The latest goods and services designed to help you catch some z’s
Words by KELLY ATTERTON
More than one-third of American adults don’t get enough sleep, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sleep deprivation impairs cognitive functions, degrades our emotional intelligence and raises stress levels, contributing to weight gain, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. There are simple fixes to keep in mind, like no caffeine or big meals before bed, no screen time in the bedroom, and at least seven hours of sleep each night. But for many of us, that’s just not enough. From supplements to data analysis, personal coaching and creating ideal sleep environments, optimizing shut-eye has become big business, with an influx of technology, products and services to help you get your z’s.
DR. BARBARA STURM’s Sleep Food herbal supplement offers support for restorative shuteye and healthy skin.
Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Sleep Food
Famous for her eponymous anti-inflammatory skincare line, Dr. Barbara Sturm recently launched Sleep Food, an herbal supplement that facilitates the deep sleep vital for healthy skin. Containing purslane, passionfruit and melon extracts, Sleep Food is also loaded with anti-stress B vitamins, sleep-supporting herbs, (Valerian, St. John’s wort) and antioxidants that guard against dehydration, free-radical damage and accelerated aging. $95/60 capsules at Violet Grey.
Track your sleep activity with the OURA Smart Ring to recalibrate your body’s circadian rhythm.
Oura Smart Ring
This sleek piece of wearable technology tracks daily sleep activity, with an emphasis on aligning with the circadian rhythm (the body’s natural clock). The ring monitors everything from total sleep time to sleep stages and sleep efficiency. The collected, personalized data connects with an app, helping the user to make smarter health and wellness choices. From $299.
Sleep can support cognitive functions, improve our emotional intelligence and lower stress levels
Use your AMAZON Echo Plus to implement a fully customized nighttime routine at the same time every day.
Amazon Echo Plus
Amazon’s Alexa is ready to get into bed with you. With a new wellness team in place, Amazon has curated a variety of skills (think apps) to help customize sleep routines — dimming the lights, playing sleep meditations, listening to sleep sounds or scheduling your favorite album to play for a set amount of time — through the Echo Plus smart home hub, all without the need for a screen in your bedroom. $150.
The pros at EQUINOX can coach your sleeping habits in addition to your fitness progress.
Equinox Sleep Coaching
Want a better body? Dreaming may be the answer. Equinox teamed up with the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA to validate the impact of sleep on fitness outcomes, using their findings to develop a 12-week Sleep Coaching program, available where Tier X training is available. These guided sessions, taught by certified trainers, will evaluate your sleep habits, implement better behaviors (think consistent bedtimes) and track your progress toward your personal goals. $495/six-pack of sessions, plus membership fees.
Feature image: Photo by Walter Chin/Trunk Archive.
This story originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of C Magazine.
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