Zeo Sleep Manager
Zeo’s headband-mounted sensor reads brainwaves to tell your iPhone what kind of kip you’re having – deep, light or REM (dream) sleep – then maps the data into a graph. It’ll even give you a score so you’ve got a tangible target in your quest for quality shut-eye. Do androids dream of electronically quantified robo-sheep? Oh yes.
Philips Wake-up Light
Start each day with the warmth, light and natural sounds of an African sunrise without spending the night being menaced by leopards. The Wake-up Light also has a USB input so you can be roused by the gentle strains of Pantera if you prefer, while the lamp gradually cranks your chamber from dark to light (up to 250 lux). It also works in reverse, gradually fading you into slumberland.
Dire Straits may have done for the humble headband as a fashion accessory but let’s face it, when you’re lying in the dark wearing a witless expression and dribbling down your chin, it doesn’t matter if you look a bit Knopfler. SleepPhones have thin speakers inside them and are comfy enough to be worn all night, allowing you to pipe whale noises or soporific tunes into your dreams.
Sleep Cycle (iOS)
Sleep Cycle’s creators say it’s being dragged awake from the abyss of deep sleep that’s to blame for your groggy morning blues, and promises to fix the problem for under a quid. Place your iPhone under your pillow and the app will use its accelerometer and gyro to gauge when you’re ready to rise and shine.
Marpac 980A Sound Screen
Sound asleep? Not if your slumber is broken by the sound of noisy neighbours, passing traffic, a snoring bedfellow or your flatmate getting stuck into a Gears of War 3 all-nighter. The White Noise Machine aims to replace all that with its gentle, indistinct whooshing, which creates a womb-like vibe without the mess of crawling into a sleeping bag full of amniotic fluid.