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From smart alarms and tracking devices to eye masks and comfy pajamas, sleep products can help you get the rest you need so you can wake up feeling refreshed. Everyone has different needs and preferences, so you should base which sleep products you use on your own personal criteria.

People tend to focus on mattresses, pillows, and bedding when it comes to optimizing their sleep space. These are all essential to a good night’s rest, but you can invest in additional products to help you relax before bed, curtail sleep disruptions during the night, and wake up feeling refreshed each morning.

Pajamas, eye masks, and other wearable accessories can help you feel more comfortable in bed prior to and during sleep. You can also monitor your sleep patterns with a tracking device, and improve your sleep quality and duration with gadgets like smart alarms, wake-up lights, and white noise machines. Lastly, products like blackout curtains and sleep sprays can help promote a restful bedroom environment. 

Best White Noise Machine: Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

Best White Noise Machine

Sweet Zzz White Noise Machine

Price: $109

Best Earbuds: SoundOff Noise Masking Earbuds

Best Earbuds

SoundOff Noise Masking Earbuds

Price: $180

Best Sleep Mask: Manta Eye Mask

Best Sleep Mask

Manta Sleep Mask

Price: $39

Best Sleep Tracker: Oura Ring 4 Ceramic

Best Sleep Tracker

9.2/10Test Lab Score

Oura Ring 4 Ceramic

Price: $499
Sleep Tracker Type: Wearable (ring)
Battery Life: 5 to 8 days
Subscription: $6/month or $70/year

Best Pajamas: Cozy Earth Women’s Long Sleeve Bamboo Pajamas

Best Pajamas

Cozy Earth Women’s Long Sleeve Bamboo Pajamas

Price: $195

Best Sleep App: Calm App

Best Sleep App

Price: $15

Best Alarm Clock: Loftie Clock

Best Alarm Clock

Loftie Clock

Price: $170

Best Sleep Spray: Plant Therapy Blissful Dreams Lavender Pillow Spray

Best Sleep Spray

Plant Therapy Blissful Dreams Lavender Pillow Spray

Price: $16

Best Headphones: DUBSLABS Bedphones Sleep Headphones

Best Headphones

DUBSLABS Bedphones Sleep Headphones

30% off sitewide. Code: Holiday24 Shop At DUBSLABS
Price: $89

Best Wake-Up Light: Hatch Restore 3

Best Wake-Up Light

Hatch Restore 3

Price: $170

Why You Should Trust Us

At SleepFoundation.org, we’re committed to bringing our readers honest, expertise-driven assessments of various sleep products. Each member of our team holds years of experience researching and evaluating mattresses, pillows, bedding, and sleep accessories. To ensure our recommendations are up to date, we continually test new products and weigh the results of these tests against the competition.

What Are Sleep Products?

For the purposes of this guide, sleep products is a catchall category referring to any accessory that promotes restfulness and healthy sleep. While all sleep products serve this general purpose, they may achieve it through different means. 

Some products enhance your sleep space with inviting scents, soothing music, or by reducing light and noise interference. Others track sleep data using sensors and smart apps. The term may also apply to sleepwear, alarm clocks, humidifiers, and other items that make up your dedicated sleep space.

Pajamas and Accessories

While many people sleep in the nude, a large number of adults prefer wearing pajamas to bed. Traditional pajamas consist of a top and bottoms, but a wide range of styles and combinations are available. Common fabrics for pajamas made today include cotton, wool, Tencel, and rayon derived from bamboo. Other wearable accessories for sleep may include an eye mask and earplugs, which curb sleep disruptions by blocking light and noise, respectively. 

Gadgets and Tech

Many people employ tracking devices with built-in sensors to monitor their sleep patterns and provide daily data. You can use this data to improve your sleep routine, and many trackers include companion apps with sleep tutorials and coaching programs. Sleep trackers may be wearable, or consist of a thin sheet that rests on top of your mattress.

Other gadgets that can help you sleep better include sunrise alarms that mimic natural light patterns to help you wake up comfortably, noise-canceling headphones to muffle loud noises at night, and white noise machines. 

Sleeping Environment

Optimizing the area where you sleep is key to a good night’s rest. Aromatherapy and sleep sprays both use essential oils to create relaxing scents that promote calm and relaxation. If you live on a brightly lit street or typically sleep during the day, blackout curtains can prevent natural or artificial light from entering your bedroom. The right bedroom fan can help maintain a comfortable temperature for sleep. Sleep aids like melatonin also fall into this category, but you should always speak to your doctor before taking any sort of supplement.

What to Consider When Buying a Sleep Product

When choosing a new sleep product, your personal needs and preferences should come first and foremost. A crucial first step is determining why you want to invest in a particular product. For example, people who are struggling to relax before bed and fall asleep should use a product that serves this specific purpose, as opposed to a product that helps them stay asleep or wake up feeling refreshed. 

The best product for another sleeper may not be right for you, and could potentially prevent you from getting the rest you need. Many sleep products come with trial periods allowing you to test them in your bedroom and decide whether they’re helpful or not. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How much sleep do I need?

According to current recommendations, adults 18 and older should get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Occasionally falling below this threshold shouldn’t impact your health too much, but not getting enough sleep on a regular basis can negatively impact your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Practicing healthy sleep hygiene can help you get the sleep you need. Chronic lack of sleep may indicate you have a sleep disorder such as insomnia. If you aren’t getting enough sleep and don’t know why, talk to your doctor. 

What products are best for hot sleepers?

If you regularly sleep hot or sweat in your sleep, you should consider a sleep product that promotes cooling and temperature control. Your options include pajamas and other sleep garments made from moisture-wicking fabrics, an adjustable bedside fan, a humidifier for your bedroom, or a mattress pad with active cooling technology.

It’s important to maintain a bedroom temperature that’s comfortable for sleep. Studies show a thermostat setting of 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for most adult sleepers.

What products are best for heavy sleepers?

Heavy sleepers typically need alarms and other devices that are loud or strong enough to wake them from their deep slumber. Some alarms are designed to become progressively louder, so they can wake you up without harsh initial blaring. Another option is a sunrise alarm, which uses gradually brightening colors to sync with your circadian rhythm and help you wake up without any noise. Some mattress pads and sleep trackers also include alarms that wake you up with gentle vibrations.

How do light and noise affect sleep?

Light can interfere with the natural circadian rhythms guiding your sleep cycle. Our bodies are trained to feel alert in the presence of daylight and more relaxed after the sun goes down. If your body detects light during periods of natural nighttime darkness, this can cause you to wake up. Loud noises at night can also affect your sleep cycle by reducing the time you spend in deep sleep, which in turn may cause you to feel tired or groggy in the morning. 

Some products specifically target these sleep deterrents. Options include eye masks and blackout curtains to reduce light interference, and earplugs, sleep headphones, and white noise machines to drown out loud environmental sounds.

What if these products are not helping me?

Finding the most helpful sleep products may require some trial and error on your part. Thankfully, many sleep products come with trial periods. You can test the product in your sleep space, experiment with settings, and decide whether it’s worth the investment. 

Be sure to carefully review your trial options for each product. While some brands allow you to use their products during the trial, others do not accept returns for products that have been removed from their packaging.

Still have questions?

Our product experts have extensive experience testing just about every sleep product on the market.

Send an email to AskAnExpert@sleepfoundation.org with your questions and we’ll help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Learn more about our Editorial Team