How to Finally Transform From an Night Owl Into a Morning Lark

Going to bed by 11 p.m., enjoying a quality night's sleep, and waking up in the morning feeling refreshed and in a good mood – for years, those who have been at odds with Morpheus have been dreaming of a healthy sleep just as desperately as Putin dreams of Ukraine. The only difference is that the Kremlin criminal will never get Ukraine, whereas a good night's sleep is an entirely achievable goal. Especially when you arm yourself with modern technological gadgets.

Weighted blanket 

£99

Photo: Weighted blanket

Autumn is a time when anxious people become even more anxious. It's no secret that one of the best sleep aids is a good hug before bedtime. But what about those who are forced to sleep alone this autumn? Or what should autistic people do, whose stress levels only rise from close contact with others? Try a weighted blanket. It creates the effect of warm hugs, safety, and calmness, improving the process of falling asleep. Moreover, it can save your budget, as with it, you might not need to use heaters at night at all. How does it work? For example, the popular Kudd.ly weighted blanket in the UK has a warm and cool side, and it's filled with glass beads the size of a grain of sand. Thanks to these beads, the blanket perfectly envelops the sleeper, providing a pleasant pressure on the body. Such regular nightly stimulation with comfortable pressure can significantly reduce the stress hormone cortisol and, conversely, increase the levels of happiness hormones.

Oura Ring 

$299

Photo: Oura Ring

This gadget will interest those who dream of a regal sleep. At least, one of the members of the British royal family, Prince Harry, was first spotted with this ring back in 2018. It contains a multitude of sensors and collects over 20 biometric signals from the finger. The ring has the most elegant appearance among its competitors, is made of titanium, works without recharging for a whole week, and synchronizes with an app that receives a lot of data for analysis. You will know the exact time when you disconnect, have reports on the quality of each sleep session, and accordingly, you will be able to properly organize your sleep space, conditions, and start of your nightly rest. As a bonus, in case of a sudden change in temperature and heart rate variability, the ring helps with the early detection of illness. And women will also have the option to track and predict menstrual cycles. In short, if Frodo had this ring in his hands, he definitely wouldn't have thrown it away, but would have stayed in his hobbit hole to sleep and enjoy.

Verilux HappyLight Lumi Plus 

$37 

Photo: Verilux HappyLight Lumi Plus

One of the most common sleep problems is when a person goes to bed later and later every night until they catch themselves falling asleep with the first rays of the sun. To address this, you need to focus on resetting your circadian rhythms. The star of scientific podcasts, neurobiologist Andrew Huberman, recommends that immediately upon waking up, you should not just open the curtains but go outside into the bright morning light. This light stops the production of melatonin, the hormone that induces drowsiness. As a result, you'll start your day earlier and more energetically, allowing you to get tired earlier in the evening and consequently fall asleep earlier and more easily. However, if jumping out of bed and heading outside in the morning is not an option for you (or if you live in a place with very few sunny days), using powerful full-spectrum lamps like the HappyLight from Verilux can help. Using them for 15-20 minutes in the morning while you prepare and eat your breakfast is sufficient.

Barisieur Tea & Coffee Alarm Clock 

£349

Photo: Barisieur Tea & Coffee Alarm Clock

Some people can't make themselves go to sleep early, while others suffer from the morning laziness that makes it hard to get out of bed and start the day. During the cold season, emerging from under a warm duvet to head off to work (often a detested workplace) can be truly torturous. Therefore, it's essential to prepare in advance for a pleasant morning stimulus to motivate yourself to start moving as early as possible. And, for this purpose, there's nothing better than the aroma of fresh coffee. However, in some severe cases, such as depression or a midlife crisis, even making a morning cup of espresso can be an insurmountable task. Pay attention to the Barisieur. Before bedtime, simply add clean water and ground coffee to this coffee-brewing alarm clock, set your desired wake-up time, and in the morning, you will rise immediately after the initial alarm, knowing (and smelling with your nose) that a fresh cup of invigorating brew awaits you.

Eight Sleep The Pod 

£2,345

Photo: Eight Sleep The Pod

For this price, you might expect this mattress to be capable of time travel or something similar, but it's still impressive as is. Naturally, the gadget tracks a multitude of body indicators throughout the night, from heart rate and respiratory rate to periods of deep and shallow sleep. However, its primary and coolest feature is temperature control. It's common knowledge that one of the key factors for a good night's sleep is the relative coolness of the environment (between the 16 and 20 degrees Celsius mark). The problem is, just before bedtime, you can somehow manage this: open the window or, conversely, add power to the heaters. But how can you regulate the bedroom temperature, which changes during the night, while you're sleeping? You know how it goes: you go to bed, and you can't get warm, but then you wake up all sweaty... This is where the Eight Sleep mattress comes in handy. It connects to a special station that monitors the room temperature and accordingly adjusts the mattress's heating and cooling. Additionally, the gadget can work separately on the left and right sides, perfect if you and your partner have different temperature preferences.

