Tried and tested: the best gadgets to help you sleep

Some will lull you off to sleep, others will track what you do when snooze: these are five of the best bedtime-ready gadgets on the market.

Gadgets can often be blamed for keeping you up at night but these are all about sleep

MORPHEE

This stylish bedside gadget could get you off your phone and off to sleep

$149, jbhifi.com.au

PROS

– Plenty of soothing options

– No screen to wake you

– Attractive, subtle design

CONS

– No software updates

– No Bluetooth option

– Must read manual

This understated device looks a little like a wind-up toy when you lift its lid but its circuit board is actually loaded with 200 sound options to lull you off to sleep. The quirky French creation asks users to select one of eight soothing programs, from nature sounds to music and guided mediation, as well as whether you’d prefer a male or female narrator and a session that runs for eight or 20 minutes. The device, which remains hidden beneath a rounded wooden lid, can play sounds through its own speaker or be connected to headphones.

Verdict: ★★★★½

OWLET SMART SOCK PLUS

A smart wearable gadget for young sleepers

$550, owletcare.com.au

The Owlet Smart Sock monitors a young child’s vital signs while they snooze.

PROS

– Tracks baby’s vital signs

– Works up to age five

– Records sleep trends

CONS

– Quite expensive

– Relies on kid tolerating it

– Camera an extra purchase

The youngest member of the household can determine how well everybody in it sleeps so this device could be a smart investment. The Owlet Smart Sock is a sensor worn on your child’s foot that can track their heart rate, oxygen level and sleep so it can give you a heads up on when they’re about to wake up even before they start crying. Data is sent to a connected app, so you can look at trends and also monitor for illnesses, and the new Plus version comes with four washable socks and will measure children up to the age of five years or 20kg, whichever arrives first.

Verdict: ★★★★½

WITHINGS SLEEP ANALYSER

A sleep-tracking gadget for your bed to wear

$199, jbhifi.com.au

The Withings Sleep Analyser is approved in Australia for detecting sleep apnoea.

PROS

– Fits beneath your mattress

– Tracks sleep stages

– Can detect sleep apnoea

CONS

– Requires a power point

– Only tracks one user

– Can misunderstand lie-ins

It’s easy to forget you’re using this gadget to track your sleep. The Withings Sleep Analyser doesn’t sit on your arm but lies under your mattress where its sensors collect data like your heart rate, sleep disruptions, and time in REM, deep and light sleep stages. It also uses a microphone to track snoring and, fascinatingly, it’s medically approved to indicate signs of sleep apnoea; an under-diagnosed condition that affects breathing during sleep. All of this information is uploaded to an app when you wake for your perusal but, be warned, it can record long lie-ins as part of your slumber.

Verdict: ★★★★

GOOGLE NEST HUB (2ND GEN)

A strange but strangely effective way to track your sleep

$149, store.google.com

PROS

– Straightforward sleep-tracking

– Fascinating insights

– Tracks coughing and snoring

CONS

– Can feel creepy

– Subscription needed in 2023

– Pets can cause bad readings

With a seven-inch screen, microphone, speaker and connection to the internet, this is not an obvious bedtime gadget. One feature makes Google’s smart speaker destined for the bedside table, however, and that is Sleep Sensing. It uses radar technology to track movements during sleep — even the rise and fall of your chest — while other sensors record the temperature, noises including snoring and coughing, and delivers a fulsome report in the morning about how much you sleep and its quality. The feature will be free to use this year before becoming part of Fitbit’s premium service in 2023.

Verdict: ★★★★

BOSE SLEEPBUDS II

These miniature earbuds are designed for use on the pillow

$380, bose.com.au

The Bose Sleepbuds II are designed for wearing to bed.

PROS

– Comfortable, small form

– Plastic wings keep them in place

– More soothing music options

CONS

– On the expensive side

– Limited noise-masking

– Designed for just one thing

Whether someone else’s snoring is keeping you awake or you just need help to drift off, these dedicated sleep gadgets promise assistance. Bose’s second Sleepbuds feature more soothing sounds you can load from your phone, like rustling leaves or a fire, and they are now more comfortable in your ear and won’t make squeaking noises against a pillow if you sleep on your side. As their name suggests, they’re designed just for sleep so they won’t stream other music or podcasts, and they mask noise rather than cancel it.

Verdict: ★★★½