The French meditation device designed for better sleep

Addiction to phones and increased screen time can mean interrupted sleep but there’s a new way to get deeper sleep.

REVIEW

If your screen time is up and you’re not getting enough sleep there’s a new, whimsical device that may be able to help.

The Morphée, a unique, non-digital product from France, is an adorable little device I’ve been using to help relax and fall asleep. In short, it’s a meditation device which aims to assist you in getting to sleep quicker and also giving you a deeper sleep.

It features more than 200 audible guided meditation sessions that explore breathing, visualisations and movement with two different voices to choose from, along with some white noise sounds.

Unboxing

The Morphée is really low tech. It has no screen and only one small yellow light which is rarely enabled, only to show that it’s turned on. The device comes with a instructions booklet, a USB to micro USB charging cable (would have loved to see USB-C here) and a charging plug.

The Morphée is very low tech.

The product is reminiscent of a wooden wind-up music box, but instead of a turn key on the side there are three golden keys on top. The left key allows you to choose from eight different meditation themes, the second key on the right allows you to toggle through different sessions and the third key lets you choose between an eight-minute or 20-minute session duration.

Features

I was excited to try this device as I’ve been pretty addicted to my phone lately – and even as a tech reviewer, I can admit that. I love indulging in the latest smartphones and tablets and scrolling until I fall asleep. Though I do notice that whenever I use tech right before bed, I’ll be tossing and turning, unable to shut down for a lot longer than usual.

I’ve tried using those relaxing, meditation apps on my phone but classically, with a phone in my hand, I always make my way back onto social media.

Elly was excited to try a meditation device that didn’t involve her phone. Picture: Supplied.

So this was a chance to try something new, something that doesn’t have an internet connection. Being so simple to use, you don’t even get decision paralysis when trying to pick which meditation to put on.

I found myself often choosing the relaxing white noise sounds such as waves, wind, water or even better a guided breathing meditation. The latter is my favourite because a calm, gentle voice guides you through breathing exercises while distracting you from your thoughts.

There are also stories that you can listen to that help your mind wander away from thoughts from the day. Both narrators have calm, gentle voices that are relaxing and even though there’s over a hundred options, I haven’t gotten sick of listening to my favourite sessions on repeat.

Battery life

The Morphée has an in-built speaker, which I’ll be honest, if cranked all the way up shows it isn’t the highest quality. Though on the medium-level volumes it sounds clear and pleasant, which is more than enough.

Alternatively, you can use the device with regular earbuds or headphones, as there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack. This is great if you need to keep things quiet next to your partner.

Although this device does need charging, unlike a good old book, the battery lasts for up to 10 days which is a delight compared to my phone’s daily charging requirements.

Should you buy it?

After using this for about two weeks, it has drastically improved the way I relax. Especially if I’ve had a stressful day, I look forward to simply getting into bed and turning the keys in my now no-phone-zone. The Morphée retails for $149 and although I think this is quite steep, the build quality and the user experience is excellent and I would highly recommend it.

Elly Awesome is an Aussie tech and lifestyle vlogger | @ellyawwesome | YouTube