Beehive-bed 

$1 per hour

Photo: Beehive-Bed

Alright, what about when someone has electromagnetic hypersensitivity, like Jimmy McGill's older brother from the early seasons of "Better Call Saul," and they avoid all these gadgets because they make them feel unwell? Well, this is definitely not a reason to give up on sleep improvement methods. Take a look at apitherapy, which is treatment with bees. Yes, you heard that right – our ancestors also had (and this is still relevant) their "gadgets" for getting a good night's sleep. The thing is, bees create vibration in the hive that affects the human body as an energy massage, promoting blood pressure normalization, immunity enhancement, and psychological relaxation. In short, it's all benefits, but it's just inconvenient to stand with your head down by the hive. Fortunately, people have long invented special apiary huts. Essentially, they are ordinary wooden houses with wooden beds under which thousands of bees hum. A 2-hour nap on such a bed is equivalent to 8 hours of healthy and quality sleep at home. One of the best places for apitherapy is Ukraine (it's no surprise when the third President, Viktor Yushchenko, who began the uprising of Ukrainians against Russian domination in 2004, was an avid beekeeper). For instance, you can visit the well-known "Hata Rizbyara" Spa Complex in the village of Biloberizka, located in Western Ukraine, right in the heart of the Carpathian Mountains.

Giraffenap 

Approximately $20,000

Photo: Giraffenap

Japanese innovators recently introduced an interesting novelty in the form of a daytime sleep capsule. Its name, "Giraffenap," hints at the ability of giraffes to sleep standing up. These capsules are expected to gain popularity in offices, where white-collar workers can enjoy a siesta (up to 30 minutes) in the midst of a busy day. The design of this invention supports the head, buttocks, calves, and the soles of the feet. Researchers, in collaboration with Hokkaido University, have found that this vertical position helps individuals rapidly enter the second (superficial) stage of sleep without falling into deep and prolonged slumber. Right now, you can test these capsules in some Japanese cafes, and by the end of the year, they plan to release two versions (the futuristic Spacia and the wooden Forest) into the market. While the price may be steep, if you care about your employees and have the resources to pamper them, they will undoubtedly reward you with enthusiasm and productivity in the second half of the workday.

SNOO 

£1,145

Photo: SNOO

If you are a young mother, you will likely be able to fall asleep quickly even without any Japanese capsules, even while lying upside down, as long as your baby gets soothed and sleeps. The renowned American pediatrician Harvey Karp created a smart bassinet that has been praised by celebrity moms like Beyoncé, Mila Kunis, and Natalie Portman. The gadget is designed for infants up to 6 months old. The bassinet can generate soothing white noise and gently rock at different intensities. It autonomously determines when to comfort the baby based on their cries and external sounds. SNOO is positioned as the "second pair of hands" for busy mothers. Thanks to this gadget, you can easily swaddle your baby in 5 seconds, after which the device will gently rock your child in less than a minute, adding 1-2 hours of healthy sleep every day.

Smart Nora 

$359

Photo: SmartNora

Snoring is something that can strain marriages. But the smart pillow Smart Nora saves them. It's not exactly a pillow, but an inflatable underlay beneath the pillow. A tube from the underlay leads to a special device that inflates or deflates air. The kit includes a small sensor gadget (placed on the bedside table next to the bed) that monitors you during the night. If the sensor detects the beginning of snoring, it sends a signal to the device, which silently inflates one side of the pillow. This changes your head's position, clears your airways, and allows air to pass freely. This is much more convenient than sleeping in an anti-snoring mask, taping your nose (which is also less effective), or using a chin strap. Smart Nora is suitable for everyone, regardless of your usual sleeping position, whether it's on your back, side, or even your stomach.

Sensate Plus 

£349

Photo: Sensate Plus

This device, the size of your palm, is placed on your chest while you lie on your back and listen to calming music from the app. Sensate Plus responds to instrumental sounds, producing low-frequency vibrations (their strength can be adjusted) that affect the vagus nerve. As a result, it improves the function of your intestines and internal organs, and most importantly, it induces a meditative state, slowly erasing the symptoms of stress and anxiety. It's unclear why this gadget is so expensive, though. After all, you can simply buy some fish pâté that your pet cat goes crazy for. After licking their lips from the treat, they'll sit contentedly on your chest and purr, creating the same healing vibrations... Wouldn't you agree?