Gadgets that helped me sleep better this year

Sleep is essential and, for me, requires some intentional habits. I regularly clock around seven hours a night and wake up most days without an audible alarm. It took time to hone my routine, and technology has helped by disabling distracting apps, silencing noise, tracking sleep, and providing gentler wake-ups.

I prepare for bedtime by disabling my most addictive phone apps—Instagram, TikTok, and Messages—using a Brick. The NFC-enabled device sits on my fridge; after choosing which apps to block in the companion app, a tap locks them until I retap. Keeping it far from my bedroom cuts pre-sleep doomscrolling and even nudges me into getting out of bed more quickly in the morning.

For noise, I rely on Loop Dream earplugs. I’ve used them when my bedroom faced a busy street and in situations where I wanted true silence rather than ambient soundscapes. They’re light, purple so they’re easy to find after falling out, and have helped when roommates throw dinner parties, neighbors make a ruckus, or car horns sound through the night.

sleep gadgets, brick, nfc device, loop dream, earplugs, doomscrolling, app blocking, companion app, gentler wakeups, sleep tracking