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Whether you’re having difficulty falling asleep or looking for a deeper rest, this pillow, eye mask and other products are tried and tested by our staff
This story was originally published in the Filter US newsletter on buying fewer, better things. Sign up here to get early access to it
Each week the Filter newsletter cuts through the noise to bring you smart, practical recommendations on how to live better – from what is worth buying to the tools, habits and ideas that actually last.
I don’t function without a good night’s rest. So, unlike proteinmaxxing, sleepmaxxing is a trend I can get behind.
While I’ve tested basic strategies such as breathwork and a sleep mask, our photo editor, Tracy Allison, is far more adventurous. Recently, she shared the item she swears by for improving her sleep – a blackout tent.
“The zDen became part of my nightly routine in May 2025, after a short-lived attempt at taping up silver-backed blackout photography panels to my bedroom windows, which, as a neighbor pointed out, was giving my house a very distinct ‘a-conspiracy-theorist-lives-here’ look,” writes Allison.
Read the story: If blackout curtains aren’t enough, tuck yourself into zDen’s pop-up blackout tent
Have a product you swear by for getting to sleep? Keep reading to learn how you can be featured in next week’s newsletter.
Aside from the zDen, we’ve tested other niche sleep products. Here are five items you should have on your radar, including one straight out of a sci-fi film.
Bluetooth sleep masks kill two birds with one stone: blocking both light and noise.
After our writer Juno DeMelo tested four different models, she named this one from Manta her favorite. “I went to bed listening to white noise and woke up seven hours later with the mask still firmly in place,” she writes.
Another recommendation from Allison, is a pillow that lets her keep her head “as non-propped-up as possible”, her preferred way to sleep. “I am only one night into using it, but I love it so far,” she said.
Filter contributor Richard Baguley recently reviewed this high-end solution that pumps climate-controlled air between your sheets. “A cool breeze on hot nights and a warm puff on cold ones is a luxurious way to fall – and stay – asleep.” he wrote. One caveat: your pets may hog it for themselves.
A guide to buying fewer, better products.