3 Sleep Trends That Are Worth Trying—& 1 That’s Total Nonsense

If you’ve tried those disposable earplugs that look like tiny traffic cones and thought to yourself: “these fall out 17 times a night, no thank you,” I implore you to try the latest and greatest in earplug technology: the Loop Dream earplugs. These babies offer the brand's highest noise reduction yet, plus an oval ear tip made from dual layers of memory foam and soft silicone, which mirrors the ear's shape for an optimal fit. They're comfortable to wear (even when sleeping on your side) and block out essentially all noise. At $50, they're not cheap, but considering I wear them every single night and they improve my sleep quality by reducing the number of times I wake up, they pay for themselves in a flash.

I’m going to level with you: When I first started hearing rumblings about ‘sleep tourism,’ or travel experiences that are specifically designed to improve your quality of sleep, I was skeptical and assumed it was a total gimmick. Having now tried a few sleep-centric offerings throughout the U.S. (including pillow menus to ensure you have the most comfortable night based on your favored sleep position, recorded sleep meditations available to listen to as you doze off and more), I can admit that I was wrong. Travel destinations that strive to provide guests with a good night’s sleep—though admittedly not entirely necessary—are really lovely, and often help make sleeping away from your normal setup a whole lot more comfortable. Two of my personal favorites are Mountain Shadows Resort in Scottsdale, AZ, where guests can add the Moon & Stars Sleep Package to their stay, which includes a silk sleep mask, sleep journal, pillow spray and more, and New York City’s Equinox Hotel, which has an Art of Science + Sleep Package that’s designed to optimize sleep, promote recovery and nurture overall well-being via spa treatments and other in-room offerings.

Remember the cute little plug-in that illuminated your room as a kid so the monsters would stay away? (Mine was Barbie.) The grown-up version of nightlights are sunrise alarm clocks—like the Hatch Sleep Restore 2—which gradually fill your room with light to potentially help combat insomnia and make waking up easier. Last year, David Neubauer, a sleep expert and associate professor at Johns Hopkins University, told The Washington Post that unlike traditional alarms that typically jolt people awake with a burst of loud, disorienting noise, sunrise alarm clocks (sometimes called dawn simulators) can “enhance the wake-up experience.” I promise you won’t miss that panic-inducing screech of your iPhone.

I’ve tested out mouth taping for sleep, and I feel confident saying that, unless you have severe—and professionally diagnosed—sleep apnea (and have been OK’d by your doctor to try it), there just isn’t enough evidence out there to support the claims that taping your mouth before bed every night can reduce snoring, improve bad breath and even fight fatigue. Add to the lack of scientific evidence of its general efficacy a fairly unpleasant user experience (I’ll spare you the details of peeling off the tape every morning), I’m ready for this trend to die down.