12 Items That Will Help You Have a Better Night’s Sleep

Even when you’re feeling completely exhausted, getting a good night’s sleep can be tough. Everything from feelings of stress and anxiety to what you’re eating and drinking during the day can affect how much quality shut-eye you’re getting throughout the night. If you need help falling asleep or staying asleep, there are a few products that can improve your sleep environment and hopefully help you have a better night’s sleep every night.

Before You Buy

To pick the product that will help you the most, you need to figure out the reason why you’re having trouble sleeping each night, so you can address that specific issue. You should also be aware that, if you’ve been diagnosed with a sleep disorder, you might need to speak with a doctor to find the right solution. Try to pinpoint what you’re looking for to find the best option for you.

• Does excess light keep you awake? If any kind of sunshine or artificial light keeps you feeling wide awake, then you should look for a product that will keep your bedroom as dark as possible. . . or at least make it feel that way.
• Are you easily woken up by noises? Sure, a loud noise will wake most people. But some people are lighter sleepers than others and find that every little outside noise affects their sleep quality. If that sounds like you, then you need something to drown out the background noises.
• Do you feel like you’re uncomfortable every night? If you constantly wake up with a stiff neck or an aching back, or you just find you’re tossing and turning all night, maybe you need to upgrade your bed. You might need a new pillow, a new mattress, or even more comfortable sheets.
• Do you feel stuffed up every morning? Waking up every morning with dry sinuses or a stuffed up nose shouldn’t be the norm for anyone. Maybe something in the air is bothering you while you sleep, affecting the quality of your slumber. If that’s the case, you need to adjust that.

For Keeping Light Out: Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask

An eye mask is one of the best ways to ensure no light disrupts your sleep, whether it’s sunlight creeping in in the morning or a flash of light from your partner’s cell phone or the television. You just want to pick one that’s comfortable and won’t slide off your face. The Mavogel Cotton Sleep Eye Mask is a great option. It fits snugly with a thick strap that ensures it won’t budge.

The extra fabric along the sides of your face is comfortable and really blocks any light—it offers more coverage than many eye masks. It’s also made of soft, lightweight cotton so that it doesn’t feel restrictive.

For Improving Sleep Quality: Philips SmartSleep Deep Sleep Headband

This high-tech Philips SmartSleep Deep Sleep Headband is meant to track your sleep, detect when you’re in a deep sleep, and improve that sleep. Sensors on the headband detect when you’re in “slow wave sleep” (the deepest kind of sleep) and then trigger audio tones that help you stay in that stage. It also learns as it goes, adjusting to your body’s rhythm specifically so that those audio tones become more customized based on your needs.

The headband also works with an app to track your sleep, so you can keep an eye on exactly how much sleep you get each night, which can be helpful. Getting more of that deep slow wave sleep helps increase your energy throughout the day, so you feel less tired, which is always a plus.

For Soothing Sounds: Adaptive Sound Technologies LectroFan White Noise Machine

A white noise machine is ideal for blocking out background sounds that could jolt you awake or creating soothing noises if you can’t sleep in total silence. Science backs that up: Research shows that white noise can be beneficial when it comes to getting a better night’s sleep. The LectroFan White Noise Machine is great because it’s compact and not overly complicated.

With 10 different fan sounds and 10 ambient noise sounds, the LectroFan offers plenty of options, so you’re bound to find at least one that works for you. There’s a large speaker to ensure good sound quality, and it features a straightforward design that’s very easy to figure out.

For Tracking Sleep: Fitbit Versa 2

Experts say that tracking your sleep throughout the night can help you figure out when you’re waking up and find patterns that you otherwise wouldn’t know about. Basically, that information can give you a lot of insight into how you’re actually sleeping and maybe help you figure out what you need to do to improve things. The Fitbit Versa 2 is an activity tracker that also tracks your sleep, so if you’re looking for some insight, this is nice to have. Granted, the sleep tracking accuracy can be a little questionable (as with any sleep tracker), but if you’re interested in getting an idea of your daily metrics, it’s good to have. It’s also comfortable to wear and works with an app on your phone—and the battery life is impressive, with a lifespan that can last more than four days.

The big advantage of the Fitbit Versa 2 is that it’s not just a sleep tracker. It stores and plays music, it syncs to your phone to display your text messages, it tracks all of your activity, it has exercise modes to record your workouts, and it has female health tracking services as well. Basically, it does it all.

To Meditate Before Bed: Headspace App Subscription

Sometimes a lack of sleep comes from an overwhelming amount of stress and anxiety. This is where a steady meditation practice can come in. Research has shown that mindful meditation can help fight insomnia. The relaxation that comes from meditating can improve stress, depression, pain, and high blood pressure, thus improving quality of sleep. And getting in meditation couldn’t be easier with a subscription to the app Headspace.

