Sleep PicksThe one thing we'd buy for Wired Sleepers
Free fix first. Then the one purchase that helps most, who makes it, and its honest downside.
Start free
Your body is tired but your brain keeps going. The free fix comes first: a specific, written to-do list five minutes before bed, on paper, then out of the bedroom. It closes the "open loops" your brain keeps rehearsing (Scullin et al., 2018).
If you're going to buy one thing
A cotton weighted blanket
Baloo or Bearaby (US), or a cotton blanket from Amazon elsewhere
Why: The gentle, even pressure is calming for a lot of people when the mind won't settle. Baloo's all-cotton blanket (glass beads, stitched in pockets) is one of the most consistently recommended in 2026 reviews and comes with a lifetime warranty. Bearaby's knitted Napper is the other favourite.
How to use it: Most makers suggest roughly 10% of your body weight. Choose cotton or a knit; they sleep cooler than polyester.
The honest downside: They can run warm, they're heavy to wash, and the evidence is early rather than settled. Not for babies or young children.
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Worth a look next
A white-noise machine
Yogasleep Dohm Classic
Why: A real fan in a dome, so the sound never loops or clicks. It has been the category standard since 1962. Steady sound masks the sudden noises (car doors, heating, a partner) that pull you out of deep sleep.
How to use it: Put it between you and the noise, not by your head. Start quiet.
The honest downside: Only one kind of sound, and it needs a socket. If you want more sounds, a digital machine like the LectroFan does more, but some people hear the loop.
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A contoured eye mask
Manta Sleep (or any contoured mask)
Why: Cupped eye pads that don't press on your eyes, adjustable so light doesn't leak in around the nose. The cheapest fix for early light or a partner's reading lamp.
How to use it: Give it three or four nights; it feels odd at first.
The honest downside: Manta's cups can shift if you sleep on your side. Cheaper contoured masks work well for most people.
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What we would not buy
Most sleep supplements (thin evidence, and some interact with medication; ask a pharmacist), anything promising to "cure" sleep in a week, and expensive "smart" bedding that is a normal product with an app bolted on.