroom lighting that "blasts your brain with a wake-up call."

However, it's not just LED light in the bathroom that can disrupt sleep.

According to Coleman, even when when you're tucked up in bed with all the lights switched off, light can still creep in to ruin your night.

"Once you’re in bed, light continues to be one of the biggest threats to deep sleep — we massively underestimate how sensitive the brain is to brightness," the sleep expert warns.

He explains that outside light or even the a crack in the curtain can cause nighttime awakenings and leave people "feeling groggy, irritable, and less resilient".

"Natural dawn light, street lamps, car headlights, and even the standby glow of electronics can nudge the brain out of deeper sleep stages, where rest and recovery happen," says Coleman.

In fact, a 2021 study found that sleeping in a room with even a small amount of light elevates heart rate throughout the night, which can lead to nighttime awakenings, have adverse effects on cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Another study discovered that those living with heavy light pollution tend to get much less sleep, leading to an increase in experiencing anxiety and mood disorders.

How to reduce light pollution in your bedroom

According to Coleman, if bright, cool-toned lighting is causing sleep issues, then the best thing to do is to switch it with dim, warm-toned lighting instead. And this can be as simple as choosing to buy a $7 pack of amber-colored bulbs at Amazon.

"Warm, amber-toned bulbs, shaded lamps, candles, and dimmers all help reinforce the body’s natural preparation for sleep," he suggests. "It’s not about making your house dim; it’s about giving your brain consistent cues."

Amber lighting, which mimics candlelight or a fireplace, is a dim artificial light that has been shown to help people fall asleep faster and fewer awakenings, making it a perfect reading light.

Research has also found that amber-tinted lenses can block out blue light and improve sleep quality and mood.

As for light when you're trying to fall asleep, research proves that closing your eyes at night is not enough to block out sleep-disrupting light. However, the good news is that eye masks have been proven to promote deep sleep and improve alertness the next day.

As for blocking out external light, such as street lamps or your neighbours annoying security light, Coleman recommends blackout blinds, as a room with complete darkness has been shown to reduce insomnia.

3 products that stop light from ruining your sleep

Optimizing your sleep environment doesn't require much effort. Based on Coleman's expert advice, here are three budget-friendly ways to fall asleep faster and reclaim your deep sleep tonight...

Other bedtime mistakes keeping you awake at night

Too much exposure to light in the hours before bed isn't the only thing that's disrupting your sleep.

For instance, 2019 study found that those who ate meals after 8pm were more likely to take longer to fall asleep, experience poor sleep quality, and experience daytime sleepiness. Late meals also exacerbated conditions such as sleep apnea.

As for staying hydrated, a study has shown that a fluid intake of more than 500ml within two hours before bedtime can trigger nocturia, increasing nocturnal awakenings and decreasing next-day alertness.

Also, if your bedtime includes sharing a bed with a four-legged friend, then you should know that it's been reported that 63% of pet owners who sleep with their pet more than four nights a week have poor sleep quality.

Another nighttime routine mistake is working out less than four hours before bed. Research has found that vigorous exercise within a four-hour window before bedtime can shorted sleep duration and make it harder to fall asleep.

Ever woken up from what you thought was a solid eight hours sleep, expecting to find an excellent sleep score on your Apple Watch, only to find one lingering in the low 50s?

Firstly, don’t be disheartened. There are several valid reasons why your score may be lower than you expected. It may well mean the sleep you had wasn’t great quality, or you’re making some common sleep hygiene mistakes.

It can also be caused by a device error.

More importantly, there’s plenty you can do to fix these things to improve your sleep health, sleep tracking, and your sleep score.

To help you get to the bottom of why your Apple sleep score may be low even after clocking the CDC-recommended at least 7 hours sleep a night, this Sleep Awareness Week I’ve called upon sleep specialist at Empower Health, Dr. Sahil Chopra, and medical director at digital sleep clinic Dreem Health, Dr. William Lu.

3 reasons your Apple Watch sleep score is low even if you had enough sleep

• 1. Your sleep was light or fragmented
• 2. You're sleeping at irregular times
• 3. You drank alcohol the night before

Dr. Chopra says that, outside of sleep duration, inconsistency and interruptions are the two drivers of a low score.

The California-based intensivist and pulmonologist explains: “Even if someone slept a full 7 to 8 hours, their score can still come in low if their bedtime and wake time have been inconsistent over the past two weeks, or if their sleep was frequently interrupted, even by brief arousals they don't remember.”

Let's dig into why...

1. Your sleep was light or fragmented

Your Apple Watch may report a ‘low’ sleep score despite eight hours in bed because the score heavily weighs sleep quality over total duration — as it should considering research shows sleep quality matters as much as quantity.

“Devices like the Apple Watch look at restlessness, time awake, heart rate, and breathing patterns, not just total time in bed,” explains Dr. Lu. “If you were tossing and turning, waking up frequently, or spending less time in deep and REM sleep, your score will reflect that.”

For your sleep to be of good quality, you must spend ample time cycling through restorative sleep stages like deep and REM sleep (where your mind and body really recovers), rather than coasting through light sleep, or ‘core sleep’, as Apple terms it.

As your watch deducts points for low amounts of REM or deep sleep, your score can drop regardless of total sleep time.

How to fix it

To improve deep and REM sleep, you must follow healthy sleep habits like getting plenty of sunlight during the day, stick to a consistent sleep schedule (more on that below), avoid caffeine late in the day, and follow a calming bedtime routine.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that the Apple Watch is proven to underestimate the duration of deep sleep by an average 43 minutes and overestimate light sleep by an average of 45 minutes compared to polysomnography.

This is according to a 2024 study by researchers in the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School. So, there’s the possibility of a discrepancy between the sleep you actually had and the data you’re given.

• Read more: Experts explain why your Apple Watch tracks your wrist temperature during sleep — 5 key things it can tell you

2. You’re sleeping at irregular times

Sure you may be clocking eight hours a night, but experts continually say sleep regularity (going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time night in, night out) is crucial to getting good sleep and maintaining good health — and your Apple Watch knows this.

Why so much emphasis on regularity? “Because your body runs on a circadian rhythm that thrives on consistency,” says Dr. Lu. Therefore, “a consistent seven and a half hours will leave you feeling better than an erratic eight or nine,” advises the physician.

Consistent sleep timings help regulate your internal clock, so that your body gets used to releasing sleep-inducing hormones at the right times of day.

A well regulated circadian rhythm helps you fall asleep fast, sleep soundly through the night, and wake up on time, feeling restored; hence why it is such an influential factor in your Apple sleep score.

How to fix it

Dr. Chopra adds: “The absence of regularity is associated with a dysfunctional circadian system, and the downstream consequences are significant: cognitive decline, cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, and mental health issues.”

A 2023 study in SLEEP Journal found sleep regularity is actually a stronger predictor of all-cause mortality than sleep duration. The results showed people with the most consistent schedules had a 20% to 48% lower risk of death.

Therefore, experts including Dr. Chopra agree that sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is the single most important thing you can do, not only to improve your sleep health and ace your Apple Sleep Score, but to boost your longevity, too.

“From a longevity and precision medicine standpoint, this is one of the highest-leverage behavioral targets we have,” concludes the Harvard Medical School fellow turned CEO.

3. You drank alcohol the night before

“Alcohol, late meals, stress, or heavy workouts close to bedtime can disrupt sleep architecture, which wearables pick up through changes in heart rate variability and movement,” explains Dr. Lu.

Alcohol is specifically harmful to sleep quality because it acts like sedative, so you fall quickly into what you think is a deep sleep. But plenty of scientific studies suggest the initial sedative effect of alcohol will wane as its levels in the blood decrease.

This means that while there may be a reduction in sleep onset latency (the time it takes to fall asleep), your sleep is more likely to be disrupted later in the night.

After drinking, your nighttime heart rate increases (your body must work harder to get rid of the alcohol), which can fragment sleep and stop you entering those restorative and REM stages.

Therefore, your sleep is not helping to flush out toxins in the brain or repair muscles, so you wake up groggy rather than well rested.

Your Apple Watch identifies potential alcohol consumption by tracking significant overnight changes to physiological metrics like elevated heart rate and decreased heart rate variability (HRV). When these metrics deviate from your baseline, your sleep score decreases.

How to fix it

If you want to have an alcoholic drink, or eat a heavy meal, do so earlier in the evening and well away from bedtime.

This will give your body enough time to stop breaking down the alcohol, and to digest your food, so that come bedtime it can focus on the business of helping you to sleep, rather than spending energy getting rid of toxins and aiding digestion.

According to Clinical Psychologist Dr Leah Kaylor: "It's best to stay away from alcohol at least three to four hours before your usual bedtime."

Some drinks are worse for your sleep than others. Dr Paul Daidone, Medical Director at True Self Recovery told us this when speaking about the effects of alcohol on sleep: "A very small amount of alcohol — one serving (5 oz) of wine, one bottle (12 oz) of beer, or one small serving (1.5 oz) of liquor — is less likely to interfere with sleep significantly if taken earlier in the evening.

"Low-alcohol beer or red wine, which are lower-strength drinks, will interfere less with sleep than stronger liquors," he explained.

Eating your largest meal of the day for breakfast (known as breakfasting like a king, a metabolism hack that helps avoid 3am wake ups), and your smallest at dinner, can also help you sleep better.

Digesting food raises your core body temperature, which can make it harder to fall asleep. Digesting spicy, rich foods can also wake you up through the night, especially if you have GERD symptoms.

So eating lighter meals in the evening helps make this process easier and doesn't raise your temperature too much right before bed.

The best foods to help you sleep are those naturally brimming with sleep-friendly nutrients and minerals such as magnesium, b vitamins, and tryptophan.

Aim to load up your dinner plate with foods like spinach, peppers, black beans, turkey, and roasted veggies, and banana for pudding.

What your Apple sleep score means

Every morning, the Apple Watch — worn by over 129 million people globally from serious fitness enthusiasts to people interested in their general health — rates your rest on a scale of 0 to 100.

That means, nowadays, the first thing many people do in the morning is check Apple’s verdict on last night’s sleep. But what does this score mean and what goes into calculating it? Let’s dig in…

Apple was in fact late to the sleep score party, only introducing the feature with the drop of watchOS 26 in September 2025.

The score, out of 100, is calculated by analyzing several different sleep metrics — overall sleep duration compared to time spent in bed, the frequency and duration of wake periods through the night, and how close your bed and wake-up time is compared to your average.

Apple categorizes your score in one of five categories from ‘Very Low’ (0-40) to ‘Low’ (41-59), ‘OK’ (60-74), ‘High’ (75-89), and ‘Very High’ (90-100).

The score is built from three key factors, each with a different weighting:

• Sleep Duration (up to 50 points): The biggest contributor to your score, your Apple Watch measures how long you actually slept, rather than time spent in bed, and compares it to your sleep goal. The amount of points you collect (out of 50) depends on how close you are to that target.
• Bedtime Regularity (up to 30 points): Apple tracks how consistent your sleep timing is from night to night. Going to bed at wildly different times — even if you get eight hours shut eye — will cost you points.
• Interruptions (up to 20 points): Brief awakenings through the night are a normal part of a healthy sleep cycle, but too frequent or long periods awake reduce the restorative nature of sleep. Hence, Apple measures the number and duration of interruptions in your sleep and scores accordingly.

Perceived sleep quality > Sleep tracking data

As mentioned above, you shouldn’t take the data as the be-all and end-all. “The Sleep Score is a crude composite metric that gives you a rough sense of the relative health of someone's sleep. But it also has blind spots that we need to be aware of,” Dr. Chopra reminds us.

Therefore, these wearables shouldn’t absolutely govern your perception of your health and performance. Your energy levels and mental clarity give a strong indication of how well you slept, despite what the data says. No orthosomnia here.

Wearable trackers are, however, helpful tools to keep you accountable around your sleep hygiene and activity levels.

Your Apple Watch can help you monitor your sleep patterns from night to night and understand how your habits may help or hurt your sleep.

Explaining its sleep score, Apple itself states: “The classification is not necessarily an indication of how you feel when you wake up, but can give you a sense of whether or not your body got the sleep it needed to rest and restore itself.”

Dr. Chopra emphasises they should be used as a tool for self-awareness, not as a diagnosis. “Sleep trackers are good at surfacing patterns. Maybe you notice your score drops every time you have alcohol, or that your consistency falls apart on weekends. That kind of data-driven behavioral feedback is very valuable,” he says.

“But don't let the number become a source of anxiety. We see patients who lose sleep worrying about their sleep score, which is counterproductive.

"Focus on the fundamentals: consistent bed and wake times, a cool and dark sleep environment, limiting alcohol and screens before bed.”

How to check your Apple sleep tracking settings are accurate

If your sleep quality and schedule are both in check, you feel like you’re sleeping well and waking up with energy, the other explanation for your low score could be a wearable error.

From getting the right fit to enabling six crucial sleep settings, there are several things you can fine tune to ensure you're getting the best sleep tracking from your Apple Watch.

First you want to make sure your watch is sitting securely, and comfortably, through the night. Poor sensor contact can skew your sleep data as the built-in accelerometer may interpret your movements and any restlessness through the night as awakenings, decreasing sleep efficiency and, therefore, your overall score.

Moreover, you can turn on settings like Wrist Detection (enables overnight heart rate tracking) and blood oxygen monitoring in the Apple Health app.

Both these features are vital for detecting different sleep stages, which shape the quality of your sleep. Without this recording and data being accurate, your sleep score won’t be a true reflection of your rest.

As someone who writes about sleep for a living, I was becoming increasingly frustrated with my groggy mornings, sleepy afternoons and disrupted nights. And I refused to blame it only on the cold, dark weather of winter.

I sleep on the best mattress for my body, maintain excellent sleep hygiene and regularly test out the latest sleep products to supercharge my rest. So what was wrong? Why weren’t my go-to sleep hacks working?

I reached out to Dr. Lindsay Browning, a renowned sleep expert and neuroscientist, to find out what was behind my lack of energy and what I could do about it. After asking a few questions about my routine, she offered me a solution…

• Read more: 3 doctors recommended this sleep hygiene tip and it's why I'm finally waking up with loads of energy — here's how it works

The gadget a neuroscientist recommended for me

On a call with Dr. Browning, who also holds a doctorate in experimental psychology researching insomnia, I complained of my grogginess in the morning. I described feeling foggy after waking, and that this feeling sometimes lasted until midday.