Headspace, which is available for iPhone and Android devices, offers subscription programs to take advantage of all it offers. Along with regular meditation sessions, it offers Sleepcasts, which are audio experiences that talk you through a soothing experience—one, for example, is called Beachcomber and makes you feel like you’re relaxing on a beach. There are also Sleep Sounds, which is basically just very soothing bedtime music.

To Prevent Congestion: ASAKUKI Essential Oil Diffuser and Humidifier

A humidifier doesn’t just ease cold symptoms or keep your sinuses from getting too dry—it can also help improve sleep. According to research, humidifiers can enhance airflow quality to make breathing easier, decrease snoring, and keep you from waking up with sinus issues. Tons of options are available, but the ASAKUKI Essential Oil Diffuser and Humidifier is a great option that also helps set a relaxing vibe.

This two-in-one machine uses essential oils to diffuse a soothing scent throughout your room, which could help you relax and feel more ready for bed, and it also acts as a humidifier to prevent dry sinuses. It’s very quiet so it won’t disrupt you; the light can be brightened to use as a nightlight or dimmed to practically nothing; it has four different timers; and, as a plus, it looks nice on a shelf.

For Blocking Sunlight: Nicetown Blackout Curtains

If you need your bedroom to be as dark as it is in the middle of the night all the time, then you need a set of blackout curtains. They block sunlight even in the middle of the day, ensuring that you’re in the right environment for deep sleep. These Nicetown Blackout Curtains are a reasonable price, and perhaps more importantly, they work well.

These curtains are also thick, so they keep out sunlight and excess sound, making them especially ideal for people who sleep during the day. They are machine washable, are made with eco-friendly ingredients, and come in a variety of color options.

For a Relaxing Glow: Hatch Baby Rest

Some people need complete darkness to sleep, others need some sort of soft nightlight to get some shut-eye. For those who crave a little light, the Hatch Baby Rest might be a great solution. Yes, this is a product made with babies in mind, but you certainly don’t need to be an infant to appreciate it. This smart light works with an app on your phone, so you can control it while you’re in bed. Aside from acting as a soft nightlight (you can also adjust the intensity of the light), the Hatch Baby Rest acts as a noise machine if you need some soothing sounds.

It has several different light color settings and noises, so you can mix and match to find the pair you like the most, making it super customizable.

The Most Comfortable Pillow: Leesa Hybrid Pillow

The kind of pillow you’re using can make a huge difference in your sleep. If you’re looking for something more comfortable, the Leesa Hybrid Pillow might be a great option for you. One of the best things about it is that it’s customizable. There’s a small pillow inside the larger one that can be kept in for more padding or can be removed for a slightly flatter surface.

The fabric of the pillow is designed to stay cool no matter what for a soothing effect. One side is quilted, and the other is more smooth, so you can flip it whichever way you want. Lastly, Leesa offers a 100-night in-home trial, so if you don’t like it, you can send it back.

To Keep Out Noise: Lavince Sleep Headphones

Maybe you need to listen to music to sleep, but your partner can’t stand it. Or maybe your partner snores very loudly throughout the night, and you need something to block the noise. Either way, the Lavince Sleep Headphones might work for you. While normal headphones or earbuds can feel uncomfortable and bulky while laying in bed, these are made with comfort in mind. They fit more like a thick headband than a pair of headphones, and they’re wireless.

These allow you to easily listen to music to fall asleep, but they can also be used during the day when you’re working out—they’re especially great for when you’re running. They’re easy to take care of and can be thrown in the machine to be washed.

To Stop Snoring: Smart Nora

Snoring is disruptive for both the person snoring and anyone in the room with them. Smart Nora aims to stop snoring without making you wear something uncomfortable. You place part of the device underneath your pillow, and the egg-shaped part right over your pillow where you sleep. Nora listens for sounds of snoring, then inflates the pad under your pillow to gently move it and nudge you so you stop snoring.

It’s supposed to work by stopping the snoring before it gets so loud it wakes up anyone else. While it might wake up the snorer the first few nights, they eventually adjust to it, and it no longer wakes them—just stops the snoring.

For Clean Air: Conway Air Purifier

An air purifier can help remove impurities in the air that can cause allergies or cold symptoms, improving the quality of the air you breathe and helping you sleep better. The Conway Air Purifier is a reasonably priced option that works great in a bedroom.

This air purifier captures impurities and allergens in the air and gets rid of any unwanted odors. You can set the timer to schedule it to go on and off as you please, and a light shows you how clean the air is at that moment. It is easy to use and features a simple design.