With a good night’s rest seemingly more elusive than ever, products that promise night’s sleep are an increasingly big business. Can they help us finally get some rest?

On recent nights, I have fallen asleep in a rainforest, in a magic bubble and on a catamaran at sea. I haven’t left my bedroom, though; these were all imaginary journeys led by sleep guides on Wave, a meditation app that re-launched in January as a “sleep experience company”.

• “Mexican food 6 recipes”, definitely delicious
• “Butter Beer” Cool Hogwarts drink, Harry Potter’s Butterbeer
• “Focaccia Bread” Italian hand kneaded bread recipe

The New York City-based start-up aims to “redefine adult bedtime” with live sleep sessions that users can book as if they were boutique fitness classes. “When we started dabbling in more sleep stuff, we found that the demand for sleep content, especially [since] the pandemic started, is at an all-time high,” says co-founder Brad Warsh.

Every night beginning at 2100 New York time, Wave’s guides host live sessions on the half-hour, thus encouraging relaxation. At the end of the 40-minute session.

Approach with caution

Nastasia Irons, a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, says sleep problems have been a consistent concern among her patients since quarantine began last March. She attributes this in part to the sudden change in lifestyle that forced many people to become far more sedentary. 

And yet most media about sleep places the blame on individuals for habits like bringing their phones to bed.