The neuroscientist explained that this sleep inertia might be because I was waking up in the middle of a sleep cycle, instead of at the end of one. This essentially drags our brains out of deep sleep, which is torturous.

But how could I make sure I was waking at the end of a sleep cycle when my alarm is set to go off at a certain time? Her answer was a sunrise alarm clock. “I’d recommend one to everyone,” she says.

Our sleep pattern is highly sensitive towards light, with bright cool-toned lights signalling to our brains that it's daytime.

Dr Browning explains that even with your eyes closed, you can sense light, so as sunrise alarm clocks brighten up, "they help to pull you into a lighter part of sleep,” making the wake-up process more gradual.

“And when you do wake up, there’s a really bright light there… which helps you to wake up, get rid of sleep inertia and suppress melatonin.”

I'd previously reviewed and loved the Lumie Shine 300 Body Clock, so I was all set to give this recommendation a whirl.

How a sunrise alarm clock transformed my sleep

After a couple of weeks of using it again, I couldn’t believe how effective the sunrise alarm clock was. Not just for getting rid of my sleep inertia, but also for helping me keep a consistent sleep schedule, fixing my circadian rhythm (our internal body clock).

Brighter mornings mean better energy

I’m a summer person. While I love a cozy winter evening, I personally think there’s nothing worse than waking up in the cold and dark and forcing yourself to go to work. So, with a 6am wake-up planned on Monday morning, and a rainy commute to the office to follow, I set my alarm clock.

I programmed the clock to slowly brighten over 30 minutes from 5.30am. That meant that by the time my alarm sounded at 6am, the lamp would be at full sunrise.

When I woke to my bedroom glowing a warm golden colour, I couldn’t help but feel energized. While I remained asleep right up until my alarm sounded at 6am, I didn’t feel confused or jolted out of sleep; instead, I was fairly alert straight away.

After a few minutes, I felt like I’d been awake for hours.

The sunset feature means I’m actually falling asleep fast

A feature that isn’t often discussed with these clocks is the sunset feature. Working similarly to the sunrise, you can set the clock light to slowly dim over a time period.

I now use this feature every single night, and it actually stops me from scrolling on my phone or watching TV in the evenings.

As soon as the light drops low, I naturally become sleepy. It has become a nighttime routine, which means I now recognize it as a cue to fall asleep, resulting in me falling asleep in just minutes.

A consistent routine means no more 3 a.m. wakeups

Falling asleep and waking up at the same time every day has become a lot easier since I began using a sunrise alarm clock again. I’m not tempted to snooze the clock because I wake up energized, and I don’t stay up late now that I set the sunset every evening.

This has fixed my circadian rhythm — the internal body clock that determines when we feel awake and when we feel sleepy throughout the day. This rhythm is controlled by sleep hormones like melatonin (released in the evening to help you sleep) and cortisol (released in the morning to help you feel awake).

When this clock is dysregulated because of inconsistent sleep schedules, these hormones are released at the wrong times, which can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night.

3 a.m. wakeups are now a thing of the past, which means my sleep quality and efficiency have improved, leading to consistent energy throughout the day.

Although we shouldn’t take them as gospel, your sleep score does provide a helpful reflection of how well your body has rested and recovered overnight.

As a sleep tech writer I do get solid rest on the whole. But after a busy festive period, I came into this year with the intention of really focusing on my sleep and recovery to help prepare me for the spring marathon I’m training for.

I’ve made three significant changes to my sleep in the last week and it seems like they’re paying off – last week I finally bagged a 97 sleep score on my Apple Watch, one of the best sleep trackers I've tested.

That’s the highest score I’ve earned in a long time. And it’s all down to a little discipline and mindfulness around my sleep and bedtime routine. Here’s what I’ve been doing…

• Read more: These 5 overlooked Google Clock app features helped me quit bedtime doomscrolling to get more sleep

The 3 changes that bagged me a 97/100 sleep score on my Apple Watch

After dialling in on my sleep hygiene and fine-tuning my bedtime routine, my scores have improved through February and into the beginning of March.

How exactly did I supercharge my sleep? Let’s dig in…

1. I got into bed later in the evening

While you may think darker evenings mean better sleep (it’s true we need darkness for sleep hormones like melatonin to be released), they actually made my sleep worse.

That’s because I was getting into bed too early. In the depths of winter in the UK, 7pm can feel like midnight; it’s already been dark for 3 hours, it’s too cold to go out, and the thought of curling up under the covers is all too inviting.

Falling into the trap of getting into bed two hours before my intended sleep time clearly took a toll on my sleep quality.

After lounging around in bed, scrolling on my phone or watching something on Netflix, I found myself feeling wired rather than tired by the time my actual bedtime came around.

Now, I’ve reinforced expert advice around keeping your bed a sleep sanctuary and training your brain to associate it with sleep.

I’m making a conscious effort to spend more time relaxing in the living room rather than my bedroom in the evenings. This simple switch has made it easier for me to fall asleep fast when my head hits the pillow.

2. I turned off my 5.30 a.m. alarm

Thanks to my sleep-central algorithm, I’ve seen a lot of content on social media lately revealing the truth behind 5 .a.m. wake ups — once a token of productivity and success, they’re now recognised as a path to burnout and energy crashes.

This post from Emily Austen, podcast host and author of Smarter: 10 Lessons for a More Productive and Less-Stressed Life, got me thinking about my own sleep routine…

Last year, I was waking up super early to cram an early run in before a long commute. A recent change in work circumstances has meant I no longer have such a long commute and I’ve now been afforded more time in the mornings.

Instead of sticking to that super early alarm, I’ve shifted my wake up time to around 7 a.m., and I’m seeing the benefits in my sleep.

I don’t know about you but an early alarm causes me a lot of anxiety the night before — what if it doesn’t go off? What if I sleep through and don’t make my train? Without that anxiety, I’m now drifting off easier and not waking up in a panic at 4 a.m.

3. I kept my phone out of my bedroom

If you’re prone to revenge bedtime procrastination and often find yourself scrolling into the small hours, this is a key sleep habit to adopt.

Experts advise banning your phone from your bedroom to preserve your sleep and your mental health.

Not only is scrolling, flicking, or swiping literally addictive, but the content we tend to consume online is stimulating (those funny reels) as well as distressing (those news headlines). In other words, it’ll get in the way of peaceful sleep.

To clear my mind before bed and kick my doomscrolling habit, I’ve been putting my phone on charge outside my bedroom. Instead I’ve been reading at least 10 pages of a book before going to sleep, and using a sunrise alarm clock to wake up.

Lulled to sleep by reading, I’m finding it easier to stick to a consistent bedtime and I’m falling asleep faster.

Not having my phone in the room means that when I briefly wake up during the night I can’t check the time. Instead of making mental calculations, worrying about how many hours I’ve slept and how long I’ve got until my alarm rings, I’m calmly nodding back off.

My average sleep score before I made these changes

I’d describe myself as a good sleeper. But after a busy December and stressful January, my sleep scores and my perceived sleep quality were beginning to slip.

I just wasn’t getting the sleep my mind and body needed, especially considering I’ve been training for my next marathon.

And the Apple Watch was picking up on my sub-par sleep.

Here’s an example of an average night’s sleep score for me in December and January (before I implemented the above changes in my sleep routine), compared to last week’s average scores...

Thanks to the Apple Watch settings to help you follow the 7:1 sleep rule, I’m now sleeping an ideal seven and a half hours sleep and, crucially, that sleep is of good quality with less interruptions.

When you look at the sleep stage data below, you can see my sleep cycles are much more stable.

I’ve spent ample time in restorative deep sleep and REM sleep stages rather than getting fragmented, less restorative core sleep — and this is down to better preparing my body and mind for good sleep.

Safe to say, I’ll be sticking with these three key changes to my sleep habits for a while to come yet.

It's no secret that diet and sleep are intertwined. A poor diet can lead to sleeping poorly, while poor sleep can lead to eating poorly.

On the other hand, getting good quality sleep curbs junk food cravings during the day, while a healthy diet leads to better sleep at night.

While a diet rich in wholegrains, fruits, and vegetables has been shown to improve sleep, there's another popular approach to eating that could be your golden tick to falling asleep fast and sleeping through the night.

The diet, which promotes the proverb "breakfast like a king, dinner like a pauper", has been shown to aid weight loss and longevity as the diet even aligns with the blue-zone way of life. But could it also aid sleep? I asked a registered dietician and a sleep expert to find out...

• Read more: Over 65 and keep waking up at 3 a.m.? This common daytime habit is the likely culprit, says board-certified sleep doctor

What is the “breakfast-like-a-king” food rule?

You may have heard of, "Breakfast like a king, lunch like a pauper, and dinner like a pauper." But what exactly does that mean?

Kathleen Benson, CSSD, CPT, RDN, a registered dietician-nutrionist at VNutrition, says that this is an eating pattern where calories are front-loaded earlier in the day.

"So you might see something like 50% of daily intake at breakfast, around 30% at lunch, and then about 20% at dinner," she explain.

"The idea is that you eat your largest meal in the morning, a moderate lunch, and then keep dinner relatively light."

Benson calls the diet a "timing strategy" rooted in the idea that metabolism is stronger earlier in the day. "So, eating more in the morning and less at night could align better with circadian rhythm," she tells me.

How does it help you fall asleep faster?

According to Benson, a lighter meal in the evening can help a lot of people sleep better, especially those who often experience acid reflux or GERD.

"Lying down shortly after a large meal can increase reflux symptoms," she explains.

"Giving the body a few hours to digest (or having a lighter meal) before bed can help people feel more comfortable at night."

Lighter evening meals also prevent the physical discomfort associated with going to be after a heavy meal.

"So in certain contexts, a lighter dinner can reduce physical disruption that might otherwise interfere with sleep," she suggests.

She also says that overnight fasting aligns with how microbial activity in the gut follows circadian rhythm.

Hannah Shore, Head of Sleep Science at Mattress Online, agrees. "The time of day we eat is also important; having set meal times can help anchor our circadian rhythm.

"When our circadian rhythm is entrained, we can find it easier to fall asleep quickly and wake up."

There's also the matter of body temperature, as digesting food can increase temperature. "In order to fall asleep, our core body temperature needs to decrease, so eating lighter, less complex meals in the evening helps make this process easier."

What are the drawbacks of this diet for your sleep?

Benson points out that while light evening meals improve sleep quality, some people simply feel restless if they’re hungry at bedtime.

"So while a lighter dinner can help some people sleep better, for others it may have the opposite effect if it leaves them under-fuelled or physiologically stressed," she warns.

In particular, two groups of people are more susceptible to the diet's drawbacks: those who train in the evening, and those with blood sugar regulation issues.

If you partake in high-intensity interval training or strength work after work, a very small dinner might not support recovery very well," she tells me.

"Going to bed under-fuelled after a hard session can sometimes increase nighttime awakenings or make it harder to fall asleep."

"For people with blood sugar regulation issues, a very minimal dinner could also increase the likelihood of overnight drops in blood glucose, which can disrupt sleep," she adds.

Sleep expert Shore also points out that the diet may control the portions of what you eat, but it doesn't dictate what you eat.

"If you're eating foods high in caffeine and sugar in the evening, these actively block different receptors in your brain to make you feel less tired and boost wake-promoting chemicals, which can prevent you from falling asleep easily and perhaps cause more fragmented sleep,"she warns.

What should you eat for your "pauper's dinner" if you want to sleep well?

Benson warns that the perfect "pauper's dinner" for sleep can vary from person to person.

"For those with a history of overnight blood sugar lows or who are dosing insulin based on a consistent intake pattern," she warns. "Shifting a significant portion of calories earlier in the day without adjusting medication appropriately can create issues."

"And if someone trains hard in the evening, they may need more fuel at dinner to support recovery and stable sleep," she adds.

The nutritionist also explains that daily calorie intake counts more than the percentage, as whether 20% at dinner feels small or adequate really depends on total intake.

"For someone eating 1,500 calories, that might look more like a balanced snack," she explains. "For someone eating 3,000, that could still be a substantial dinner. So context matters more than the percentage alone."

However, no matter the context, Benson advises that an evening meal consists of plenty of nutrients.

"I would still recommend pairing a meal with fiber-dense carbohydrate, protein, healthy fat, and non-starchy vegetables regardless if someone was on a 1,500 calorie or 3,000 calorie diet."

Shore also recommends non-starchy vegetables (such as eating mushrooms, spinach, and broccoli, while avoiding potatoes, corn, and peas), but they should be prepared properly to aid digestion.

"Our fruits and vegetables should be easy to digest, so ensure they are cooked through and not raw to help with digestion. This makes the digestive process quicker and easier," she advises.

She suggest eating foods that our bodies can process easily and that are light, such as rice and pasta.

"The quicker our food is digested," she says. "The more time we have for our bodies to cool down before sleep, allowing us to fall asleep more easily."

If you're over the age of 65, getting enough sleep is a great way to improve your health and wellbeing.

Investing in the right sleep products, from the best mattress to one of the best sleep trackers, can ensure you're sleeping comfortable, looking out for sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, and even preventing bugbears such as lower back pain.

However, older adults may still experience sleep issues that even state-of-the-art sleep tech or a luxury bed can't fix. What's worse, you may not even know what's causing these problems.

So, to get to the bottom of why adults over 65 may experience insomnia and other nocturnal issues, we've reached out to three health experts. They've pinpointed the three reasons why over 65s may find it harder to get a good night's sleep, plus the easy ways to fix them.

The 3 biggest sleep problems facing over 65s

1. Sleep duration

Many older adults may feel like they're not getting enough sleep, and this dip in sleep duration can decrease your sleep score.

“After age 60-65 total, sleep time decreases on average by about 30–60 minutes," says Mike Wakeman, researcher, pharmacist and founder of Evera Nutrition. "This is because the brain produces less of the sleep hormone melatonin, which causes shifts in the circadian rhythm making you feel sleepy earlier and wake up earlier."

While Wakeman says lifestyle factors such as decreased physical activity and medication use can also cause shorter sleep duration in adults, he asserts that a shorter sleep time is a perfectly normal "natural phenomenon".

Board-certified sleep psychologist and Mattress Firm sleep advisor Dr. Jade Wu agrees. "We naturally need a bit less sleep as we age because we’re no longer growing or processing as much new information, so slightly shorter nights can be normal," she explains.

While sleep changes as we age, most adults need to get at least seven hours of sleep, and people over 65 need this amount of sleep, too.

