The Somneo mask
08-04-2013
We are increasingly a race of under sleepers. As the modern world places more demands on us we are getting less and less sleep each and every night. Sleep plays a vital role in a wide range of mental and physical functions, from appetite to mood, from memory to digestion, so the fact that almost a third of Australia is sleep deprived should be a concern to all of us.
Enter the next big thing in sleep, maybe. The Somneo mask is a thick, padded band which covers the cheeks, ears and most of the head. It places a heating element around the eyes, leveraging research that shows facial warming helps to send people to sleep.
The mask has been show to help the wearer through the stage 1 on-ramp, which seemingly has few inherent benefits, to enter stage 2 more quickly – albeit by only 2 minutes. While getting 2 more minutes of stage 2 sleep may not sound like much but it makes a big difference.
Many people who suffer from sleep deprivation spend more of their night in stage 1 than those with healthy sleep patterns, resulting in a less fulfilling night’s sleep. Two minutes extra each time you enter stage 2, and you do so several times in an ordinary night, can help dramatically.
Only time will tell whether this really is the next big thing in sleep technology.
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