Tools and Tactics to Help You Sleep Better
Some workarounds for the growing number of people susceptible to sleep disorders.
Sleep is free, but insomnia can be expensive.
In 2015, the global market for sleep aids, which encompasses everything from therapeutic pillows to sleeping pills, was valued at $62 billion, according to P&S Market Research. The consulting firm expects the market to grow by an average of 6.3% a year through 2022. That's largely because the world's population is aging, and older people are more susceptible to sleep disorders.
In addition to silk eye masks and mattresses that cost more than a luxury car, dozens of high-tech products are available to aid the sleepless masses. They include glasses that seek to reset your circadian rhythms by shining a green light into your eyes ($299), and a smartphone charging station shaped like a bed ($100) to encourage you to tuck in your devices when you retire for the night.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
SHUTi is an option for people who are interested in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (see Smart Strategies to Get More Sleep) but who don't have the time to see a trained therapist or can't find one nearby. Users take a 40-minute online course once a week for six weeks, and they're offered strategies and tools to practice between sessions. The cost is $135.
The Dalai Lama once said that sleep is the best meditation, but the reverse is also true: Meditation can help you sleep. Insight Timer, a free smartphone app, offers thousands of stress-reducing meditations, including some specifically designed to lull you to sleep. Another option is the "Sleep With Me" podcast, in which host and creator Drew Ackerman tells boring bedtime stories designed to make you nod off. Whether it works is debatable, but the podcast is free and there are no known side effects.
To continue reading this article
please register for free
This is different from signing in to your print subscription
Why am I seeing this? Find out more here
Block joined Kiplinger in June 2012 from USA Today, where she was a reporter and personal finance columnist for more than 15 years. Prior to that, she worked for the Akron Beacon-Journal and Dow Jones Newswires. In 1993, she was a Knight-Bagehot fellow in economics and business journalism at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She has a BA in communications from Bethany College in Bethany, W.Va.
-
Stock Market Today: Nasdaq Soars Ahead of Tesla Earnings
The EV stock rose nearly 2% ahead of its highly anticipated Q1 earnings report, due after tonight's close.
By Karee Venema Published
-
GM Stock Accelerates After Earnings Beat
General Motors beat expectations for the first quarter and raised its outlook for the year. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
7 Things Medicare Doesn’t Cover
Healthy Living on a Budget Medicare Part A and Part B leave some pretty significant gaps in your health-care coverage. But Medicare Advantage has problems, too.
By Donna LeValley Last updated
-
Four Tips for Renting Out Your Home on Airbnb
real estate Here's what you should know before listing your home on Airbnb.
By Miriam Cross Published
-
Five Ways to a Cheap Last-Minute Vacation
Travel It is possible to pull off a cheap last-minute vacation. Here are some tips to make it happen.
By Vaishali Varu Last updated
-
How Much Life Insurance Do You Need?
insurance Instead of relying on rules of thumb, you’re better off taking a systematic approach to figuring your life-insurance needs.
By Kimberly Lankford Published
-
When Is Amazon Prime Day?
Amazon Prime In 2023 Amazon had two Prime Day events — one in July and another, called Big Deal Days, in October. We expect 2024 to follow the same schedule.
By Bob Niedt Last updated
-
How to Shop for Life Insurance in 3 Easy Steps
insurance Shopping for life insurance? You may be able to estimate how much you need online, but that's just the start of your search.
By Kaitlin Pitsker Published