GP Dr Deborah Lee, a sleep expert from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy, warns that older adults still need to track how long they sleep, which can be tricky as many older adults may supplement shorter sleep at night with naps during the day.

"Most adults will still require around six-eight hours over a 24-period, whether that’s through daytime napping or one long snooze," says the health expert currently working with The Wooden Bed Company

2. Sleep stages

Deep sleep (also known as slow wave sleep) is crucial for our health and wellbeing, which is why increasing your deep sleep directly boosts your sleep score on most trackers.

However, while the sequence of sleep cycles remain the same, older adults experience less deep sleep.

“One of the most consistent changes with aging is a reduction in slow wave sleep, which is the deepest, most restorative stage of sleep," says Dr Lee.

"By age 70, deep sleep may be reduced by 50–70% compared to young adulthood," explains Wakeman. "This happens because of reduced growth hormone secretion, brain structural changes, reduced physical intensity during the day and lower GABA activity, the brain's 'calming agent' that improves sleep depth."

3. Fragmented sleep

No one technically sleeps through the night, so you shouldn't worry if your data says you had any nighttime awakenings.

However, if you wake up frequently and struggle to fall back to sleep, these nighttime awakenings could lower your sleep score. Older adults tend to experience more fragmented sleep and this is linked to the previous point: people over 65 get less deep sleep and more light sleep.

"There are biological changes in the brain going on that reduce deep sleep, meaning sleep becomes a lot easier to disrupt and a lot lighter," explains Dr Lee. "You may find yourself waking up a lot easier than you were previously."

Dr Wu says that easily-disrupted lighter sleep can be compounded by health issues associated with aging, such as arthritis pain.

"More nighttime awakenings, which can be normal, but menopause, chronic conditions, medications, or sleep apnea can make fragmentation worse," says the sleep advisor.

Another condition that is common in older adults is nocturia, the term for waking up more than once to use the bathroom.

"Reduced bladder capacity can play a part," says Wakeman. "Fragmented sleep is often a result of increased bathroom trips."

3 fixes for sleep problems facing over 65s

1. How to fix your sleep duration

As mentioned above, shorter sleep after 65 is completely normal, so all three experts recommend that instead of trying to 'fix' your sleep time, you should optimize your sleep by maintaining consistent sleep and wake schedules.

"A lot of people over the age of 65 feel they’re not sleeping enough, whereas in fact, they’re getting a shorter sleep at night, but making up for it with naps in the day," explains Dr Lee.

To combat the negative effects of a long daytime nap on a good night's sleep, Dr Lee suggests keeping naps short.

"If daytime naps are needed, take them but keep them around 20-30 minutes, don’t spend hours napping in the day,”she advises.

However, the three experts unanimously agree that the best way to remedy sleep quantity is to stay physically and socially active during the daylight.

“Strengthen your circadian rhythm by getting morning sunlight for 15 to 30 minutes, establishing a consistent wake time and avoiding bright light at night," says researcher Wakeman.

“Resistance training three to four times a week along with daily walking will help build sleep pressure," he adds.

2. How to fix your sleep architecture

"Deep sleep can’t be 'forced', but regular physical activity, consistent schedules, and addressing untreated sleep disorders can help protect the quality of the sleep you do get," advises Dr Wu.

"Strength training, in particular, is helpful for earning deep sleep," the board-certified sleep doctor adds.

Dr Lee says that, while you can't "reverse" these neurological changes, you can influence them with lifestyle changes.

"Regular physical activity, particularly resistance training and aerobic exercise, has been shown to increase slow wave sleep," she suggests.

"Of course, avoiding the likes of alcohol and caffeine are both really important, as alcohol can fragment REM sleep, and caffeine can keep you awake for longer," she continues.

The GP also says that keeping an eye on overall health and wellbeing can also increase deep sleep.

"Good cardiovascular health also supports better sleep structure, while conditions such as hypertension and diabetes can affect sleep quality, so managing overall health is indirectly a way of protecting sleep stages,” she explains.

3. How to fix fragmented sleep

In terms of nocturia, Wakeman suggests considering the timing of your last drink. "Stopping fluids two to three hours before bed and limiting evening alcohol reduce nighttime toilet trips," he says.

Dr Lee suggests practicing good sleep hygiene habits can help increase deep sleep.

"Keeping the bedroom cool, dark and quiet is essential," she advises. "Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia has also been proven to be effective particularly in older adults, so it’s worth taking a look at this if you feel as though insomnia is starting to affect your day-to-day life."

The 3 things to remember when tracking your sleep score

If you're using a sleep tracker to monitor your sleep, it's important to remember these trackers can be tricky to navigate, and sometimes users may become worried about their sleep data.

So, I asked sleep experts what adults over 65 should remember when using a sleep tracker. Here are their top three tips.

1. Don't obsess

For some users, sleep tracking can lead to orthosomnia, a term for when you feel stressed about achieving the perfect sleep.

This condition can arise in those who may perceive they're not getting enough sleep, a perception which Dr Lee says is common among older adults.

"As we age, the total time that we’re asleep typically reduces, but the perception of sleep also changes," says the health expert.

Dr Wu agrees, and says that, while a sleep tracker can be a useful tool, you shouldn't obsess over its sleep scores.

"People over 65 should remember that lighter, slightly shorter, and more interrupted sleep can be normal, so chasing perfect tracker scores can create unnecessary anxiety," says the sleep doctor.

2. Focus on how you feel during the day

Dr Wu suggests that, instead of limiting your attention on sleep data, you should also concentrate on your mood when you're awake.

"Focus less on nightly numbers and more on how you feel during the day," she advises. "And treat significant insomnia, unusual nighttime behaviors, loud snoring, or excessive daytime sleepiness as signals to seek medical guidance."

3. Use your sleep tracker when seeking medical guidance

If you do decide to seek medical advice for any sleep issues, you can use your sleep data to illustrate any concerns to a healthcare professional.

“Sleep trackers can be useful for spotting patterns," says Dr Lee. "They can help you if you need to explain to a medical expert how little sleep you’ve been getting, and any common times you seem to be waking up."

However, she says the most important thing to remember is prioritizing comfort and overall wellbeing rather than chasing the "textbook sleep architecture".

"If someone feels persistently exhausted, is waking gasping for air, or experiencing significant insomnia, that warrants medical assessment," she advises. "But small changes in duration or stage distribution are a normal part of aging, not necessarily a sign that something is wrong.”

It's difficult to know how long it takes you to fall asleep. Unless, of course, you have a sleep tracker.

Yes, there have been low-tech ways to measure sleep onset latency, such as the spoon test (one of TikTok's many sleep trends) or sleep journaling, but these are harder to perform and much less accurate.

Sleep trackers, on the other hand, do the work for you and provide precise results, as I recently found out when testing the Fitnexa SomniPods 3, now $179.99 down from $189.99 at Fitnexa.

I wanted to see if the SomniPods could join the ranks of the best sleep headphones but they ended up discovering something about me.

Unsurprisingly, the sleep-tracking earbuds showed that the time it takes me to fall asleep is between five and 20 minutes —a common sleep latency for most adults — expect on one night.

During that night, my sleep tracker not only noted I was having trouble falling asleep, it alerted me, making me retrace my steps to find out what independent variable was causing this short-term sleep onset insomnia.

Here's what was causing my trouble sleeping — and why I won't do it again.

What my sleep tracker helped me realize about my insomnia

I had been using the Fitnexa SomniPods 3 for over a week and a half when it helped me spot where my sleep hygiene was going wrong.

From the first night I used them, the SomniPod's sleep data showed me that, while my sleep was far from perfect (I'm not getting anywhere near enough REM sleep for a start), my sleep latency was on track for a healthy adult.

However, one night, it wasn't...

I always I assume that it's taking forever to fall asleep and then I wake up and the data shows it didn't take taking long at all. But one night, the Fitnexa app proved that this time, it wasn't all in my head.

"I noticed you're still awake," messaged Lana, an AI-powered personal wellness assistant within the Fitnexa app, over 30 minutes after going to bed. "Are you having trouble falling asleep?"

As my self-described 'sleep guardian' had never said this before, it caused me to retrace my evening routine and reevaluate a seemingly innocuous activity: watching a true crime documentary.

I'm not a stranger to true crime but usually I watch or listen to it during the day. That means by the time I go to bed, enough time (and comedies) have passed to cleanse my brain of the creepiness.

However, watching it at night meant the disturbing content still lingered in my head (it also didn't help that both my roommates were out of town).

Why unsettling content before bed can cause sleep issues

Why did I know that watching a true crime documentary was the root of my insomnia? Well, for a start, it's was the only thing that I'd added to my nighttime routine.

And second, disturbing or unsettling content such as true crime documentaries, horror movies, violent shows, or even a fear-mongering news article, are known to be sleep disruptors.

According to Hannah Shore, the Head of Sleep Science at Mattress Online, this disruption dates back to our earliest ancestors, who could sleep when they knew they were safe from prehistoric predators.

"Now, we still only sleep when we feel safe, but instead of a saber-toothed tiger hunting us, different stressors keep us awake," Shore tells me. "This could include some of the content we consume directly before bed."

"When we consume content that is distressing just before we go to bed, it can leave us feeling a little unsafe," she continues. "This can prompt the fight or flight response system, meaning the body is producing wake-promoting hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, which prevent you from falling asleep easily and lead to increased warning throughout the night."

What to do if you can't sleep after reading or watching unsettling content

If you've already watched or read something disturbing, either advertently (watching a scary movie) or inadvertently (receiving a nasty text from someone) and can't fall asleep, Shore says there are way to get re-settled and start "producing sleep-related hormones, like melatonin, which will help us drift off to sleep more easily."

"Try watching or reading something more lighthearted for 30 mins before you try to sleep," she suggests.

Who knew rewatching an episode of Friends you've seen 100 times could be such a sleep fix?

How can you avoid unsettling content before bed?

While it's easy to avoid horror movies (just don't watch 'em) before bed, it isn't always easy to steer clear of distressing content in this digital age of doomscrolling.

"You never know what will appear next on your social media feed, so I recommend trying to stay off that," Shore warns.

In terms of what you should be doing to get settled before bed, Shore advises relaxing activities, such as breathing exercises, mindfulness, and rereading or rewatching your favorites.

"By rewatching or rereading something you know, you are more likely to fall asleep more easily than when you are watching or reading something new," says Shore. "It can provide you a little comfort knowing that there are no surprises."

Checking my Apple Watch sleep tracker has become an integral part of my morning routine — I love knowing what happened overnight to prepare me for the day. But one metric always seems low, leaving me worried a lack of Deep Sleep will cause my energy levels to crash by lunchtime.

Alongside hours in bed, the best sleep trackers observe the type of sleep you're experiencing during the night. My hours in light sleep, or Core Sleep on the Apple Watch, always dominate the night.

Deep sleep, on the other hand, is just a fraction of my sleep cycle. As this stage is vital for recovery and memory, I was worried I was missing out on some important shut-eye.

I contacted the experts — Dr. Jade Wu, board-certified sleep psychologist and Mattress Firm sleep advisor, and Dr. Chris Allen, Sleep Science Advisor at Aeroflow Sleep — to find out what my deep sleep scores mean and why I shouldn't be worried at all.

My Apple Watch sleep scores

The Apple Watch's sleep settings track four sleep stages: Awake, Core Sleep, REM Sleep and Deep Sleep.

I spend most of the night in Core Sleep (Apple's term for light sleep, chosen to offset the potential negative implications of 'light' sleep.) I frequently clock up five hours of core sleep in a night.

In comparison, I often spend between just one to two hours in the deep sleep phase.

That seemed like a significant, and worrying, difference. But was I just misunderstanding the data?

What do my Apple Watch Deep Sleep scores mean?

Deep sleep is a restorative stage of sleep, so I was concerned at how little of it I appeared to get each night. However, speaking to the experts has reassured me that I don't need as much deep sleep as I assumed.

Dr. Allen notes that for someone sleeping the recommended seven to nine hours per night, only around one to two of those hours will be spent in deep sleep.

That aligns with my Apple Watch sleep scores, as I'm consistently hitting at least an hour spent in deep sleep.

Dr. Wu also points out that if I feel like I'm missing out on deep sleep, it's likely related to my overall sleep cycle.

"If you feel like you’re 'lacking' deep sleep, the best approach isn’t trying to force more of a specific stage," says Dr. Wu. "Your brain naturally adjusts sleep stages based on what it needs. Instead, focus on protecting overall sleep quality."

What is deep sleep?

Deep sleep is one of the key stages in your sleep cycle, alongside light sleep and REM sleep.

"Deep sleep is the stage of sleep known as slow-wave sleep (also called N3/N4, delta sleep, or slow wave sleep)," says Dr. Wu. "It’s the deepest stage of non-REM sleep, when the brain’s activity slows into large, slow waves and the body is doing a lot of its physical recovery work."

Dr. Allen agrees that it's the most physically restorative stage of the sleep cycle. "This is when growth hormone is released, tissues are repaired, muscles recover, and the immune system strengthens," he notes.

As well as physical restoration, Dr. Wu points out that during deep sleep the brain is able to "consolidate and organize information from the day," helping us learn and remember.

"Deep sleep is not just 'nice to have', it’s foundational to long-term health," says Dr. Allen, a board-certified Sleep Medicine Physician.

How much deep sleep do we need and why?

As deep sleep is such an important period for recovery, I assumed I needed a lot of it to keep my brain and body in top condition.

However, a good night's sleep cycles through many sleep stages and as the experts explain, I don't need to spend the majority of the night in deep sleep to feel its benefits.

"For most healthy adults, deep sleep typically makes up about 15–25% of total sleep time," says Dr. Allen, a statistic Dr. Wu agrees with.

That averages at one to two hours of deep sleep every night, or roughly 90 minutes.

Dr. Wu also notes that with a regular sleep schedule, you body will intrinsically allow the most necessary stages of sleep to take priority.

"The brain automatically adjusts how much of each stage of sleep we get depending on our needs of the moment," says Dr. Wu. "As long as you are generally sleeping in safe and non-disruptive environment, keep a regular sleep schedule, and have enough opportunity to sleep, your body should get enough of each type of sleep and will adapt to the types of sleeps most needed."

Does the amount of deep sleep we need change with age?

Our sleep changes with age and as a result, our deep sleep needs also adapt.

"The amount of deep sleep naturally declines as we age," says Dr. Allen. "Children and teenagers spend significantly more time in deep sleep because their bodies and brains are still developing."

