The Best Sleep Gadgets for Travel

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It doesn’t matter if the bed is a luxury pillow-top in a five-star hotel or a lumpy mattress in a shared hostel room—what traveler hasn’t lain awake, staring at a new ceiling and wishing for sleep? Between jet lag, unfamiliar surroundings, and loud or bright environments, travel can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule.

The market is full of gadgets that promise to help you sleep, but which of them actually work? From smart masks that lull you to sleep with guided breathing to earbuds that block out noisy neighbors, we’ve tested the best tools to help you catch those Z’s on the road.

Hatch Rest Go

If slamming hotel doors, loud traffic, or noisy neighbors keep you awake at night, try packing a portable sound machine. We tested the Hatch Rest Go, a travel-sized sound machine that plays soothing sounds for up to 15 hours. 

Choose from sounds like white noise, rain, ocean, or fan (we liked customizing the sound to our vacation destination, for example, playing the ocean sounds at the beach) and enjoy a better sleep. 

Our favorite feature of the Hatch Rest Go is its simplicity. You don’t need to download an app or connect to WiFi or Bluetooth. Just charge it using the USB-C cable and push the button to start playing white noise. Cycle through the sounds and set the volume with a tap of the buttons. 

Favorite Features:

• Long-lasting battery
• Can be used while charging
• Small and packable
• Made from recycled plastics
• Preloaded sounds

Aura Smart Sleep Mask

The Aura Smart Sleep Mask stands out as the most futuristic sleep gadget we tested. This innovative eyemask features built-in speakers and lights designed to enhance your sleep experience. When paired with its companion app, you can access a wide variety of light and sound programs directly within the mask.

These programs cater to different needs, from improving sleep quality to reducing anxiety and stress. The app allows you to set personalized nighttime routines, such as starting with a guided breathing exercise to induce sleep, followed by white noise throughout the night.

Our favorite feature was the box breathing program, which uses both light and a soothing voice to guide you through a deep breathing exercise. Additionally, the mask’s built-in light can simulate a natural sunrise, offering a gentler way to wake up.

Favorite Features:

• 3D cushion design blocks out 100 percent of light
• No eye pressure due to the molded design
• Ultra-thin speakers are comfortable for side sleepers
• Personalized sleep program
• Ability to set an alarm that will only wake you up (and not disturb your partner)
• Seven-day battery life
• Sleep tracking app

Soundoff Sleep Earbuds

Forget white noise—the latest in noise-masking technology is pink noise. Pink noise emulates sounds humans find pleasant in nature (like ocean waves or rain) and helps you fall asleep quickly and sleep better throughout the night.

SoundOff Sleep Earbuds combine sound-masking pink noise with noise-blocking memory foam earbud tips to help you get the best night’s sleep ever. Noise masking technology actually blocks out all the sound around you, compared to noise canceling, which still lets you hear the disruptive sound (it’s just not as loud).

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We liked the SoundOff sleep earbuds because they were the easiest sleep gadget to use. Simply take the earbuds out of the case, turn them on, and you’re ready to go. If you need to, you can adjust the pink noise volume by pressing a button. 

Favorite Features:

• Easy to use, no app required
• Preloaded sounds
• Blocks out noise extremely well
• Charge lasts up to 16 hours
• The portable carrying case doubles as a charger
• Memory foam tips form to your ears and are very comfortable

Philips Sleep headphones

If you really need to block out noise to get a good night’s sleep, we recommend Philips’ Sleep Headphones. These ultra-thin headphones are designed to lie flat in your ear, so they’re comfortable even for side sleepers. 

Pair these headphones with Philips’ Kokoon app, which will play sleep meditations, soundscapes, or whatever media you choose. The smart headphones will detect when you drift off to sleep, fade out your audio, and replace it with white noise to block out loud sounds.

These headphones are great for using on a plane. They drown out engine noise (and crying babies) and look like normal headphones.  

Favorite Features:

• Trademarked SnoreProtect technology that masks external sounds
• Can be used as regular headphones when you’re not sleeping
• Great library of white noise and relaxing audio in the app
• Sleep-tracking technology helps you monitor the quality and amount of sleep you get each night

SleepPhones Wireless

If both noise and light keep you awake, try a gadget that blocks out both, like the SleepPhones Wireless. The SleepPhones look like a headband but are designed to be worn over your eyes, eye mask style. Hidden inside the band are slim headphones that are flat and comfortable to lie on. 

The headphones can stream any audio you choose via Bluetooth, helping you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. 

The SleepPhones are available in a fleece or “breeze” fabric—we recommend the lightweight and cooling breeze fabric if you’re a hot sleeper.

Favorite Features:

• Option for eco-friendly packaging
• Ability to stream your own media 
• Battery charge lasts 24 hours
• Washable

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