JUMP TO Section Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- Swear by: A weighted blanket
- Skip: An expensive bed cooling device
- Swear by: A sunrise alarm clock
- Skip: Over-the-counter sleep supplements
- Swear by: Blackout curtains
- Skip: Sleep trackers
- Swear by: A king-sized bed
- Skip: Any sheet set with a top sheet
- Swear by: A buckwheat pillow
- Skip: Sharing blankets
- Swear by: A really comfy blanket
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- I've reviewed home and sleep products for nearly a decade; I also struggle with chronic insomnia.
- I've tested many sleep products that I would never buy again, from sleep supplements to trackers.
- But I swear by a weighted blanket and a sunrise lamp for better sleep.
I've struggled with insomnia intermittently my entire adult life. That doesn't mean every night is restless — far from it. It's just that sleep doesn't come as easily to me as it seems to for other people. That's why, in my career as a product journalist, I've taken a special interest in sleep products. I wrote our guide to the best pillows; tested products for the best sunrise alarm clocks, air mattresses, and mattress toppers; and edited our guides to the best mattresses, sheets, and toppers, among many others.
A chronic insomniac reviewing sleep products may seem like the start of a bad joke, but my own experience with sleep issues has made me acutely aware of the impact that the products we use can have on our sleep. When I find something that really works, it feels like a huge win. And when I spend money on a product that doesn't, it makes me really mad. Sleep disorders like insomnia impact 70 million Americans every year, and it infuriates me when companies profit off of these struggles with products that don't work. I'll try any sleep solution once, but I'm hyper-critical of what stays in my bedroom long-term.
Over the years, I've found sleep products I really love and also sleep products I really hate. If you're struggling with sleeping, know that it does get better, even if it feels impossible right now. Below are six sleep products that have improved my sleep for the better and five that I would recommend skipping. My hope is that they offer some relief for you, too, or at the very least, help you navigate what solutions to skip.
Swear by: A weighted blanket
Luna Weighted Blanket (15 lb)
Check price at LunaMy weighted blanket is my first line of defense when I feel a bad night's sleep coming. Cocooning myself in my weighted blanket seems to keep my muscles still and thus begins to quiet my brain. I also love my weighted blanket for general anxiety relief throughout the day; I can drape myself in it and feel safe and comforted. Our guide to the best weighted blankets lays out everything to look for, but a good rule of thumb is to start with a blanket that's about 10% of your body weight.
Skip: An expensive bed cooling device
Eight Sleep Pod Pro Cover
Check price at Eight SleepI could write an entire post about my saga with this thing. In short, it completely ruined my mattress. This "smart" cover uses a grid of water to cool or heat your bed to your ideal temperature. It was glorious at first; I fell asleep so fast for the few weeks I was able to use it. But eventually, I noticed wet spots on my sheets. When I removed the cover, my mattress was covered in mold from a leak in the grid. Talk about the stuff of nightmares. Check out our guide to the best mattress toppers for better options.
Swear by: A sunrise alarm clock
Casper Glow Lights
Check price at CasperSunrise alarm clocks may be one of my favorite inventions of the last decade. These nifty devices use light (and sometimes sound) to lull you to sleep and wake you up gently. My favorite is the Casper Glow Lights because they're so simple and sleek: just a pair of wireless lanterns with a soft, warm glow. They're controlled either by an app on your phone or a set of simple gestures: flip to turn on or off, tap to pause the dimming, and shake to activate a nightlight. Every night I turn them on and read until the light is too dim to keep going; it's a gentle and comforting way to relax myself before bed.
Skip: Over-the-counter sleep supplements
Over-the-counter sleep supplements like melatonin or Benadryl come in all different forms: pills, gummies, lotions, even scented roll-ons. If they work for you, great. But if you're starting to look for sleep solutions, I'd talk to a doctor before starting any sort of over-the-counter supplementation. Evidence on the effectiveness of OTC supplements for insomnia is limited, and they can be costly and may cause unpleasant side effects such as daytime grogginess. As someone who tried a lot of OTC remedies for insomnia before finally consulting a doctor, I can say I really wish I had asked for a professional's help sooner instead of going it alone for so long.
Swear by: Blackout curtains
Rowland Blackout Curtain Panel
Check price at TargetDarkness is a key component of a restful night of sleep, which is why blackout curtains are essential for my bedroom. I picked up a pair at Target for about $40 each, but you can also check out our guide to the best blackout curtains for more options. My one complaint is that they provide a lot of insulation in the room, and I like to sleep cold. At some point, I'll likely invest in some blackout shades so that I can crack the window a bit at night.
