Back to school sleep essentials — 5 things college students need for a good night's rest

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Over the past year, I’ve been deep in the world of sleep, testing and reviewing mattresses and sleep tech, and learning everything there is to know about getting quality rest. But not too long ago, I was just another college student trying to sleep among endless assignments and social events.

If I could go back to school with the sleep knowledge I have now, there are a handful of products I would have kitted myself out with for a better chance of sleeping well during the academic year.

Top of the list would be the best mattress for your budget range (which you can find in our best mattress for college students guide), then I'd look into completing a blissful sleep setup with comfortable, breathable bedding and investing in some sleep gadgets to really level up my ZZZs.

With Labor Day sleep sales on the horizon, now is a great time to start scouting out deals that will bring you better sleep for less this academic year. I've spent all morning shopping early sales and here are the best deals on sleep products trusted by me and the rest of Tom's Guide's sleep team...

5 dorm room sleep essentials

1. Siena 8" Signature Memory Foam Mattress: full was $229 now $159 at Amazon
Affordable, supportive and decent quality, the Siena Signature Memory Foam mattress is a college student's dream. Though this model is 2" shorter than the 10" version we tested for our Siena Mattress review, we're confident it's a reliably supportive bed. Just note that our reviewers found it slightly firmer than expected, so it best suits stomach and back sleepers. If you want more pressure relief, check out our EGOHOME Memory Foam Mattress review. However, the Siena is our best budget mattress of the year and you can bag a twin for just $109 and a dorm-ready twin XL for $149 at Amazon right now, with a 10-year warranty and 180-night trial included.

2. Luxury Cooling Mattress Protector: twin was $99 now $74.25 at Brooklyn Bedding
Whether you'll be sleeping on a hand-me-down dorm mattress or have invested in your own, you'll want to make sure you and your bed are protected against germs and spills. The Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Mattress Protector can do just that, and keep you comfortably cool at the same time. Our lead tester often goes back to it when she's done testing other sleep products, because of its heat-reducing capability. It's not the cheapest protector on the market, but we feel it's a worthwhile investment if you're attending a college in a sun-belt state. Plus, a 25% back to school discount takes a twin XL to $81.75 (was $109) and full to $89.25 (was $119).

3. Lane Linen 100% Organic Cotton sheet set: twin from $29.49 from $24.99 at Amazon
Breathable, soft and environmentally friendly, an organic cotton bedsheet set can help you keep your sleep space cool, and refreshing in stuffy dorm rooms. This Lane Linen set at Amazon is a great, affordable option available in a variety of colors and prints to match your dorm room palette. Current prices depend what color and size you shop, but you can get a full size Lane Linen 100% Cotton sheet set in white, including a fitted sheet, a flat sheet and two pillowcases, from $30.59 now (was $39.99) after 24% off.

4. Odokee Store sunrise alarm clock: was $59.99 now $40.49 at Amazon
A sunrise alarm clock can revolutionize your morning routine, especially as we head into the darker fall and winter semesters, by simulating the natural rising of the sun. Although not one of our top-rated sunrise alarm clocks, the Odokee is great value option at Amazon right now, thanks to a 33% off deal. This cuts the cost of the putty colored version to just $40.49 from $59.99. It's sleek and doubles up as a sound machine that will soothe you to sleep with a choice of 25 calming sounds.

5. MUSICOZY Sleep Headphones Bluetooth Sleep Mask: was $39.99 now from $26.99 at Amazon
The MUSICOZY headphone sleep mask is a two-in-one sleep gadget combining a blackout sleep mask to shield you from light with inbuilt Bluetooth speakers to help drown out noisy dorm mates. Our tester was impressed by how well the MUSICOZY blocked out light, and though the sound quality wasn't excellent, it was good enough for listening to white noise, soothing sleep sounds and calming background music at bedtime. There's currently 33% off the black model at Amazon, bringing it down to $26.99.

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Eve is a PPA-accredited journalist with an MA in Magazine Journalism from Cardiff University. She is a Sleep Staff Writer at Tom’s Guide and has four years’ experience writing health features and news. She is particularly interested in the relationship between good sleep and overall health. At Tom’s Guide Eve is responsible for coverage and reviews of sleep tech and is our smart and cooling mattress specialist, focussing on brands such as Eight Sleep and Sleep Number. She also covers general mattress reviews, seeks out the best deals to produce tried-and-tested buyer's guides for sleep accessories and enjoys writing in-depth features about sleep health. She has been involved in rigorous testing procedures for mattress reviews in our Sleep Studio and has interviewed experts including sleep doctors and psychologists. When not covering sleep at Tom's Guide, Eve enjoys writing about health and fitness, food and culture.

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