Post-childhood, deep sleep needs remain steady though most of adulthood, although the exact requirements will vary from person to person and as a result of circumstances — you might find at certain points in adulthood you require more deep sleep than others.

As we age, our deep sleep needs once again adjust.

"By middle adulthood, deep sleep begins to decrease, and in older adults, it can become quite limited," says Dr. Allen. However, he notes that while the amount of deep sleep we get decreases, the need for it doesn't change.

"While the biological need for restorative sleep remains, aging changes sleep architecture, making it harder to achieve long stretches of deep sleep," he explains. "That’s why older adults often report lighter, more fragmented sleep."

Dr. Wu agrees. She notes that your sleep architecture — the sequence of sleep stages during the night — stays "fairly consistent across the lifespan," but we get less "slow-wave sleep" with age.

As a result, one to two hours of deep sleep is still preferred in older adults but you might find you need to spend more hours in bed to reach this goal.

"Maintain a stable sleep-wake rhythm," advises Dr. Wu, "but be flexible to changes in sleep duration and timing as you age."

What happens if we don't get enough deep sleep?

If your Apple Watch is regularly tracking less than one hour of deep sleep each night, you're lacking a vital sleep stage for restoration and you're likely to feel the impact the next day.

"Without enough deep sleep, the body doesn’t fully repair itself. This can lead to increased inflammation, reduced muscle recovery, impaired learning, and overall fatigue," says Dr. Allen.

These are common symptoms of long-term sleep deprivation and as a result the solution is to target better sleep hygiene overall, such as going to bed around the same time every night or as ditching screens before bed.

"Getting enough deep sleep means getting enough overall sleep, being in a sleep environment that's quiet and dark and comfortable, and keeping a consistent schedule," Dr. Wu advises.

Luckily, there are plenty of Apple Watch settings to help you follow the 7:1 sleep rule, a guideline that ensures you're getting at least seven hours of sleep and achieving good sleep regularity.

Deep sleep tracking on the Apple Watch — how does it work?

Apple uses a complex algorithm to determine which sleep stage you're in during the night.

The Apple Watch features 3-axis accelerometer signals that observe motion, including small movements generated by breathing.

Every 30 seconds, the Apple Watch feeds this data to an algorithm which uses these signals to determine which of four stages you're in: deep sleep, REM sleep, core (light) sleep, or awake.

The Apple algorithm was trained using laboratory and at-home polysomnography tests, to determine accuracy.

However, it's still only an estimation and your Apple Watch doesn't always get the sleep stages right. It's best to view your Apple Watch sleep results as guidelines, rather than exact mapping.

Sleep trackers can help you understand your rest and find areas of improvement but if you're regularly failing to meet your sleep goals, we recommend speaking to a healthcare professional for targeted advice.

"If you’re frequently struggling to stay asleep, feel unusually sleepy during the day, or have red flags like loud snoring, high blood pressure, morning headaches/jaw aches, or dry mouth, consider getting screened for a sleep disorder like obstructive sleep apnea," advises Dr. Wu.

Bright lights, flashing colors, exciting sounds — my phone is an amusement park of temptation when I'm trying to sleep. And just like an amusement park, too much time on it leaves me dry-eyed, bleary and disorientated.

I've tried various blue light filters but they've never got to the heart of the matter: a good scroll is just too enticing.

Add on recent research suggesting blue light isn't the sleep saboteur we thought it was, and I was looking for a new way to kill my phone addiction.

And I think I've found it. Grayscale mode is the snoozefest your phone needs. Here's how to set up the Grayscale filter on your phone.

• Read more: Reading in bed was keeping me awake, but this $16 gadget helps me fall asleep before I can even finish my chapter

What is grayscale and how does it help you sleep

Grayscale mode essentially bleeds the color from your phone, making those eye-catching apps a little less compelling.

So what can it do for you sleep?

It's estimated that around 86% of us use our phones in bed before sleep, with the average American scrolling for 38 minutes during their nighttime routine. And using your phone in bed is associated with insomnia, with one study finding using your phone in bed increases your insomnia risk by 59%.

But research suggests greyscale mode can help curb screen addiction before bed.

For a start, grayscale screens are boring. The filter makes your phone flat, images are harder to identify and the siren call of bright colors are removed.

Board-certified optometrist Dr. Meenal Agarwal explained to Apartment Therapy that "grayscale dulls the dopamine-driven appeal of apps like Instagram or TikTok, making your phone less addictive," and that less time on your phone also reduces "digital eye strain."

Grayscale is also easier on the eyes, particularly if you pair it with the white point hack I'll dive into below.

How to set up greyscale on your iPhone

1. Open the Accessibility menu

First, locate the Settings app and click on it, then scroll down and click on the Accessibility menu.

2. Head to color filters

From the Accessibility menu, scroll down to and select Display & Text Size. Next, look for the Color Filters option and click on it. (You might want to tap on that Reduce White Point toggle as well — I'll explain why below.)

3. Turn on grayscale

Find the Color Filters toggle and turn it on. This will bring up a list of options. Select Greyscale and your phone will instantly turn to lack and white. You can also adjust the intensity, if you want.

Other methods to improve your pre-bed phone use

Now scrolling through your phone is like looking at the most boring silent movie. Instagram has lost its pizazz, TikTok has no more dazzle and even the Tom's Guide homepage is lacking some sparkle.

But if you want to take things up a notch, follow these additional tips:

1. Turn down white point: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and scroll to Reduce White Point. Shift the slider to the left and the brightness will dim.
2. Set up a trigger: Go to Settings > Accessibility and scroll down to Accessibility Shortcuts. Click on it and select Color Filters and Reduce White Point. When you click the side button three times, you can quickly turn these features on (or off.)
3. Set up Sleep Focus: Sleep focus (found under Settings > Focus > Sleep Focus) shuts off the most enticing parts of your phone. You can find out more in our guide to sleep focus on your iPhone.

My experience with grayscale

I'm absolutely a victim of the dopamine hit that scrolling through social media provides, addicted to "just one more" post.

Grayscale had a positive impact from the moment I toggled it on.

For a start, it's harder to navigate your home screen on grayscale. The apps don't stand out much against the background, meaning I'm less tempted by one last peek at Instagram.

I'm also less inclined to get lost in the brain-buzzing excitement of social media. I often found too long on TikTok left my thoughts racing before bed but short form videos just don't hit the same in black and white. After just a few clips, I find myself putting the app down.

It's not a perfect solution — a Wikipedia deep dive is enticing in any color —but when combined with a Reduced White Point, my phone is no longer the glowing enticement is once was.

If you use an Apple Watch to track your sleep, there's one stage of sleep that you might be confused by: core sleep. So what is it exactly and how much do you need?

The Apple Watch 10 offers up in-depth data surrounding how long you’ve slept, how often you wake up, and how your time is divided across different sleep stages.

Within those stages, Apple groups your sleep into awake, REM, core, and deep — labels that might make sense at first glance, but down the line often raise more questions than they answer.

One term in particular tends to confuse people: core sleep. It’s an unusual choice of wording, because most other sleep trackers don’t use it at all.

To complicate things further, some online definitions describe core sleep as something entirely different or even the opposite of Apple's definition.

Below, we'll dig into what core sleep on an Apple Watch actually means, how it fits into your overall sleep cycle, and which sleep stages are the most useful indicators of sleep quality.

• Read more: Experts explain why your Apple Watch tracks your wrist temperature during sleep — 5 key things it can tell you

What are the stages of sleep?

Before we dive into what core sleep means on your Apple Watch, and which sleep stage you should actually be paying attention to, it’s useful to revisit the four stages of sleep and what they do.

Across a typical night, your body cycles through these stages multiple times.

Each sleep stage plays a different role in physical recovery, brain function, and overall sleep quality. Here they are:

N1 (light sleep)

N1 is the lightest stage of sleep and acts as the transition between being awake and fully asleep. Your heart rate begins to slow, muscles relax, and brain activity starts to change.

This stage usually only lasts a few minutes at a time, and most people spend around 5% of the night in N1 sleep. While brief, it’s important because it allows the body to gradually switch off rather than dropping abruptly into deeper sleep stages.

N2 (light sleep)

N2 is still considered light sleep, but it’s where you spend the largest portion of the night. During this stage, your heart rate and breathing continue to slow, body temperature drops, and brain activity becomes more stable.

N2 sleep plays a key role in memory and learning. Most adults spend around 40–55% of their total sleep time in N2, making it a major contributor to overall sleep quality.

N3 (deep sleep)

N3 is deep sleep, sometimes it’s also called slow-wave sleep, and it’s the most physically restorative stage. This is when the body focuses on tissue repair, muscle growth, immune function, and releasing growth hormone.

Brain activity slows significantly, making this stage harder to wake from. Adults typically spend around 15–25% of the night in deep sleep, with more earlier in the night and less as morning approaches.

REM sleep

REM (rapid eye movement) sleep is when most dreaming occurs and brain activity becomes more active again. This stage is crucial for emotional regulation, creativity, and processing memories.

REM sleep periods get longer as the night goes on, and most adults spend around 20–25% of their total sleep in REM sleep by morning.

• Read more: My sleep tracker says I keep waking up at 3 a.m. but an expert told me not worry as long as my sleep score also shows these 3 things
• Read more: Apple Watch settings to help you follow the 7:1 sleep rule

What is Core sleep on your Apple Watch?

So where does core sleep fit into the stages above? Somewhat confusingly, core sleep can mean different things depending on who you ask. In some scientific and sleep-medicine contexts, people use 'core sleep' to refer to the most restorative, non-REM portion of the night (often associated with deeper sleep).

Apple, however, use the term core sleep differently. On an Apple Watch, core sleep is essentially light sleep, the N1 and N2 stages. Apple has said it chose the label partly to avoid the implication that 'light' sleep is in any way negative.

In reality, core (light) sleep supports learning and memory processes, helps your body settle into deeper stages, and makes up the largest chunk of a typical night. Most people spend roughly 50–60% of their sleep in this stage.

However, if the percentage you're spending in core is higher than that, it could be a sign you’re not spending enough time in deeper, more restorative sleep.

Which sleep stage is most important?

Good quality sleep is dependent on moving through all stages of the sleep cycle in the right proportions, multiple times per night. However, deep sleep is particularly important for immune health, muscle repair, and restoring the body after physical and mental stress.

"Deep sleep significantly contributes to growth and repair by triggering the release of human growth hormone from the pituitary gland, which stimulates the body to rebuild and repair tissues like muscles and bones," Dr. William Lu, a sleep medicine physician, told us during a previous conversation surrounding deep sleep.

That's why kids and teens require more deep sleep, as that's when they're growing. Most adults benefit from around 1.5 to 2 hours of deep sleep per night, though this can vary with age, activity levels, and overall health.

5 ways to get more deep sleep

Experts suggest that 1.5 to 2 hours of deep sleep per night helps us to feel properly rested the next day. If your Apple Watch shows you’re regularly getting less than that, it could mean you need to clock up more deep sleep — here's how.

1. Impose a screentime ban before bed

Blue light from phones, tablets and TVs can suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps signal to your body that it’s time to go to sleep. This can delay falling asleep and reduce the amount of deep sleep that you get.

Ideally, experts recommend avoiding screens for at least an hour before bed. If that feels unrealistic, lowering brightness, using warmer colour settings or switching to just audio content can still help too.

2. Stick to the '7:1' sleep rule

Going to bed and waking up at roughly the same time each and achieving at least seven hours of sleep per night (AKA, the 7:1 sleep rule) helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which is your internal body clock. When your sleep schedule is consistent, your body moves more efficiently through the different stages of sleep, including deep sleep.

That consistency matters even on weekends, when late nights and lie-ins can quietly undo the rhythm you’ve built during the week.

3. Cut down on alcohol consumption

Alcohol can initially make you feel sleepy, but it disrupts sleep quality once you’re actually asleep. Research shows that even two or three drinks can reduce both deep sleep and REM sleep.

Alcohol changes your sleep architecture, meaning you may still clock eight hours but wake feeling groggy, unfocused, or unrested because your brain didn’t spend enough time in its most restorative stages.

4. Practice a pre-bed brain dump

Nighttime anxiety can be a barrier to getting the deep sleep you need, which makes it difficult to both fall and stay asleep. A tried and tested method on the Tom's Guide sleep team is to practice a pre-bed brain dump to avoid rumination.

In a separate room to one you sleep in (to avoid building a negative association with stress and worry), spend three minutes jotting down what's on your mind. That could be the things you're worrying about, your to-do list or reminder. That gives your brain the space to shut down and sleep deeply.

5. Increase your daily activity

Studies show that regular physical activity supports deeper sleep by helping regulate your circadian rhythm and reducing stress. Exercise also triggers physiological changes that make it easier for your body to relax later, such as lowering blood pressure.

That said, very intense workouts late in the evening can be too stimulating for some people, so earlier in the day is usually better if deep sleep is your goal.

If you wear an Oura Ring, you’ll be familiar with your sleep score, readiness, and recovery metrics. But among that data is a hidden Oura Ring feature that could improve how well you sleep: identifying your chronotype.

Think of your chronotype as your body’s natural timing preference — whether you’re wired to function better earlier or later in the day.

It’s easy to scroll past chronotype data, but Oura’s version — found in the Gen 3 and Gen 4 rings — is arguably the most comprehensive among its sleep tracking competitors. When combined with Oura’s Body Clock feature, it can help pinpoint your ideal sleep window — the time you’re biologically primed to fall asleep.

This guide explains how identifying your chronotype can lead to deeper, longer sleep, and how to find and use the feature inside the Oura app.

What are sleep chronotypes?

Sleep chronotypes describe whether you’re naturally more of a morning person or a night person — often referred to as being a morning lark or a night owl. However, many sleep experts believe that binary is too basic, which is why more detailed frameworks exist — your chronotype.

Your chronotype is different from your circadian rhythm (your internal body clock), which is influenced through lifestyle factors. Instead, your chronotype is dictated by genetics and hardwired.

The four-stage animal framework

Some models divide people into four types. Clinical psychologist and sleep medicine expert Michael Breus, for example, popularised a framework that includes “lions” (early risers), “bears” (those who peak around mid-day), “wolves” (night owls), and “dolphins” (light or irregular sleepers).

The six-stage Oura framework

Oura takes a more granular approach. It identifies six chronotypes, early morning type, morning type, late morning type, early evening type, evening type and late evening type. This added nuance recognises that not all night owls are the same — and that not all morning types thrive at dawn.

