Sleep

A lot of kids don’t like having to put on their pajamas, as doing so means that it’s time to go to bed. If those jammies had bedtime stories digitally hidden within them, though – well, maybe then the kiddies couldn’t wait to get them on. That’s the idea behind Smart PJs.  Read More

We’ve seen alarm clocks that you turn off by chasing them across the room, sticking a toothbrush in them or punching in a code in another room, but Lexon’s new Flip offers yet another alternative – you just turn the thing over.  Read More

Whether it’s smartphones, cameras or MP3 players, it probably goes without saying that most consumer electronics are designed for maximum user convenience ... that doesn’t always end up being the case, but it is at least the intention. The Wayki is somewhat unique, however, in that it’s specifically designed to force the user into doing two things that they’d rather put off: getting out of bed, and brushing their teeth. That’s right, it’s a combination alarm clock and toothbrush.  Read More

Fitbit has added to its catalog of activity and well-being trackers with the Flex – a wireless wristband monitor which made its debut at the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this month.  Read More

Have you ever wondered how some airline, train or bus passengers are able to sleep with their heads balanced in the middle of their seat back? Well, if you don’t possess whatever skill it is that such people have, perhaps you could use a Relax ALLY Restband – it’s a headband that keeps your head attached to the seat.  Read More

Sleep deprivation is no joke. It can cause lower performance, decreased memory, and even sickness. So, if you spend your life orbiting Earth on a $150B spacecraft, you're going to take sleep seriously. NASA, responding to an epidemic of insomnia, is ready to give the International Space Station (ISS) an LED makeover.  Read More

It’s taken a few years, but the LED light glasses developed at Australia’s Flinders University that first attracted our attention back in 2003 are finally seeing a commercial launch. Now called Re-Timer, the wearable device emits a soft green light onto the eyes to reset the body’s internal clock to counter jet lag, improve the alertness of shift workers and make waking up in the morning easier.  Read More

Dawn-simulating alarm clocks, which wake the user up with a light that slowly comes on, have been around for a while now. Finland’s UnikkoNordic, however, is taking things a step further with the whole mimicking-the-rising-sun thing. It’s released the Aurora Wake-Up Light – an alarm clock with an LED-illuminated section that actually rises out of the clock as it comes on.  Read More

The rejuvenating power of naps has been known about for some time, with various studies showing that even a short nap can increase alertness. While a nap of around two hours is of most benefit as it encompasses all stages of sleep, a power nap of up to 30 minutes is certainly better than nothing. It's not long enough for you to enter deep sleep (and consequently risk feeling worse than before), but it's long enough to take the edge off your need to actually go to bed. Whether such evidence would ever be enough to persuade a company to provide designated areas for workers to sleep is unclear, but CalmSpace exists for that very purpose.  Read More