Filter newsletter tests five niche sleep

The Guardian's Filter newsletter has tested five niche products designed to improve sleep, from a blackout tent to a neurotech headband. Recommendations come from writers and contributors who have personally used the items. The newsletter cuts through the noise to bring smart, practical recommendations on how to live better.

Our photo editor, Tracy Allison, shared her experience with the zDen blackout tent. She began using it in May 2025 after an unsuccessful attempt with other blackout materials. Allison writes that her previous method gave her house a very distinct "a-conspiracy-theorist-lives-here" look. She swears by the tent for improving her sleep.

Manta Sound Sleep Mask

Bluetooth sleep masks aim to block both light and noise. After testing four models, writer Juno DeMelo named the Manta Sound Sleep Mask her favorite. She reported going to bed listening to white noise and waking up seven hours later with the mask still firmly in place.

Bluewave Ultra Slim Gel Memory Foam Pillow

Another recommendation from Tracy Allison is the Bluewave Ultra Slim Gel Memory Foam Pillow. She prefers sleeping with her head as non-propped-up as possible. Allison said she was only one night into using it but loved it so far.

BedJet 3

Filter contributor Richard Baguley reviewed the BedJet 3, a high-end device that pumps climate-controlled air between your sheets. He described a cool breeze on hot nights and a warm puff on cold ones as a luxurious way to fall and stay asleep. Baguley noted one caveat: your pets may hog it for themselves. If you're curious if this $500 device is worth its price tag, you can read the full story.

Elemind Headband

For those looking to invest in their sleep, Filter contributor Prakhar Khanna recommends the Elemind neurotech headband. It uses acoustic stimulation synced to your brainwaves. Khanna said if you are a frequent traveler like him, the Elemind is perfect paired with noise-canceling earbuds on a plane. He also claimed it helps with jet lag when you land in a new time zone and find it impossible to sleep.

Khanna also recommended a tiny speaker you can place under your pillow for soothing sounds without earbuds. He writes that at just over an inch thick, it doesn't cause any discomfort, especially for side sleepers.

The Filter newsletter invites readers to share their own sleeping tricks by email for potential feature in a future edition. Have a product you swear by for getting to sleep? You can learn how to be featured in next week's newsletter. Other pieces you might enjoy from the Filter, the Guardian's guide to buying fewer, better things, include the best bath towels of 2026 and a review of the Biogents Mosquitaire.