This makes Oura’s chronotype feature particularly useful, because even small mismatches between your biology and daily schedule can make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, or feel rested the next day.

How to use your Oura ring to identify your chronotype

Oura doesn’t estimate your chronotype after a single night’s sleep. Instead, it analyses up to 90 days of data, including sleep timing, activity levels, and body temperature, to determine when your body naturally prefers to rest and be active.
Because of this, it can take between 40 and 90 days for your chronotype to appear in the app.

How to find your chronotype

Once it does, you can find it by tapping the My Health tab and scrolling to the bottom of the screen.

Here, Oura explains which chronotype you fall into, along with what that means for your sleep patterns and energy levels. (As we discovered during our Oura Ring 4 smart ring review, that insight is useful on its own.)

How to find your Body Clock

But chronotype becomes practical when paired with Oura’s Body Clock feature. To check it, tap the Sleep shortcut on the Today tab, scroll down to the Body Clock card, and open the detailed 24-hour clock.

You’ll see two rings:

• The outer ring shows your actual sleep schedule from the previous night
• The inner ring shows your optimal sleep window based on your chronotype

This makes it easy to see whether your current routine aligns with your biology. You can tap the information icon to learn more about circadian rhythms, or access your chronotype details from here too.

So, your chronotype explains when your body prefers to sleep. Body Clock shows how closely your real-world schedule matches that preference, and where small adjustments could make falling asleep feel easier.

How identifying your chronotype can benefit sleep

For many people, the biggest benefit of understanding their chronotype is that it has the potential to make sleep feel less like a battle.

When you align your habits with your biology, instead of forcing yourself into an routine that clashes with your chronotype's natural inclination, it often becomes easier to fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.

Morning chronotypes tend to feel and perform better when they prioritise earlier bedtimes and tackle demanding tasks earlier in the day. Evening types, on the other hand, often feel more alert, creative, and energised later on, and may struggle with early nights and mornings.

Combined with Body Clock, chronotype data also gives you a personalised target bedtime, rather than a generic “go to bed earlier” message. That can make healthy habits feel more achievable, whether that means shifting workouts later, scheduling focused work when your energy peaks, or simply easing up on yourself when your sleep pattern doesn’t line up with everyone else’s.

In a world largely structured around early starts, that kind of insight can bring both better sleep and a little more self-acceptance.

I’ve been waking up with a sunrise alarm clock for the past three weeks and I’m already impressed with how refreshed I’m feeling at the beginning of each day. Goodbye mid-winter grogginess and hello simulated sunshine flooding my bedroom every morning.

Considering that I’m using one of the best sunrise alarm clocks of 2026, this hasn't come as a huge surprise. However, an unexpected (and very welcome) side effect of using a sunrise alarm clock has been finally kicking my nightly doomscrolling habit.

Here, a sleep expert explains why swapping smartphones for sunlight in the morning — and curbing my nightly scroll — is one of the best things I can do for my rest.

The sunrise alarm clock I've been using

First, let's take a closer look at the sunrise alarm clock I've been using — the Dreamegg Sunrise 1, a 2-in-1 wake-up light and sound machine.

With its chic dome design and linen-like clockface, the Dreamegg Sunrise 1 alarm clock looks uncannily similar to the Hatch Restore 3, which our sleep tech writer Eve rates as the top option you can buy.

As well as being over $100 cheaper than the Hatch, what drew me to the Dreamegg sunrise alarm clock is the fact that it's operated by on-devise buttons as opposed to an app. As someone who's looking to spend less time glued to my smartphone, this was a big drawcard.

There's a relatively limited range of wake sounds, from birdsong to running water, plus nine light color options for when you're using it as a night light. (For more on its technical features, check out our Dreamegg alarm clock review).

The sound quality and options can't compete with more expensive models on the market. But, when taking the low price point into account, I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good-enough sunrise alarm clock without breaking the bank.

How using a sunrise alarm clock has helped curb my doomscrolling habit

For one hour leading up to my chosen wake time, the Dreamegg slowly increases in brightness, mimicking the sunrise. This gradual wake-up process draws you gently out of deep sleep, helping you start the day feeling refreshed and alert as opposed to groggy.

That's what I was expecting from using a sunrise alarm clock for the first time. What I wasn't expecting was that it would help kick my doomscrolling habit, too.

Because I'm no longer using my phone as my alarm, I've started taking it to bed less and less. This means when I wake up in the morning, my phone isn't the first thing I grab.

Without even realizing I was doing it, using a sunrise alarm clock means that mindless scrolling on my phone no longer bookends my day. Not only does that mean that there's more time in the evening for sleeping, it's also helping me fall asleep faster and sleep through the night.

“Doomscrolling in bed can wreck your sleep on many levels," explains Claire Davies, Managing Editor of Sleep at Tom's Guide. "Science is still arguing over the extent of blue light pollution on melatonin production, but we do know that blue light compared to other lights can make it harder for some people to fall asleep quickly at night."

“We also know that some types of people are more sensitive to the effects of blue light pollution than others, and therefore their sleep will be the most disturbed by doomscrolling," continues Davies, a Certified Sleep Science Coach.

Knowing that this bad sleep habit makes it harder to both fall asleep and stay asleep, I've been trying (and failing) for years to cutback on the time I spend doomscrolling on my phone. But swapping my phone for a sunrise alarm clock is the only thing that's worked for me.

“By swapping your phone alarm for a sunrise alarm clock, you won’t be tempted to doomscroll and therefore you won’t be drenching yourself in melatonin-suppressing blue light right before the time you want to sleep," explains Davies.

Why sunlight before your smartphone benefits sleep

We know that doomscrolling before bed can impact our ability to fall asleep and sleep through the night, due to its suppression of melatonin, the sleep-inducing hormone that is triggered by darkness. But scrolling on your phone first thing in the morning can also impact sleep too.

“‘Sunlight before smartphones’ is one of the best sleep hygiene tips I’ve learned," explains Davies. "It means flooding your eyes with natural daylight (or simulated natural light from a sunrise alarm clock or SAD lamp) instead of screenlight as soon as you wake up."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are most susceptible to light levels within one hour of waking up. So being bathed in (albeit, simulated) sunshine as soon as I wake up as opposed to the blue glow of my iPhone kickstarts a chain reaction that carries me through until bedtime.

“In doing so, you’ll strengthen your circadian rhythm (your internal body clock) by suppressing melatonin (the sleepy hormone) and encouraging the production of cortisol and serotonin — a real ‘get up and go’ dynamic duo that will help you feel energized for the day ahead,” concludes Davies.

3 other benefits of using a sunrise alarm

Bringing down my weekly screen time average has been a positive side effect of using a sunrise alarm clock, and one that has helped improve my sleep quality. Here are the other ways a sunrise alarm clock can benefit your sleep...

1. Helps regulate my circadian rhythm

There's only the option to set one daily alarm with the Dreamegg, as opposed to different alarms for different days of the week. But what could be perceived as a drawback is actually helping me stick to a strict sleep schedule.

My alarm goes off at 6.30am. Yes, even on the weekend. With the simulated sunrise signalling to my brain that it's time to wake up at the same time every day, it's helping to regulate a healthy circadian rhythm.

2. Makes it easier to wake up on dark mornings

Waking up in the morning in the middle of winter can feel a lot like waking up in the middle of the night. What time is it and why is my phone blaring in my face?

In contrast, light exposure from your sunrise alarm clock supresses the production of melatonin, the hormone that helps us feel tired. It then prompts the production of both cortisol and serotonin, which helps tell our bodies that it's daytime, helping us feel alert and ready for the day ahead.

3. It's gentler on your nervous system

The blaring sound of your phone's alarm can trigger a stress response, pulling you sharply out of deep sleep and flooding your body with adrenaline and cortisol.

Simulated sunshine is a much gentler way to wake up, with the dawn-like light rousing you slowly from sleep. The result? A nervous system that ramps up gradually.

You may track your sleep with one of the best sleep trackers on the market. But unless you understand the nightly data it gives you, you're not going to be able to take action towards improving your sleep health.

One in four people own a smartwatch, according to 2025 research by SQ Magazine. As popularity grows these trackers are getting more advanced, coming closer to proper sleep lab-grade tracking with every update.

That means Apple Watch, Garmin or Oura Ring wearers are waking up every morning to a sleep report comprising several statistics and charts, which can be overwhelming and downright meaningless unless you delve into the sleep tracking dictionary.

To help you understand these metrics and, crucially, how you can use them to actually improve your sleep quality and health, I called upon those in the know.

Ahead, I'll be sharing advice from Tim Rosa, CEO of Somnee, a brain-tracking sleep headband company, and Dr. Michael Gradisar, Head of Sleep Science at tracking app, Sleep Cycle, on which sleep metrics you should really pay attention to.

• Read more: I knew that using a sunrise alarm clock would help me wake up refreshed, but I had no idea it would kick my doomscrolling habit too — a sleep expert explains why

3 sleep metrics experts recommend paying attention to

1. Sleep stages

"One main area I would recommend people pay attention to when it comes to sleep metrics is amount of time spent in each sleep stage," says Rosa.

A restorative night's sleep is one where you spend ample time in each essential sleep stage, forming complete 90-minute sleep cycles.

The main sleep stages are REM sleep and deep sleep. "Quality REM sleep is directly related to your mental sharpness, alertness, memory, and recovery the next day," explains Rosa.

"While quality deep sleep is tied to your physical recovery and performance readiness."

Ideally, you should spend 1.5 to 2.5 hours in REM sleep and 1 to 2 hours in deep sleep per night.

Your sleep tracker can tell you whether you're hitting these guidelines and, if not, you can identify what lifestyle and habitual changes you need to make for better sleep.

For example, "One of the most powerful modulators of sleep is alcohol, in that consumption of alcohol reduces our amount of REM sleep within hours," Dr. Gradisar explains.

"Thus, for people who track their sleep, one of the clearest behaviors they can modify for better sleep is to reduce their alcohol consumption."

"Sleep trackers can provide insight into people’s immediate sleep benefits that result from a single change in behavior," the doctor adds.

2. Nighttime awakenings

You may fall asleep fast in the evening, but repeatedly waking up during the night can leave you feeling groggy the next morning.

Many people, including our sleep editor Nicola Appleton, find themselves waking up at 3am and struggling to fall back asleep. This fragments sleep cycles, causing fatigue the following day. Yet sleep tracking offers a solution.

"Nighttime wake-ups are also a useful metric to monitor," says Rosa. By reviewing your sleep data, you can notice patterns, such as awakenings consistently occurring at the same time or after specific activities.

This helps link awakenings to potential triggers, such as late-night snacks, caffeine consumption, stress levels, or screen time.

"People might not even be fully aware that they’re waking up frequently throughout the night, so sleep tracking helps users better understand their patterns so they can work towards improvement," the Somnee CEO adds, be that cutting out caffeine and sugar earlier in the day or implementing calming (screen-free) activities before bedtime.

• Read more: My sleep tracker says I keep waking up at 3 a.m. but an expert told me not worry as long as my sleep score also shows these 3 things

3. Time in bed vs time asleep

Sleep trackers have become so clever they can now differentiate between you laying in bed relaxing and you sleeping, and your actual sleep time is what informs your sleep score.

"Sleep duration (i.e. time in bed) vs. actual time asleep are very different metrics, and both are important," explains Rosa. "Time in bed is important for routine, while time asleep in specific sleep phases is important for your recovery."

This technology means you can't get away with scrolling in bed for hours when you should be sleeping — your sleep tracker will pull you up on it. Therefore, using a sleep tracker (as well as these hidden iPhone features) can help you reduce bedtime doom scrolling so you get the sleep your body needs.

What are the benefits of sleep tracking?

I've closely tracked my sleep for well over a year, and the main benefit I get from it is accountability.

Knowing there's a device keeping track of the time I go to bed, the time I wake up, and how good I am at sticking to a consistent sleep schedule — which does wonders for your health, adding up to four years to your life, according to new research — I am more inclined to make healthy sleep choices.

As a marathoner runner, it also helps inform my training schedule. Understanding how well rested my body is, based off overnight HRV and Body Battery scores, I can strike a healthy balance between training and recovery.

All in all, since I've tracked my sleep consistently, I'm better at maintaining a nighttime routine, ensuring I get enough sleep, and wake up with energy to power through each day.

So you've got one of the best Garmin watches and you're tracking your daily steps, workouts and runs.

But what about your sleep and recovery? To feel and perform your best, you should be paying just as much attention to your sleep as you do your training.

The good news is your Garmin watch is on par with the best sleep trackers I've tested this year. In fact, as a marathon runner, my Garmin is the first tracker I go to for a holistic view of my training and recovery stats.

To get the most out of your Garmin from a recovery point of view, you have to look beyond the basic sleep score. After a busy December and a lot of hard training lately, there have been mornings where I've woken up feeling groggy even though my sleep score indicates a sound night of rest.

It takes a deeper dive into individual sleep metrics for me to understand why I'm tired, and I've found there are several underutilized features on Garmin that can help you identify exactly why you’re feeling under-rested, even if you slept for a full eight hours.

• Read more: I knew that using a sunrise alarm clock would help me wake up refreshed, but I had no idea it would kick my doomscrolling habit too — a sleep expert explains why

5 hidden Garmin sleep features

From stress measuring to notification settings, the following Garmin features can help you stick to a regular sleep schedule and understand what lifestyle and health factors are having an impact on your sleep.

1. Stress

We know too well that your daytime habits, food choices, activity levels and mental wellbeing can have a big impact on how well you sleep at night, and the the Garmin Body Battery and Stress charts are the most honest mirrors of your lifestyle.

Normally, your stress should be in the blue 'Rest' zone (below 25) all night. If you see orange bars while you sleep, it’s a sign that your body is working hard to process alcohol, a heavy late night meal, or fighting off an illness.

If your sleep report continually shows high stress through the night, it could be a sign you need to cut down the cocktails, manage your eating habits for better sleep, or factor in some extra down time.

2. Body Battery

Meanwhile Garmin's Body Battery is an energy monitoring feature that uses heart rate variability, stress, sleep and activity data to show your real-time energy levels on a scale of 5 to 100.

It acts like a fuel gauge with good sleep charging it and stress and exercise draining it.

This feature can help you understand when your body could benefit from extra rest, so you can really prioritize those healthy sleep practices, like a calming nighttime routine.

Garmin's Body Battery feature essentially helps you manage activity, rest and recovery for better health decisions. It encourages you to strike a healthy balance between training and rest (no burnout here).

