Sleep Awareness Week 2022 – tech and tips for better sleep
Sleep Awareness Week 2022 and World Sleep Day are here, and to celebrate we'll be sharing sleep advice, tech and tips
Sleep Awareness Week 2022, an annual event organized by the National Sleep Foundation to emphasize the connection between good sleep and better health, is now well underway. To mark the occasion, this week TechRadar will be taking an in-depth look at all things shut-eye, with expert advice from neuroscientists, nutritionists and sleep experts to help you get a better night’s rest.
Sleep is essential for your physical and mental wellbeing, but it’s not always easy to settle down and get good quality rest, so we’ll be sharing expert advice on how you can drift off more quickly and sleep more deeply. We’ll be taking a deep look at the foods that can help you sleep, plus the relationship between sleep and caffeine so you can avoid sabotaging your own slumber with the wrong foods and drinks.
We’ve also put the best sleep products through their paces, so you can fall asleep faster and wake up feeling refreshed. We’ve rounded up the best mattresses for cozy, body-cradling sleep, the best sleep trackers to track your heart rate and sleep stages, and the best wake-up lights to rouse you gently in the morning.
From Sunday 13 to Saturday 19 March, we’ll be updating this page with the latest Sleep Awareness Week 2022 features, buying advice, and reviews, so make sure to bookmark it and come back each day to discover everything you need to know about sleep and how to do it better.
Sleep Awareness Week 2022: how to sleep better
We’ve got a packed schedule of articles for you this week, all designed to help you understand why sleep is so important, and how much you actually need in order to get the maximum benefit.
We’ll also be investigating the best ways to get to sleep faster. Is it possible to drift off in two minutes, and does 4-7-8 breathing really work?
The state of your mattress and pillows have a huge effect on your sleep too, so we’ll be putting them under the microscope and finding out exactly what happens if they aren’t washed. If you decide it’s time for a total refresh, we’ll also have some exclusive deals to save you cash. We’ll even explain how to dispose of your old mattress ethically afterwards.
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Sleep Awareness Week: expert advice and tips
How to use the Military Sleep Method to fall asleep faster at night
Want to learn how to fall asleep in minutes, instead of staring at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to come? This military technique for sleep is effective at helping you drift off quickly, but you need to practice it regularly for it to be most effective. Here's what you need to do...
How to dispose of a mattress: recycling and donation
Looking to get rid of an old mattress? We explore various recycling and donation options in the US and the UK, including how various components within your mattress can be used to make other household objects such as bird feeders and carpet padding.
World Sleep Day: 16 sleep tips, techniques and hacks
If you want to make 2022 the year you sleep better than ever, we have plenty of tips and techniques right here to help you. From wearing socks in bed to getting outdoors early morning, it's often the simple changes that can have the biggest and best impact on your sleep.
Sleep, caffeine and sugar: 6 foods and drinks that can keep you up at night
Wondering if something that you're drinking or eating could be interfering with your sleep at night? You could be onto something, and here we look at six common foods and drinks that can get in the way of good shut-eye.
Upgrade your bed for less: 25% off Viscosoft mattress toppers
Looking to boost the comfort of a newer or older bed but don't want to splash out? Then the Viscosoft bed topper sale could be your ideal solution. The brand features in our best mattress toppers guide, and during Sleep Awareness Week it's offering 25% off all memory foam toppers.
This is what happens to your pillows when they aren’t washed regularly
There are plenty of other things we'd rather be doing than washing our bed pillows, but as cleaning expert Robin Wilson explains to us here, a pillow that isn't washed regularly becomes a playground for bacteria and dust mites.
Foods that help you sleep: according to a top nutritionist
Think your diet doesn't affect your sleep? Think again, as registered nutritionist Rob Hobson talks us through the best and worst foods for sleep quality. He also shares three daily meals that can supercharge your snooze at night.
I tried the 4 7 8 sleep method to see if it does help you fall asleep faster
One writer puts this viral sleep technique to the test to see how effective it is at helping you to fall asleep and to destress before bedtime. It's all over TikTok, but does that mean it's any good? Time to find out. Deep breath...
How to tell if you're sleeping on the wrong pillow
What you rest your head on can make or break your quality of sleep, so it's essential to make sure you have the best pillow for your body and sleep style. We spoke to neurobiologist Dr Verena Senn about this, and she shared a simple test to help you tell if you have the right pillow.
Alcohol and sleep: how booze affects your snooze
Ever wondered what a few glasses or wine or beer does to your sleep? Us too, so we asked a clinical psychologist and a sleep doctor to explain - and to give us some tips on how to less the effects, ready for when we do go to the pub.
How insomnia affected me and how I dealt with it
Author, journalist and sleep expert Kate Mikhail writes about her experience with insomnia, how it affected her when it reached its peak, and how she overcame it to not only sleep better, but to help others too.