Skip: Sleep trackers
When I first started having trouble sleeping, I thought that maybe tracking each night's sleep would help me get a better handle on patterns. Spoiler: It really just made me more anxious, and thus less likely to fall asleep as I lay awake wondering how any given moment of restlessness was going to impact my "sleep score." After a sunk cost of $100, all I learned was that I was, in fact, having trouble sleeping. Take the pressure off yourself and skip the monitors; focus on how you feel each morning instead.
Swear by: A king-sized bed
Thuma The Bed (King)
Check price at ThumaI hesitated on upgrading from a queen to a king bed because I knew I was in for a big expense replacing my frame, mattress, sheets, and blankets. But boy, I really wish I had made this change sooner. As an incredibly light sleeper, I felt like I could feel every little twitch and rustle my partner made in our queen bed. Now that we have a king, I feel like I have room to spread out and move without bothering my partner or vice versa. We love the Thuma bed frame for effortless assembly, and our mattress buying guide lays out options for every type of sleeper.
Skip: Any sheet set with a top sheet
Brooklinen Fitted Queen Sheet
Check price at BrooklinenWe've had a fierce debate about this among the Insider Reviews team, but I am solidly team no top sheet. For me, the simpler my linen setup, the better. More fabric means more that can get bunched and wrinkled and stifling while I sleep. Fortunately, many brands like Brooklinen and Parachute now make sheet sets without the top sheet. This means I can put my money toward better sheets without the added cost of a flat sheet that I'll never use.
Swear by: A buckwheat pillow
Turmerry Buckwheat Pillow
Check price at TurmerryWhen I started reviewing pillows for our buying guide, I never imagined that my absolute favorite would be made of buckwheat. My husband and I both loved the one I tested so much that I went and bought another one so we wouldn't have to fight over it. Buckwheat pillows are heavy, so they don't move around or fall flat as you sleep, and the fill is malleable but provides a ton of support so you can shape it to cradle your head or support your neck. It also stays cool better than any other pillow I've tested.
Skip: Sharing blankets
The ervét System Bundle
Check price at ervétLook, I love to cuddle as much as the next person, but I've completely given up on sharing a blanket with my partner, and I have no regrets. With separate blankets, we're both free to cocoon and hog the covers as much as we'd like without disturbing the other person; plus we each get to choose a blanket that's the right temperature for us. I'm not alone in swearing off shared blankets: Separate blankets are the norm in many countries, and evidence suggests having your own blanket can help you sleep better and improve your relationship. You can also find duvets that attach magnetically and then split when pulled, like the one linked above.
Swear by: A really comfy blanket
Parachute Box Quilt
Check price at ParachuteOn that note, my absolute favorite blanket is this quilt from Parachute. I love that it's lightweight and cozy but not at all stiff like other quilts I've tried. It has a bit of a cult status among the Insider Reviews team; I can think of at least four other team members who also have it. I sleep with it every single night in all seasons, and it always keeps me cool and comfortable.
Lauren Savoie Deputy Editor, Reviews & Chair of the Editorial Standards Board Lauren Savoie is deputy editor of Insider Reviews and chair of Business Insider's editorial standards board. Lauren leads the home, kitchen, pets, and travel teams, and is deeply involved in all editorial decision making, with a particular focus in strategic content planning, career growth of reporters and editors, and strong journalistic standards for the Reviews team. In 2022, Lauren attended The Poynter Institute's Leadership Academy for Women in Media, a prestigious program that recognizes leaders in the journalism industry.Lauren joined the Business Insider team in 2020, first as kitchen editor and soon after as senior home & kitchen editor, where she pioneered original testing methodologies for buying guides and built a diverse team of freelancers and reporters with deep expertise in product testing. You can see some of her work in our guides to the best flower delivery services, the best pillows, and the best sous vide machines. Before her time at Business Insider, Lauren was the senior reviews editor at America's Test Kitchen, where she wrote and edited more than 300 in-depth, unbiased buying guides and reviewed more than 1,000 kitchen products. Her work has appeared in Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines, in dozens of cookbooks, on two Emmy-nominated TV shows, and on CNN.com, Fodor's, Yahoo, LifeHacker, the Splendid Table, and more.Lauren is currently Kansas-based, but continues to live like a lifelong Bostonian: drinking Dunkin' iced coffee in the winter, spending summers "down" the Cape, and sharing her home with a cat named Chowder. Say hello at lsavoie@businessinsider.com or @el_savvy on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider. Read more Read lessncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufonyowcidnKxnmKS6pnvBnqqtZaOhsqa8jKmpqJylmMG0ecWrpqZlkWLArbHEqWSenJmpvLM%3D