Despite this, studies have shown that nearly three quarters of Brits aren’t getting the recommended amount of sleep. Can these sleep startups help those who struggle to get a good night’s rest?
The list below features some of the most exciting companies currently in the sleep startups scene – the key players helping to promote a good night’s rest, in a number of different ways, from all across the world.
Calming Blankets
Originally based in Australia, Calming Blankets sells a range of sleep-promoting, stress-reducing products designed to, as the name suggests, provide calming effects for users.
One of the startup’s most well-known products is its weighted blanket. The weight is designed specifically to provide the body with something known as 'proprioceptive input', helping the body understand where they are in a certain environment. This can help us to relax and sleep more soundly.
These blankets, otherwise known as gravity or sensory blankets, are proven to help autistic children, as well as those suffering from insomnia and people who struggle to drift off because of stress and anxiety.
Cosy House
Cosy House are among the most innovative sleep startups providing products to help customers achieve a better night’s sleep. The startup offer a range of different homeware products, including sheets, duvets and pillows at - they say - "a fraction" of normal retail price.
"We have been disrupting the entire bedding industry after we discovered just how many 'middle men' were between the manufacturer and customers. Markups in the 1000% range were considered 'normal'. We decided to import these products ourselves and instead of going the traditional retail route, we wanted to get them directly to customers and cut out the extra 3-4 markups typically seen in the bedding industry”
The startup sell a whole host of products designed to improve your sleeping environment, including their Luxury Bamboo Pillow, which is hypoallergenic and antibacterial. The pillow is designed to provide its users with enhanced support, coolness and comfort, keeping the head elevated and relieving neck pain whilst distributing weight evenly.
Lumos
Sleep pioneers Lumos have developed a specialised, scientifically-proven sleep mask – one that delivers light therapy to shift the internal clocks of those that use it.
The Lumos sleep mask works while users are sleeping, enabling them not only to drift off faster, but also to maintain sleep for longer and wake up feeling refreshed.
Lumos was founded by Dr Vanessa Burns and Dr Biquan Luo – both Stanford scientists. Their product is based on patents licensed from Stanford University’s Centre for Sleep Medicine.
Kokoon
Another group offering an innovative piece of tech, Kokoon, has created the world’s first headphones helping to aid sleep. These noise-cancelling headphones utilise certain technologies to help users relax and drift off.
Kokoon’s headphones help to reduce various noises in the user’s sleeping environment – and thus limit disturbances. In addition to this, the headphones have been designed so that they are comfortable to wear while sleeping, further enhancing comfort within the sleeping environment.
Oura
Sleep startup Oura have developed rings that track users’ vital signals whilst sleeping. Through this technology, they are able to interpret movement, heart rate and body temperature during sleep. Once users are awake, they are provided with insights into what the Oura ring has tracked throughout the night, helping people to better understand their bodies and take their health more seriously.