What builds up on a mattress that isn't cleaned
We spoke to a range of cleaning experts to ask them what sorts of things build up on your mattress if it isn't cleaned. From dust mites to sweat, there are plenty of reasons to give your mattress the once over a couple of times a year.
Tech habits to help you get a better night's sleep
Staring at screens close to bedtime and in bed can lead to less sleep, while also taking you longer to drop off, but there are ways to still enjoy your tech without harming your sleep. It's all about night mode, lighting and scrolling limits, as author and tech journalist Becca Caddy explains.
Sleep Awareness Week: tech and sleep products
The best under-pillow speakers: drift off, quietly
If you are dealing with tinnitus or a racing mind that won't let you drop off at night, a simple under-pillow speaker can make a big difference to how easily you fall asleep. Here we walk you through this year's top options, and explain exactly how they work and why your sleep would benefit from one.
Best mattress 2022: boost your sleep comfort
Looking to upgrade a major aspect of your sleep set up? We have this year's top-rated memory foam and hybrid mattresses right here, with options to suit every sleep style and budget. Plus, we explain how to track down the biggest discounts to save on better sleep.
How to sleep better: 5 gadgets to tackle your biggest sleep problems
Whether it's frequent waking, snoring or having trouble drifting off, sleep isn't with its issues. That's why we've rounded up 5 key gadgets and apps designed to help you sleep better at night. Remember though, always speak to your doctor if you're worried about your sleep.
The best wake-up lights 2022: rise and shine
Having trouble waking up in the morning? A sunrise alarm clock could be just the thing to help you get out of bed with a spring in your step. Here we run through this year's top-rated options to help you get up and go.
Save up to $750 on hybrid mattresses at Nolah Sleep
If you're reading all of our Sleep Awareness Week content and feel that it's time to upgrade your mattress, then we have another exclusive for you: up to $750 off a Nolah Evolution 15, the brand's most innovative hybrid. It's packed with cooling and comfort tech, and you get a risk-free trial.
I transformed my sleep with a speaker that costs less than a sandwich
Think you need lots of expensive sleep tech to help you snooze better? Think again, as Fitness and Wellbeing Editor Cat explains how a tiny speaker with a minuscule price tag helped her sleep better each night.
Bear's best value mattress is now even cheaper with 25% off for Sleep Week
Designed for athletes and fitness fans, the Bear mattress range places a big focus on using sleep as a recovery superpower. And during Sleep Awareness Week 2022 you can save 25% on any Bear mattress to get better quality sleep for much less.
Sound Oasis Sleep Therapy Pillow Speakers review
These teeny pillows are small enough to fit under your bed pillow without you feeling them. We rated them a 3 out of 5, and would recommend them if you like snoozing to gentle ambient noise. If not, there are better speakers around.
Save $280 on a luxury handcrafted mattress at Saatva
This is an exclusive discount for TechRadar readers to use during Sleep Awareness Week and through to March 21. The discount can be applied to any mattress order worth $1,000 or more, including our top pick, the Saatva Classic.
SoundLAB Pillow Speaker review
If you struggle to drop off at night but hate wearing earbuds in bed, then the SoundLAB Pillow Speaker could be ideal for your needs. It may not do justice to your favorite music, but it's perfect for placing under your pillow and listening to relaxing sounds from a sleep app.
This memory foam mattress topper deal gets you a new bed feel for less
Want to upgrade your existing bed without spending too much? Then Nolah's bed topper sale could be the solution you're looking for. It's two inches thick and made with AirFoam tech to offer cooling and pressure relief in every sleeping position. Right now its $50 off in every size.
What is Sleep Awareness Week?
Sleep Awareness Week was launched by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF) in 1998 as a way to put more emphasis on the importance of getting regular, good quality sleep. Ever since it launched, Sleep Week (as it's fondly known) has been a way to open up the conversation about sleep: how to do it better, for longer, and why getting your seven to nine hours a night is important.
Each year the NSF chooses a new theme for Sleep Awareness Week, and this year its all about being your Best Slept Self. One of the best ways to do that is to ensure you have a relaxing bedtime routine in place each night, including going to bed at the same time and winding down fully before you close your eyes.
Some other sleep tips you can use to be your best slept self include the following:
- Stick to a consistent sleep and wake up schedule
- Limit your use of tech (or using night mode) in the hour before sleep
- Avoid consuming caffeine after midday as it can affect how fast you fall asleep
- Don't exercise too vigorously close to bedtime as it can wake you up
- Practice a deep breathing technique for sleep, such as the Military Sleep Method
- Use a good sleep app to relax your mind and body for sleep
- Ensure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet - use sleep earplugs to block out noise
Cat is TechRadar's Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She's been a tech journalist for 15 years, and is here to help you choose the right devices for your home and do more with them. When not working she's a keen home baker, and makes a pretty mean macaron.