• Read more: What is your sleep data trying to tell you? Expert shares 3 key sleep metrics you should pay attention to

3. Respiration Rate

Also tucked away in the Sleep details is a metric called Respiration Rate, which measures your breaths per minute (brpm) while you're sleeping.

A sudden spike in sleeping respiration can be an early warning sign of a respiratory infection or high physical strain.

On some models, you can also see Breathing Variations, which can help you spot potential sleep disorder issues like sleep apnea (though it is not a medical diagnosis, and you should consult your GP rather than your Garmin if you're concerned).

4. Sleep Coach

Newer Garmin models — from the Venu 3, Forerunner 255 to the Fenix 7 — have a dedicated Sleep Coach and Nap Detection features.

The Sleep Coach calculates your 'sleep need' in real-time, adjusting your nightly sleep goal based on your HRV status, activity history and any naps you take through the day.

For example, if you take a 20-minute nap, the Sleep Coach will actually reduce your nightly sleep requirement to help you avoid the grogginess you can feel after oversleeping.

On the flip side, if your Garmin thinks you've been training hard, it will recommend you sleep a little longer to support physical recovery and fight fatigue.

5. Sleep Mode

There's a lot of recent research, like this study by Vitality and London School of Economics, that proves sleep regularity (rather than sleep duration) is the key predictor of quality sleep and good health.

Astonishingly, the afore-mentioned study found sleeping and waking up at roughly the same time night in night out can add four years to your life expectancy — and the Sleep Mode on your Garmin smartwatch can help you maintain that health-boosting consistent sleep schedule.

Go to your Device Settings in the Garmin connect app or on your watch itself, then to System > Sleep Mode > Schedule. Here you can set your desired sleep and wake time for each day of the week (remember science suggests you should keep it the same every day for the best sleep quality and health outcomes).

Garmin Sleep Mode automatically minimizes interruptions and adjusts settings (like backlight, notifications, and touch) during your scheduled sleep window to help you rest, while still tracking sleep data like movement and heart rate.

Grinding on four hours sleep is so 2010s. Nowadays, America's highest performing individuals are putting their sleep health first — hallelujah, say the experts.

But of course, they aren't sleeping on any old mattress; hell, they're not even buying the best mattresses online. They're inventing a new wave of tech out to 'optimize' sleep, that includes high-cost mattress systems and wearable gadgets.

Back in 2017, a study undertaken by the Division of Sleep Medicine at the Harvard Medical School found that around half of all CEOs get less than six hours sleep a night. Now, the tables have turned and those at the top are getting the best sleep out of us all, thanks to an ever expanding ecosystem of tech designed to deliver great sleep.

But which ones do the top performers truly rely on and which consumer products are worth your investment in 2026? And, most importantly, can you even pay for better sleep? Let's dig in...

The cost of a good night's sleep

The Silicone Valley sleep hype is at an all time high. According to PitchBook data analyzed by the Wall Street Journal, the world's top billionaires have poured more than $5 billion into longevity startups over the past 25 years.

That includes various tech that promises to help you fall asleep fast and get the best sleep of your life, all while boosting your health and lifespan.

By now, we've got customizable mattresses costing anything between $1,000 and $10,000, AI sleep trackers, sleep headbands at $400+, and $900 devices that manipulate the brain to rest.

Essentially, the simple act of sleeping has developed into a multi-billion dollar industry backed by some of the most influential figures in technology and health, and supported by wellness warriors across the globe (and social media).

The favorite sleep gadgets going into 2026...

As billionaires and wellness enthusiasts alike strive for perfect sleep, and are willing to pay for it, sleep gadgets worth hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per product are in vogue. Here are the ones we're predicting will be in the spotlight in 2026...

Smart mattresses

At the heart of the sleep tech ecosystem lies smart beds and mattresses. The smart bed market was valued at $3.38 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $5.51 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 6.30% from 2026 to 2032, as per Verified Market Research.

And the best smart beds and mattresses come Silicone-Valley approved with big names including Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk vouching for Eight Sleep specifically.

Eight Sleep already have a portfolio of heating and cooling, sleep tracking vibrating mattress covers, adjustable bed bases, a hydro-powered blanket and climate control pillow.

With this sleep set up, you can fine tune the temperature of your whole bed, get personalized sleep insights without any wearables, adjust the position of your bed and wake up gradually via in-bed vibrations rather than a jolting alarm. It does everything to help you sleep comfortably and wake up refreshed.

But, in August last year, the New York company, founded by Matteo Franceschetti, Massimo Andreasi Bassi and Alexandra Zatarain, revealed they had raised $100 million in Series D funding from a group of strategic investors.

With the tech billionaires and huge investments on their side, Eight Sleep's technology is sure to level up in 2026.

Sleep trackers

Our sleep tech reviewers name the Oura Ring 4 the best sleep tracker you can buy in 2026 and it turns out this smart ring is highly regarded by tech's elite as well. Mark Zuckerberg told Forbes he uses an Oura Ring to measure his sleep cycles and heart rate, and make sure he's getting eight hours sleep a night.

What's more, sleep evangelist and co-founder of Huffington Post Arianna Huffington is an advocate of the Oura Ring, too. "I love my Oura ring and being able to track my sleep," she writes on LinkedIn.

While we're unlikely to see a Oura Ring 5 in 2026, judging by the brand's typical three-year cycle (Generation 3 came out in 2021 and Generation 4 in 2024), we're sure to see upgrades elsewhere (Garmin and Apple, we're looking at you).

And there's nothing to say the Oura software and app interface won't be upgraded in the course of this year.

New sleep tracker launches are debuting at CES 2026, too. WisMedical's Tedream Patch, a sensor-packed, soft patch that attaches to the forehead, chest, and forearm, claims to replicate a full sleep lab study at home. Plus We've heard wind from our friends at T3 of a Whoop-rival under the name Luna Band.

Vagus nerve stimulators

The vagus nerve, the main nerve in the parasympathetic nervous system, is gaining more traction in the wellness world. Influential figures including Mel Robbins and neuroscientist Andrew Huberman are shouting about how you can "control" this nerve to help you feel calm and get better sleep.

And, of course, there's a gadget for that. Enter: Vagus nerve stimulators. These are wearable devices that send electrical impulses to the vagus nerve to shift the body into a state of calm. Supposedly, this induces sleep onset and improves sleep quality.

These stimulators are backed by none other than Bryan Johnson, aka the biohacker and tech bro who wants to live forever and spends $2 million a year on longevity-boosting protocols.

Johnson wears the Pulsetto stimulator in his Netflix documentary, 'Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever’, about his quest to stay young and defy death.

Like sleep trackers, there are new neurostimulators on the horizon at CES. Most notably, the WillSleep non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation patches promising insomnia relief combined with biosignal tracking.

Sleep headbands

Sleep headbands are the new kids on the sleep tech block, promising to help you fall asleep faster and sleep better, with some even tracking and analysing your rest. Notable brands so far include Elemind, Somnee and Muse.

These headbands can feature everything from EGG sensors reading brain activity, to PPG sensors tracking heart rate and circulation.

Though they may sound like something straight out of a sci-fi movie, what they really do is slow down your brain activity with acoustic stimulation to induce a sense of calm when worn at bedtime.

Move over eye masks, the headband is coming through. Back in 2024, Village Global, an early-stage venture fund backed by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Netflix’s Reid Hoffman and Microsoft's Bill Gates, ploughed money into the neuro-tech company Elemind Technologies.

Fast forward a year and the company's co-founder and CEO Meredith Perry revealed on LinkedIn that Elemind has made $3.1 million in top-line sales since launch, growing 20% month on month in Q4 of 2025.

With the rich and famous backing them and growing interest across social media, it certainly looks like sleep headbands could be the IT sleep product of 2026.

Where will sleep tech go in 2026

Not so long ago, strapping a smart watch to your wrist overnight to track your sleep and wake up times was the pinnacle of sleep technology. Now we have beds that control our temperature, headbands that interfere with brain waves and trackers built with AI algorithms.

According to Research Nester, the global Sleep Tech Devices market was valued at just under $27 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach approximately $30.74 billion in 2026, with wearables being a key area of growth.

What will this growth look like for consumers? We're expecting to see sleep technology integrate even more AI and be more involved in the medical scene.

Thanks to AI, trackers already offer personalized sleep coaching from your mobile based on your personalized sleep metrics and we expect these language models to develop this year.

Meanwhile, consumer devices including the Apple watch have FDA-clearance for sleep apnea detection and we expect to see more global brands follow suit, meaning people will be taking their smart watch data to medical professionals for official diagnosis.

Zuckerberg and clan aren't flying around in hoverbikes just yet, but they're sleeping in beds that seem to do everything bar the actual sleeping for you; while the Joe Bloggs of the world are analysing their sleep at home to a level that would once have only been achievable in a sleep lab.

What gadgets do you think will be in our bedrooms by 2027? Drop them in the comments below...

Tracking your workouts, runs and steps may be the main reason you asked your Santa for a smart watch this Christmas (if it's not logged on Strava, it didn't happen, right?). But you can actually use your shiny new top smart watch to sleep better at night too.

I spent the last year testing the best sleep trackers on the market and found many popular smart watches from the likes of Apple and Garmin came out on top. Along the way, I've learnt how to use data collated by these trackers to achieve better rest at night.

You may have heard a sleep expert or two warning that tracking your sleep too religiously can cause more harm than good, leading to orthosomnia, i.e. the unhealthy obsession with achieving 'perfect' sleep.

So, I'm here with a run down on how to make sure you're using your smart watch to help, rather than harm, your sleep, with expertise from Tim Rosa, CEO of Somnee and former CMO at Fitbitand, and Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan, sleep expert at Oak Tree Mobility.

What are the benefits of sleep tracking?

From awareness to accountability, there are many benefits of tracking your sleep. It can help you understand your body and what you need to do to improve the quality of your sleep, if that is a concern.

"Keeping track of metrics like sleep onset and time spent in the different sleep stages can give people a better idea of what they can do to work on their sleep hygiene, and understand how a range of daily habits, such as activity levels, diet, alcohol consumption, phone usage, light exposure, and more, might be impacting their sleep," Rosa explains.

But, he warns, "Sleep tracking can also be a double-edged sword, oftentimes creating score anxiety as many trackers focus on reporting rather than fixing." His best advice? "Choose wearables that offer some sort of solution along with the data." Our testing shows Garmin, Apple, Oura and Whoop all provide trusty sleep advice and actionable tips based on your personal data.

• Read more: Sleep like a tech billionaire: The smart mattresses and sleep gadgets the world’s greatest are investing in in 2026

How to use your sleep tracker effectively

1. Wear it consistently and accurately

For the most accurate sleep data, you must ensure your smart watch is securely fitted through the night with sensors in the right place to track your biometrics.

Plus wearing your smart watch consistently helps its built-in algorithm learn about your habits and body. This way, the software can give valuable, personalized health (and sleep) tips.

For example, the Oura Ring (okay, it's not a smart watch, but its a wearable that works in the same way) takes anywhere between 40 to 90 days to calculate your chronotype and give reliable insight on how well your actual sleep timing line up with your body's preferences, based on your chronotype.

This information can help you establish a sleep schedule that aligns with your natural body clock, so you're energized when you need to be and feel sleepy when you hit the hay.

2. Take notes

While you're getting to know your smart watch and personal sleep habits, it's worth keeping your own sleep diary charting your perceived sleep quality from night to night. Think: Did I toss and turn before falling asleep? Did I wake up during the night? Do I feel refreshed this morning?

This can help you gauge whether your smart watch is working as it should, picking up on nighttime awakenings or accurately predicting when exactly you fell asleep.

"Effective sleep trackers can help users evaluate how their routines and lifestyle might be negatively or positively impacting sleep," Rosa explains. So, it's also worth noting your daytime habits in this diary, especially ones that are known to impact sleep quality (uh-hum drinking alcohol, napping, eating late at night, exercising etc). This way, you're more aware of how these habits can boost or sabotage your rest.

And if you change any of these elements in your life, Dr. Ramlakhan says, "it can be helpful to see this reflected on the tracker" — those sleep data improvements could be just what you need to stay motivated around making healthier choices.

3. Focus on trends, not scores

The good news is I'm not going to tell you to nail every single sleep metric and ace a 100 sleep score every night. The new year and the lofty resolutions that come with it can feel overwhelming enough as it is.

Dr. Ramlakhan echoes this, advising: "An important thing is not to get too obsessed with the numbers, and take a break from tracking if you find yourself in that position." Instead, be observant of trends between your daytime choices and nighttime sleep capability.

But equally, it's no good huffing at your under-par sleep score without looking at the data that goes into it. Understanding what terms like sleep latency (the time it takes for you to fall asleep) and sleep efficiency (the percentage of time you're actually asleep while in bed) mean, and how sleep cycles and sleep stages work, can help you learn how you can improve your sleep.

Using the notes in your health diary, you can get a good picture of how your daily habits affect your sleep quality, and hopefully make healthier choices.

4. Trust your body

While collecting sleep data and using it to optimize your sleep habits and environment (more on how to do exactly that below) is all well and good, it's important not to get too caught up in the graphs and figures.

Ultimately, getting a solid seven to eight hours shut eye and waking up feeling energized for the day indicates you slept fine and dandy, no matter what your smart watch says. Even these tech-packed gadgets and AI algorithms can get it wrong sometimes. As Dr. Ramlakhan advises: "Check in with yourself before you check your data."

Rosa also emphasises how important it is to consult your body rather than your tracker. He says: "One of the often overlooked aspects of sleep tracking is gauging 'how you feel' after waking up versus what a specific number tells you." In short, don't make your sleep a numbers game.

You've got your sleep data, now what?

1. Establish and stick to a sleep schedule

In my opinion, the main benefit of sleep tracking is how it can help you establish and maintain a consistent sleep schedule where you go to sleep and wake up at the same time night in, night out.

Our sleep editors vouch that sleep regularity is the single most important sleep-well factor, after all. Having a device log exactly when you fall asleep and wake up in the morning helps keep you accountable around these consistent timings.

Allowing your smart watch's compatible app to send bedtime reminders can help, too. I find seeing that notification mid-scroll encourages me to put my phone down and properly wind down to fall asleep at my intended bedtime.

2. Optimize your bedroom

Many top draw smart watches including newer model Apple Watches (Series 8 and above) can track your wrist temperature while you sleep. Therefore, these devices can inform you of whether temperature changes are the cause of sleep disruptions.

