Sleep Tight: Technology That Might Help You Get Your Rest

Good sleep is a foundation of good health. Over the past two plus years, we have looked at multiple aspects of sleep, from sleep hygiene to strategies for CPAP mask comfort to emerging treatments for obstructive sleep apnea. In this article, we will look at the latest in sleep technology.

Many of the products you’ll read about may sound like foolproof sleep solutions. However, these are not medical devices; they are intended for in-home wellness uses. The data they collect is stored in the app or cloud, as is the case for other forms of wearable technology you may already use. So, before you invest in the latest sleep technology, make sure you’re comfortable with what these products can do, and with the manufacturer’s privacy policy.

Smart Mattresses & Bedding

In 2025, mattresses continued their evolution from providing passive comfort to AI-powered sleep optimization. Sensors embedded in these mattresses monitor your sleep habits (heart and breath rates and movement) and adjust firmness, temperature, and even mattress incline in real time to improve sleep quality based on the data they collect.

This information is logged and synced to a companion app where it becomes part of your long-term sleep history. You’ll see daily summaries plus weekly or monthly trends in sleep duration, sleep stage breakdown, heart rate variability (HRV), and respiratory rate. Depending on the system you choose, your smart mattress can even model your personal baseline over two to four weeks, alerting you to changes in health metrics like resting heart rate or breathing patterns.

Smart mattresses may also be poised to resolve one of sleep’s greatest challenges, mattress temperature. Personalized sleep climates, whether via water-cooled or zoned climate control technology are available to consumers for whom temperature – theirs and a partner’s – is a significant factor in getting restful sleep.

Wearables & Sleep‑Enhancing Tools: Headbands and Earbuds

Inspired by neuroscience, new headbands and earbuds aim to optimize brainwave activity for better sleep. One of these devices incorporates electroencephalogram (EEG or brain activity) sensors and targeted audio stimulation into a headband designed to suppress wakefulness and to speed up the onset of sleep.

Another headband product provides gentle electrical pulses based on EEG patterns, which is thought to increase sleep duration. Finally, a new to the market sleep mask combines brain monitoring, blackout comfort, sunrise alarm, and guided audio for a complete sleep enhancing experience.

Next‑gen wearables are migrating to your ears as well. Now, you can buy earbuds that monitor your brainwaves and deliver pink noise to deepen sleep. You have heard pink noise before; think waves crashing on a beach, leaves rustling in the trees, or even falling rain. Pink noise still has all sounds audible to the human ear, but the lower frequencies are amplified, and the higher frequencies are diminished. The more familiar white noise, which some manufacturers continue to incorporate into their wearable devices, share all sound frequencies at the same intensity, so white noise can be annoying or even unpleasant for some people.

Traditional tracker tools like rings and watches remain relevant, but now they’re super‑charged, offering insights into sleep stages, heart rate, breathing, and sleep apnea risk. You could even consider a new ring that generates personalized sleep‑aid soundscapes based on your real-time biometric data to improve the onset of sleep.

Pajamas, Pillows, and Masks Incorporate Technology Too

Textiles, and the garments and pillows they are made into, are getting smarter. For example, a British manufacturer has incorporated washable fabric sensors that detect breathing, snoring, and sleep apnea states with – according to the manufacturer – 98.6% accuracy.

Broader advances in e‑textiles hint at fabrics capable of wireless charging and read‑outs, promising a future where entire garments are data-smart and battery-free.

Even the lowly pillow can now learn your breathing patterns and inflate to realign your head during snoring, a form of silent anti-snore technology.

Efficacy and Future Trends

While early studies on headbands, mattresses, and mattress/bedding systems show promise, true long‑term efficacy is still to be determined. Even if you opt for one of these new sleep technology tools, core sleep hygiene habits – dark rooms, cool temperatures, consistent sleep/wake times, and limiting screen time at least 30 minutes before bed, still apply.

As these types of sleep monitoring technologies become mainstream, you can expect manufacturers to move for approval of their gear as medical devices. It is also possible that at some point in the future, you could see forms of insurance/HSA/FSA reimbursement for your purchases. Likewise, as these products gain adherents, look for synergy between product types, making tracking of your sleep that much more comprehensive.