The bedroom upgrades that transformed my sleep — and they’ll work wonders for you too

It goes without saying that a good night's rest is important for everyone and, at a time when even kids are being affected by the lack of sleep, awareness of how to get the best rest is important. That's why we celebrate World Sleep Day each year.

It's always held on the Friday before the March equinox, which means World Sleep Day is on March 13 in 2026, and the theme is 'Sleep Well; Live Better'.

One way to achieve that is to ensure you have a regular sleep and wake time — new research shows that if you stick with it seven days a week, it can help "extend life expectancy by up to four years". And while that sounds easy enough, it may not always be possible.

I should know: I review mattresses for Tom's Guide Australia and wear a sleep tracker each night, and even though I am usually in bed at the same time every night, falling asleep at a consistent hour is hard to do. I found that updating my bed with the best mattress in Australia helped improve my sleep, but setting myself up with other accoutrements also worked to my advantage.

I've used my own experience to put together a few upgrades and aids to help you sleep better too. These include not only my top suggestions for upgrading your bed with excellent mattresses that we've tried ourselves but also sleeping aids like earplugs and trackers. The good news is many of these items are currently discounted.

Mattress

Buying a mattress that suits you best is a hard task and can cause sleepless nights in itself. However, my team and I have tested a fair few popular options in Australia and have put together a list of the best mattresses in a box to help make the process easier.

While I would highly recommend the Sleeping Duck Mach II because of how highly customisable it is for firmness — not just for the whole bed, but for specific zones if necessary — it's also excellent value even at full price (a queen costs AU$1,649). However, I also understand that budgets are tight these days and my second option would be the Onebed Original. I've listed a third budget option below as well, just so you can take a look to see which one suits you best.

Pillows & other bedding

Sometimes just changing out old pillows can help improve sleep. Most Aussie mattress makers also have pillows in their catalogues that offer good neck support and are cooling as well.

I've tried Koala's pillow, the first-generation one, and it was fantastic. Now there's an improved version, so I've listed that below. Currently I have the Valmori Shredded Foam Pillow at home, and it's been good so far — I've had it nearly a year now. Don't discount Emma Sleep, though, as its Diamond Pillow is well constructed.

You could also consider other bedding options. For example, if you don't want to change your mattress entirely, adding a good topper would help. Cooling blankets can also improve sleep, especially in Australia.

Sleep tech

If your bedroom is set up just as you like it, then consider other sleep aids. For example, earplugs to minimise the noise around you at night or perhaps something to track your sleep so you get insights into what could be improved.

I wear a smart ring to track my sleep, but there are mats that you can place under your bedsheet that will do the same thing and, in fact, can be the cheaper option. On the other hand, a smart lamp can also emulate circadian rhythms, which could help you stick with a regular sleep schedule.

Even something as simple as a comfortable eye mask can make a difference to the quality of your sleep.