If so, you can work on keeping your bedroom at the optimal sleep temperature between 65 to 70 F (18 to 21 °C). That may involve cracking open the window through the night, turning off the thermostat or investing in a cooling fan.

Smart watches can also detect environmental noise using their built-in microphones and decibel (dB) level apps. This means you can see if noise — a snoring partner or noisy neighbour, perhaps — is causing sleep disruptions and decide whether it's worth investing in a pair of the best sleep headphones to comfortably block it out.

3. Make healthy choices

You may have thought that good sleep starts in the evening, but in my sixteen months as a sleep writer, I've heard from countless sleep experts who all make it clear how influential your daytime habits are on your nighttime sleep quality.

That means everything, from what you do first thing in the morning to how you spend your lunch time and what you eat you at tea time, can impact how quickly you fall asleep and well you sleep through the night.

As mentioned above, your sleep data can visually show you exactly what habits disrupt your sleep. If your data shows booze or caffeine are negatively impacting your sleep, you're more likely to feel motivated to cut down in the name of better rest and recovery (and a higher sleep score).

On the sleep experts black list is staying indoors all day, eating large meals close to bedtime and scrolling in bed. That said, a daily walk, along with a balanced diet, bedtime tea and calming nighttime routine all get the green light.

CES 2026 is underway and we're already seeing some pretty cool innovations that can help elevate all aspects of your lifestyle. Here, we're zoning in on the tech that promises to unlock better sleep for everyone, from smart mattresses designed specifically to support the development of adolescents to vagus nerve stimulators that stave off nighttime anxiety.

Here at Tom's Guide, our number one piece of advice is to find the best mattress for your needs and budget. But we're also partial to sleep tech and gadgets that speak to a specific problem — whether it's a sunrise alarm clock, reliable sleep tracker or solid pair of sleep headphones.

So we're super excited to see what new innovation come out of CES 2026. Below you'll find the most exciting launches from the annual tech tradeshow so far...

The best sleep tech at CES 2026

Neuro Wellness Youth Bed with AI Health Concierge

The best smart beds and mattresses can help people of any age sleep better. We especially recommend the Saatva Solaire Adjustable Firmness Mattress to seniors looking for phone-free controls and pain relief. But until now, we've never seen a smart mattress geared towards teens. Enter: The Neuro Wellness Youth Bed with AI Health Concierge

Produced by South Korean brand Ceragem, known for its innovative therapeutic thermal massage beds, this smart mattress is designed for adolescents with the aim of supporting their sleep, growth, emotional stability and learning.

How? It uses light, aroma, sound therapy and thermal control to help the user maintain a healthy sleep cycle, clocking plenty of restorative deep sleep. Meanwhile, a patented spinal thermal massage feature is activated before sleep to promote physical growth and brain recovery.

School teachers would approve too, as there is a reminder display allowing teens to review learning material and books before sleep, helping memory and imagination. Top marks!

Sleepal AI Lamp

We've had under the mattress sleep tracking mats (the Withings Sleep Analyzer needs no introduction), but now we have sleep-tracking... lamps?!

Combining the benefits of sleep trackers and sunrise alarm clocks, the Sleepal AI Lamp is a contact-free sleep intelligence system that purportedly helps you understand and improve your rest. Sleep tracking aside, the lamp emits soft glow, and there's certified guided meditation and relaxation modes too to take care of your bedtime soundtracks, creating a relaxing sleep environment.

Developed by Hong Kong's XSmart Century Technology Co. over three years of research and engineering, it combines millimeter-wave radar, thermal and acoustic sensing, and environmental awareness to deliver your individual sleep insights, even when more than one person shares the room.

With our sceptical reviewer cap on, I have a lot of questions here. But the Sleepal AI Lamp has been named an Honoree for a CES 2026 Innovation Award and it connects with Apple HomeKit and Home Assistant.

WillSleep neurostimulation device

From Pulsetto to Nurosym, we've tested wearable vagus nerve stimulators before. But Seoul-based tech company NeuroTx is disrupting the market with the WillSleep device, a non-invasive neurostimulation device that also tracks your biosignals to give personalized stimulation programmes.

The WillSleep device is designed to improve sleep quality through transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS). It sticks to the neck via medical-grade electrode patches and delivers electrical stimulation for 15 to 30 minutes daily.

This stimulation is said to promotes the secretion of neurotransmitters that alleviating symptoms of insomnia, stress, anxiety, and depression without medication.

In our testing, we were sceptical over whether VNS offered a placebo rather than genuine effect, but NeuroTx's 5-week clinical study of the WillSleep device showed an 82% improvement in sleep quality and an 80% reduction in insomnia symptoms.

Tedream sleep tracker

Tedream is a wireless, sensor-packed, soft patch, innovated by Wis Medical, that claims to replicate a full sleep lab study at home.

The adhesive-free patches attach to the forehead, chest, and forearm, without the need for any gels. They simultaneously measures EEG, ECG, EMG, SpO₂, heart rate, respiration rate, snoring and posture.

Giving the best sleep trackers a run for their money, Tedream promises "medical-grade signal fidelity" and "accurate at-home sleep apnea testing" (not yet FDA-approved). Sensor sophistication aside, the patches work similarly to consumer trackers wirelessly transporting data to your smartphone so you can access your sleep reports in real time.

Tedream's Qi wireless charging and reusable design mean you can use these patches night after night to gain a holistic view of your nighttime biometrics.

• Read more: Sleep like a tech billionaire: The smart mattresses and sleep gadgets the world’s greatest are investing in in 2026

If you're looking to try a smart mattress this New Year, the Sleep Number c2 is a great entry-level option. And you can save 30% off the c2 smart mattress at Sleep Number right now, dropping this already good value bed to the lowest price we've seen in two years.

The best smart beds we've tested offer customizable comfort and in-bed sleep tracking, and the c2 does both of these things without breaking the bank. Sure, it doesn't deliver the sophisticated climate control of the Sleep Number Climate360, but you can fine tune the feel of the bed and collect nightly sleep data.

At $1,299 MSRP for a queen size, the c2 is always outstanding value compared to other smart mattresses, and it's just got even cheaper in the post-Christmas mattress sales. Here's why you don't want to miss this deal...

Hot sleeper? Try this instead...

As the sleep tech reviewer at Tom's Guide, I've tested 45 sleep products over the past year and got some of my best night's sleep ever.

While fancy sleep tech can indeed elevate your kip, especially if you're looking to target specific problems — trusty sleep earbuds like the QuietOn 4 are a life saver if you're victim to a snoring partner — my first recommendation for restorative rest will always be the best mattress for your body and sleep position.

Besides that, I have a small catalogue of products that I rely on for better slumber. Testing several gadgets a week means I'm picky over which ones I keep around. My bedside can only handle so much tech, after all.

And you're in luck, poor sleepers, as I'm sharing my secret weapons for sleep scores of 100 here...

The top 5 products in my sleep survival kit

1. A reliable cooling mattress

I've been sleeping on the Bear Elite Hybrid mattress, which we name as the best cooling mattress of 2025, for the past three months and I can honestly say it is the most comfortable bed to ever grace my bedroom.

I tend to run hot at night around my period, and my dad insists on blasting the log burner at this time of year so my house is like a sauna by the time I go to bed.

But since I've been sleeping on this mattress packed with Celliant cooling fibers and an airy coil layer, I can honestly say I've stopped tossing and turning at bedtime.

Instead I drift off comfortably and have avoided waking up in a sweaty fluster during the night. Specialist cooling mattresses like the Bear Hybrid may cost a little more than standard beds, but they're worth it for the sleep comfort they offer.

Plus there are plenty of more affordable options out there like the Siena memory foam mattress at $244 for a queen size on Amazon, which performed brilliantly in our temperature regulation tests.

And if you're not ready to upgrade your mattress yet, check out our low-cost cooling hacks for more comfortable sleep.

• Read more: Sleep like a tech billionaire: The smart mattresses and sleep gadgets the world’s greatest are investing in in 2026

2. A quality sunrise alarm clock

It's never easy to wake up on dark mornings, but the best sunrise alarm clocks make it more bearable. Simulating a sunrise inside your bedroom followed by a soothing audio alarm, a sunrise clock gradually pulls you from sleep so you feel less groggy, and more alert, upon waking.

I've tested half a dozen sunrise alarm clocks over the past year and can tell you you won't get better than the Hatch Restore 3. There's a reason it's the trendiest alarm clock over TikTok right now, but it's rather pricey at $169.99 (and it requires a subscription fee.)

Therefore, if you're looking to stretch your dollars further this new year, I recommend the $59 Dreamegg sunrise alarm clock. It's still sleek and offers a great sunrise simulation as well as calming sleep sounds, for over $100 less than the Hatch — cha-ching!

3. Breathable cotton bedding

Since your core body temperature needs to drop for your brain to release sleepy hormones (melatonin) to fall asleep fast, it's important you create a cool sleep environment.

One of the things I find helps me avoid overheating at night is breathable cotton sheets that allow air to flow through your bed.

Our sheet expert, Becky George, picks the Coop Cotton Percale Sheet Set as the best bedding of the year. She says these sheets prove "high quality, luxury sheets don't need to come with bells and whistles" because "these natural, cotton sheets in a classic weave deliver comfort, softness that's designed to improve with every wash and consistent breathability."

4. A trusty sleep tracker

While tracking your sleep won't instantly mean you sleep better, looking deeper into your nighttime habits and biometrics can help you understand what you need to do to give your body a better chance of getting good rest.

I've spent the year reviewing the best sleep trackers from top brands like Oura, Garmin and Apple. During this, I've discovered the main advantage of sleep tracking is the accountability it provides, encouraging me to stick to a consistent sleep schedule.

Perhaps the greatest lessons I've learnt as a sleep writer is that going to sleep and waking up at the same time night-in night-out is the best way to make sure you get good quality sleep and feel refreshed the following day.

Having my Oura Ring 4 both remind me bedtime is approaching and record my wake up time each morning makes it easier to stick to these regular sleep timings.

5. Red light reading clip

A not-so-obvious sleep accessory but one I've used every night this year is a red reading light clip.

As a dedicated bedtime reader, I'm all for creating a cozy sleep-friendly environment to enjoy while I devour a chapter or two before bed. I tried the Bon Charge blue light blocking reading clip at the start of 2025 and have never looked back.

I've honestly used it most nights of the year and find it does a brilliant job of making me sleepy in the evenings, thanks to the melatonin production it promotes.

It's also super practical if you share a bed. The big light and bright lamps can be switched off to help your partner sleep, while your page is illuminated so you can read.

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM: Review in brief

Lumie released the first ever wake-up light back in 1992, and the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM is their most feature-rich, top-of-the-line, premium-priced sunrise alarm clock yet. After testing it from mid-September to mid-December, I can honestly say it deserves a place in our best sunrise alarm clock guide.

Testing the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM was a great investment during the fall and early winter, as it helped me to smoothly transition from lighter late-summer mornings to darker winter solstice-approaching mornings.

We've tested Lumie's cheaper offerings in our Lumie Bodyclock Shine 300 review and Lumie Bodyclock Glow 150 review, and while they share features such as the sunrise and sunset simulation and phone-free controls, the Luxe 700FM stands out for its more extensive sound library and Bluetooth speakers. It's also bigger, standing over an 1.5" taller than the Bodyclock Glow 150.

The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM primarily operates, and is marketed as, a wake-up light. Its sunrise alarm features a gradual 15 minute to 90 minute sunrise simulation, which displays an increasingly brighter white light for a gentler way to wake up.

Accompanying the sunrise is a library of over 25 sounds and, while I'll go into more detail in the performance section below, they range from the classics (such as beeping and birdsong) to the completely unconventional (such as a ping-pong match and purring kittens). However, you can still use the sunrise alarm without any audio sounds if you choose.

The sounds don't have to be used as alarms, as there are plenty of sleep sounds in the catalogue, too. In fact, there's even a sunset simulator that displays warmer, gradually dimming light for an unwinding bedtime routine.

As for how it will look in your bedroom, the Lumie Bodyclock 700FM has a neutral color scheme and a glass, globe-like appearance that looks very chic and modern. The downside is that its chunky size does take up some room on your nightstand and isn't for those who prefer compact, streamlined sleep tech designs.

As it has a phone-free buttoned control panel, you can keep your bed screen-free. However, be mindful that you may need to read the instruction manual beforehand as I found the controls not so intuitive. It does also have a slight glow-in-the-dark monitor like most digital alarm clocks, which can be helpful in the night.

The price tier may be an issue if you're not in the market for a premium sunrise alarm (the MSRP is $259). However, we think the price is worth it if you want all the luxury features that a sunrise alarm can bring to the table.

The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM will certainly hold a permanent place on my nightstand throughout the dark winter mornings — here's why.

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM: Price

Let's cut to the chase: if you want a basic sunrise alarm at a mid-range or budget price, the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM is not for you. However, if you're looking to invest in your sleep and want a device that pulls out all the stops, then we confidently recommend the Luxe 700FM as our top premium pick.

It's $259 at MSRP, though we have seen it discounted in the Amazon Prime Day sleep sales; it was $249 during July's Prime Day, for example. Lumie also offers a 3-year warranty and 45-day trial. Plus, there's no hidden subscriptions cost (like with Lumie's rival Hatch) — once you buy it, all the features are there ready for you to use.

Of course, there are cheaper high-quality models out there offering better value for money. In our Hatch Restore 3 sunrise alarm clock review, we awarded the $169.99 model the title of our favorite sunrise alarm clock on the market thanks to its excellent value for money. Just be aware that there are some subscription costs and no FM radio.

Plus, for the same below-$170 price tag, you can by Lumie's Shine 300 model if you don't mind fewer sounds and forgoing Bluetooth speakers..

Price score: 4/5

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM: Features

The main attraction of the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM is the sunrise-simulating wake-up light, which basically means it functions as a light that gradually becomes brighter (mimicking a sunrise) as your programmed wake-up time approaches. This light is meant to regulate and tap into your circadian rhythm, making you feel more alert upon waking.

The wake-up light also functions as a wind-down light with a sunset simulator, too, which gradually dims to mimic sundown. This is perfect to set a relaxing mood and help you switch off before bed.

What's more, it's a sound machine as well, with a library of 27 sounds in total. These sounds can be used as alarms or sleep sounds. There are soothing sounds (for example, there's ocean waves and white noise) to relax during bedtime or to drown out any disruptive noise, and sounds that are more invigorating, such as robins chirping, cars racing, and goats bleating.

