It’s the 2nd year of COVID and sadly, many of us are once again stuck inside. It’s okay to be frustrated and stressed, and it’s likely you’re also feeling the effects of those ill feelings on your sleep and wellness routine. In this time, it’s important to take an opportunity to breathe and restart. Today we’re going to outline a few useful sleep and wellness aids that can help get you back on track.
For Sleep, Meditation, Yoga and Relaxing
Crane 4 in 1 Top Fill Drop Humidifier, with Sound Machine
($139.99)
If you find yourself waking up stuffy and congested, or just live in hot, dry conditions and want relief, a humidifier can be the answer. A humidifier works by increasing the moisture in the air, allowing your nasal passage and airways to open up and breathe more easily. Often it only takes one night to restore a feeling of clean and clear breath.
The Crane includes a variety of upgrades that separates it from ordinary humidifiers, with many of these optimisations focusing on wellness and relaxation. It’s compatible with a series of vapour pads (available in Lavender and in Menthol) that allow you to aerate essential smells to create a soothing atmosphere in your bedroom or living area. In addition, a sound machine — including white noise, rain and ocean sounds — supplements your sleep routine by providing a restful environment. The white noise machine is capable of blocking out noise from your neighbours (and is far better than a fan in winter) while the rain and ocean sounds can be used for meditating, yoga, or for comfort. A nightlight supports restful sleep by creating a sleep secure mood. It can run for up to 24 hours at a time, allowing you to set and forget.
The machine is fully adjustable, allowing you to control the amount of output, with a fully removable head to enable deep cleaning. Unlike ordinary humidifiers, there are no hard to reach places preventing bacterial growth. It’s made of antimicrobial materials, reducing the occurrence of mould and bacteria by up to 99.96%.
For Sleep and Working From Home
The Crescendo Sleep 25 Reusable Sleeping Ear Plug
($32.99)
The more time you spend in your house, the more you start to notice the little things. Ordinary household noises — the dishwasher, the pipes — which you might have ignored to this point can suddenly become intolerable. This is particularly dangerous in terms of a sleep schedule, as we can find the quality of sleep diminish and with it our overall sense of health and wellbeing.
The best solution is to quickly mitigate the influence of these sounds on your sleeping experience. A good pair of reusable sleeping earplugs can comfortably and consistently block or dampen these noises so they no longer bother you. Crescendo is one of the most effective brands of sound protection according to Choice Magazine and their Sleep 25 plugs are no different. They block an average of 24dB across all frequencies, sufficient to suppress those sleep disruptive sounds without preventing you from hearing your alarm or your partner’s embarrassing sleep talk. They have a special air-passing filter, that prevents that blocked feeling some people associate with ear plugs and allow you to wear them all night long without adjustment. They’re cleanable with a damp cloth and are reusable, minimising the waste that comes with disposable plugs.
For Sleep and Mindfulness
Earjobs New and Improved Contoured Sleep Mask
($17.99)
Redesigned in 2020 to improve light blocking and comfort, the Earjobs brand contoured sleep mask is a soft and effective sleep aid that’s going to enable a better quality sleep.
The contoured design of the mask fits around the nose and eyes to minimise any gaps in the seal created by the structure of the face. Better still, the cupped design minimises any undue pressure on the eyes or nose, allowing the mask to rest comfortably on your face for an entire night without causing any discomfort.
It has an adjustable velcro strap that’s suitable for all faces and heads, allowing you to determine the most comfortable and effective seal (or to bypass a ponytail). It comes in three colours: black, pink, and blue, great for differentiating between His and Hers, or for accessorising with those new luxe pyjamas you splurged on.
Not just for afternoon naps, the sleep mask can be used to allow you to sleep while your partner reads (or, let’s face it, games). It’s also effective for light pollution, the annoying flicker of the smoke alarm, or just for when your curtains are a little too thin.
For protecting sensitive ears
($35.99)
If you’ve ever found yourself struggling with certain noises, for example finding the sound of cutlery against a plate intolerable, it’s likely you are sound sensitive. Sound sensitivity can cause significant stress and frustration — and it can compound over time, particularly if you’re exposed to these same disruptive noises day-in, day-out. The health impact of this can be particularly destructive, particularly if those noises are located at home.
While many people use ear plugs to dampen or block out these disruptive noises, this can be impractical, particularly if you need to remain sensitive or aware of what’s happening around you. That’s where the Flare Calmer comes in. The Calmer is not an ear plug, it doesn’t block any sound, but instead softens the entrance of sound waves into the ear, particularly the frequencies associated with stress and discomfort. For sound sensitive individuals, the Calmer is an absolute game changer, which many reporting the total alleviation of their symptoms once set.