It’s that time of year when many of us feel like we’re still trying to make up for that elusive lost hour of sleep with the time change.
We’re working for you with expert advice on getting a better night’s sleep.
From sleep masks to mattress toppers, there’s an endless array of products promising a good night’s sleep, for a price.
But according to Consumer Reports, someone’s dream sleep setup could be someone else’s nightmare.
“For starters, you want a supportive mattress and a pillow - those are a must because you don’t want to wake yourself up from tossing and turning because you’re uncomfortable. We’ve also found that where you sleep - your sleep environment – plays a big role in the quality of your sleep,” Tanya Christian with Consumer Reports said.
Take noise, for example. Some people need complete silence while others prefer steady background noise.
If the latter sounds like you, CR just enlisted five light-sleeping staffers to try out four white noise machines.
“If you have a fan you can reap some of the same benefits of a white noise machine without having to spend the extra money, but also an air conditioner, even some humidifiers and air purifiers can provide that steady hum that people are seeking while also improving the air in your sleep environment so you know make sure you keep that in mind,” Christian said.
If you want to give a white noise machine a try, CR’s evaluators said the Magicteam is inexpensive, easy to use, compact, and offers a variety of sounds.
Another sleep splurge: a mattress topper.
CR’s recent tests looked at softness and measured how much heat each topper retained – a concern for people that tend to sleep hot or cold.
The Lnenspa mattress topper was the coolest in CR’s tests. But a word of advice …
“Even the comfiest topper can’t completely fix a mattress that needs to be replaced so just keep that in mind before you spend any money,” Christian said.
Consumer Reports put hundreds of mattresses through extensive testing and found several standouts that cost under a thousand dollars – including the Innerspring from Denver Mattress.
It scored very well in CR’s durability tests and offered notable support for both back and side sleepers of different sizes.
CR said no matter how you prefer to sleep – keep your thermostat set to around 65 degrees at night - the ideal sleep temperature.