There's a dimmer switch to adjust the light intensity, and it changes the colour from cold to warm when you push it.

Then there's the integrated FM radio feature, which you can set as your a wakeup alarm, or simply use it as a music radio for recreational listening. There's the option to play your carefully curated Spotify sleepy playlist too, thanks to Bluetooth speakers.

Features score: 4.5/5

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM: Ease of use

The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM comes with a 23-page instruction manual, complete with images and diagrams, to help you get the hang of it. And thank goodness, because the control panel isn't the most intuitive.

While it took me no more than an hour to confidently operate the machine, I do test a lot of home tech appliances for a living, so those who aren't the most tech iterate may need to read through the manual a couple of times or watch Lumie's video on how to set up the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM on YouTube.

I don't think I'd instinctively know how to operate the Bodyclock Luxe, but I will say it gets simpler to use the longer you use it. Setting up the alarm, including the time and day of the week and type of sound, was fairly straightforward after reading and watching the tutorial, though I will say it does involve a lot of button-pushing and dial twisting. That said, by the second night, I could use it without a second thought.

For the radio, you will have to turn the dial to tune it manually, but you can search for a station by simply clicking the right-hand dial. You can also adjust the aerial for better reception. Once you find the station you're looking for, you can make it easier to find next time by saving it as one of five presets.

Bluetooth took a while to set up as I had to press the audio button countless times until the Bluetooth symbol appeared next to it. However, once it did appear, pairing it with my iPhone was easy and there were no issues with connecting thereafter.

One major benefit in terms of ease of use is that, bar wanting to use the clock as a Bluetooth speaker, you don't need to subscribe or download any app to use it. Everything you need to operate the clock is right there on the clock itself.

Ease of use score: 4/5

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM: Performance

I've been testing the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM for three months, assessing it in key areas of performance, including ease of use, set up and general night-to-night function. Here's how it performed in tests...

Set-up 

Weighing just over 3lbs, the Luxe 700FM was easy to carry and then unbox. The packaging was economical and necessary, so it didn't take me an age to unwrap.

Setting up the Luxe 700FM was a snap as it was already assembled, and the only accessory was a mains power adaptor. To get started, all I had to do was insert the adaptor into the socket (located on the base of the clock) and then plug it into the mains power supply. Simple.

The "Getting Started" page of the instruction booklet was simple to follow and well-illustrated, and the only thing I had to do was select a language and set the time and day of the week.

Connectivity

Connectivity isn't really that important for operating the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM, as you don't need Bluetooth to use the sunrise alarm, radio or the sunset feature.

The only time I needed to rely on Bluetooth connectivity is when I wanted to play my Spotify playlists out loud and used the clock for its Bluetooth-operated speakers.

As mentioned in the above "Ease of Use" section, it did take a lot of button pressing for the Bluetooth symbol to appear on the clock's display, but once it did appear, pairing was fast and connectivity thereafter was no trouble at all. The speakers' sound quality is also clear and of high-quality.

Sunrise simulation

If you're looking for a sunrise alarm clock, the main thing you want to know is whether the sunrise feature is any good. My answer? Yes, absolutely.

A sunrise alarm clock is the best investment you can make for your sleep in the winter months, as the simulated sunrise helps to wake you up during the dark winter mornings.

It also brought a much less stressful start to my days as there's no need to rely on any harsh beeping. In fact, even when I set a sound alarm on the clock (I'll going into the sound alarm feature in the next section), I'd often rise with the gradually brightening light before the sound began.

Overall, the sunrise light (brought to me by low-blue white and blue-enriched white integrated LED bulb) provided an effective yet gentle way to nudge me awake.

Alarms

The great thing about the alarm is that you can choose between a daily or weekly option. For weekly, the alarm will automatically go off at the scheduled time without activating it the night before. I chose the weekly option as the daily option involves having to activate it before going to sleep.

The weekly option also allows you to schedule a different time for each day. While we recommend waking up around the same time every day, there are certain days where you'll need to wake up earlier or later than usual, so this function comes very much in handy.

Now, on to the fun part: the sounds. Say goodbye to the grating sounds of Radar, and hello to a 27-strong sound library that includes birdsong (including hooting owls and tweeting robins), race cars burning rubber, bleating goats, chugging trains, kittens purring and the sound I always use: ambient cafe noise complete with chatting customers and clattering cutlery. You can listen to all 27 sounds at Lumie's website.

You also have the option to make one of five radio pre-sets your alarm. Honestly, I couldn't think of anything worse than being awakened by the inane chatter of radio hosts or an annoying jingle for car insurance, but the option is there if you do like the sound of that.

• Read more: I used a sunrise alarm clock for a week and it didn’t wake me up once — here’s why I'll still use it

Sunset simulation

To be completely honest, the sunset simulation was the one I used the least, as I don't need anything to signal that it's nighttime: the 4pm sunsets do that for me.

However, I can see the benefit for those who want to create a wind-down routine, as the warm, dimming glow really does set a calming atmosphere, and those who have seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

You can also customize the duration of the sunrise alarm to sync up with the length of your bedtime routine, so anywhere between 15 to 90 minutes (same duration range as the sunrise feature).

Sleep sounds

While there are plenty of invigorating sounds that are definitely made to be wake-up sounds, such as tropical birdsong and race cars, others are definitely made for bedtime routines and sleep. And these sounds can accompany your sunset simulstion.

Options such as ocean waves and white noise are great for drowning out distractions, crickets and running water can be used to create a nighttime soundscape, and you can even play a little 1 minute and 48 second song titled "Guzheng" , a piece of music that has sort of become Lumie's theme as it's played in the background of its sunrise alarm tutorial video. I find this signature tune to be pretty and relaxing, as it evokes an image of a tranquil garden.

Of course, you can also set your sunset audio to play a radio preset, so it may be a good idea to find a classical radio station that plays smooth, soothing music.

Performance score: 5/5

Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM: User reviews

On Lumie's website, the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM has accumulated 29 reviews, with an overall star rating of 4.4 out of 5. Out of these 29 reviews, 65% awarded the clock five stars. Most positive reviews commend the way it wakes them up gently and how it's a worthwhile investment for the darker, colder months.

One reviewer says it's "worth every penny" and makes waking up at 5.30am "much easier". Another reviewer praises the different sound options and the ability to adjust the brightness. Meanwhile, one happy customer says she loves the sunset feature despite buying it for the sunrise light.

However, while most reviews are completely positive, there are some who express ambivalence. One customer says it is a great product and "does what it says on the tin" but was disappointed by the lack of smart tech and app controls. (I found the lack of an app-controlled system to be a plus as it keeps screens from ruining your bedtime routine, but each to their own.) Another customer complained about the quality of the Bluetooth connection, particularly when listening to the apple podcast app.

Overall, customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive.

Should you buy the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM?

Buy the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM if...

✅You want a gentle way to wake up: Use a gradually brightening glow to wake you up beep-free, or choose the sound of purring kittens or pretty birdsong as an audio accompaniment.

✅You need to wake up before dawn: Dark winter mornings can be morale-lowering when you need to wake up well before the sun rises, so this sunrise-simulating wake-up light is perfect if you're on the early morning shift.

✅You want to create a relaxing atmosphere: Whether you want the gradually dimming glow of a sunset simulation, the sound of a classical radio station, or a speaker to play your favorite bedtime podcast or playlist, the Bodyclock Luxe 700FM has all the features you need to create a tranquil mood.

Don't buy the Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM if... 

❌You want a simple, intuitive sunrise alarm: The control panel, while not app-controlled or in need of a smartphone just to function, isn't the most intuitive design, especially if you've never used a sunrise alarm before.

❌You’re on a budget: The Luxe 700FM is most definitely in the premium price category, so this is not the sunrise alarm if you're looking for a basic, entry-level model. It's a luxury investment.

❌You have limited nightstand space: The Lumie Bodyclock Luxe 700FM is the chunkiest of Lumie's wake-up light collection, so it does take up nightstand room and isn't for anyone who likes their streamlined and compact tech.

• Read more: Hatch vs Philips: Which top-rated sunrise alarm clock is best for your morning routine?

Alternatives to consider

Besides driving a wedge in relationships and ruining quality sleep, snoring can be a serious health concern. Did you know studies show habitual snorers are at a 46% higher risk of stroke?

But health-tech innovator Ultrahuman and leading AI sleep technology company Sleep Cycle are stepping in to help.

Today, the partnership are launching the Respiratory Health PowerPlug for Ultrahuman Ring AIR users, a programme designed to help you understand and tackle snoring.

The best sleep trackers on the market all detect snoring to some degree, but the Respiratory Health PowerPlug will delve deeper into your respiratory habits. This will give a more clear picture of what's causing your snoring and how you can handle it, whether that be consulting a medical professional or changing lifestyle factors.

“Snoring is treated like a joke in popular culture, but physiologically, it’s one of the earliest warning signs that something isn’t right," CEO of Ultrahuman, Mohit Kumar, says.

"Most people never see their own snoring patterns, which is why problems escalate silently for years."

Respiratory Health PowerPlug: Why it's important

As mentioned above, snorers are at a higher risk of serious health conditions like stroke.

What's more, research in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine has found one third of regular snorers may have undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

OSA is a condition affecting nearly 1 billion adults worldwide. This occurs when the upper airway narrows or collapses during sleep and it can cause hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Plus there's a gender sleep gap at play. Women snore nearly as much as men — just nine minutes less on average — but massively under-report their snoring, contributing to widespread under-diagnosis of sleep apnea in women.

That said, Dr. Mike Gradisar, Head of Sleep Science at SleepCycle, says habitual snoring (snoring three to four times a week) is linked with many health consequences (stroke, cardiovascular issues, diabetes, hypertension) without actually having sleep apnea.

"There's a lot of value in people being aware of their own snoring and potentially understanding what might cause it and what they can do about it," he explains.

But with Ultrahuman x Sleep Cycle's new software, all snorers can be more aware of their overnight respiratory habits. This means they can get the help or make the changes they need to curb health issues down the line. As Kumar states, "Awareness is the first line of prevention.”

Respiratory Health PowerPlug: Features

The Respiratory Health PowerPlug combines Sleep Cycle’s proprietary AI sound software with Ultrahuman’s advanced biomarker tracking. The result? One of the most comprehensive consumer tools ever built for understanding nighttime respiratory stability.

"By pairing respiratory sound analysis with real-time biometrics, Ring AIR now shows users the signals they routinely miss — the breathing disruptions that fragment sleep, impair recovery, and are linked to long-term cardiovascular risk," Kumar explains.

Across your smartphone and Ultrahuman Ring Air, the new software is able to detect snoring, coughing and respiratory disturbances that disrupt sleep quality.

By revealing when snoring or coughing intensified, and showing how those events corresponded with drops in HRV, elevated nighttime heart rate or repeated awakenings, Ultrahuman ring wearers gain a more clear understanding of how respiratory habits impact overall recovery and health.

“My hope is that, by Ultrahuman integrating our tech into their ring, we'll get a lot more people that will be able to be much more reflective about their health, and get more curious about what snoring can be — that it isn't benign,” Dr. Gradisar says.

In turn, users can take measures to improve their overnight respiratory health - and hopefully pull the plug on snoring, so their partner can rest better, too.

These measures may include cutting down alcohol (booze relaxes the throat muscles which equals more snoring), side sleeping (this position helps open airways), losing weight (fat narrows airways), or consulting medical professionals.

Respiratory Health PowerPlug: Availability

Starting today, the Respiratory Health PowerPlug is now open to Ultrahuman users. Access is rolling out via the waitlist in the Ultrahuman app.

But the new programme comes with a fee. It costs $3.99/£2.99/€3.99 per month or $39.99/£29.99/€39.99 per year. For that you get a daily morning report with data including HRV, resting heart rate, movement patterns and sleep fragmentation, alongside trends in your respiratory health.

If you're not yet a Ultrahuman user, you'll need to purchase the hardware too. You can shop the Ultrahuman Ring Air for $244 at Ultrahuma now (was $349).

Sleep Cycles algorithms provide additional tools to monitor snoring and this will be combined with biometrics from Ultrahuman. Then, through the Ultrahuman interface you'll find your complete sleep report, along with actionable tips on how you can reduce snoring and improve sleep quality.

And if this all sounds a little invasive, rest assured that all respiratory audio is processed, stored and managed entirely on the user’s device. No sound files are uploaded to Ultrahuman or Sleep Cycle servers, and users can delete recordings at any time.

I’ve been using the Hatch Restore 3 sunrise alarm clock, which is our pick for best sunrise alarm clock, for three months now, and I can say with complete certainty that it is the best gadget I own. Before using the alarm clock, I would wake up tired and groggy in the morning, and unsure why I couldn’t stop tossing and turning all night, only to be rudely awoken by my blaring phone alarm.

The sunrise alarm clock has literally changed everything from how I fall asleep to how I wake up. I even get more sleep when I use the alarm clock and can feel such a difference in how much I’m able to do each day.

The Hatch Sleep app

The Hatch Sleep app is one of the easiest interfaces I have used. All of the information you need is neatly displayed in order of your routine. It starts with the wind-down routine before moving down to sleep and wake-up as you scroll down.

Any changes made in the app are instant, and you can use it as a remote control to adjust the color of the sunrise or sunset, and even the volume of the music. Using it makes me feel like I’m taking my routine into my own hands and have full control.

Gentle wake-up

The alarm clock does an amazing job of waking me up slowly. There is nothing worse than the jarring blare of the alarm on my phone; it is quite literally PTSD-inducing. But with the Hatch Restore 3, I wake up gently with a 15-minute sunrise cycle that works perfectly for me.

The setting I use starts as a dark blue light before gradually becoming warmer and orange. Sometimes the light on its own will stir me awake, and I don’t feel like I’m being cheated out of an extra few moments of sleep. This also puts me in a far better mood for the day.

It’s got the looks

The Hatch Restore 3 is seriously one of the best-looking gadgets I own. The chic design and the mesh front mean it fits in quite literally anywhere. There’s no screen on it either, so when it displays the time and the sun graphics, these come up as small lights through the mesh front.

This keeps everything looking super minimal, and it doesn’t look out of place on my nightstand. The alarm clock is also available in three different colors that are all very neutral, so whichever one you go for, you’ll be impressed by its ability to blend seamlessly.

I would recommend this sunrise alarm clock to anyone who finds themselves battling with early mornings or simply needs a little extra help winding down in the evening.