When I sent my first son off to college a few years ago, I made sure he was prepared. Shower shoes. A laundry bin that turned into a backpack. Enough power strips and cords to charge all the things. The one thing that I didn’t prepare him for?
Sleep.
I knew there would be challenges going from your own room to sleeping with two other strangers, but I completely underestimated the disruption that dorm life would be to sleep. The noise. The lights. The uncomfortable plastic mattress. The heat. Roommates who want to host guests with all the lights on until after midnight. Fourth story dorm rooms with three to a room and no AC. Floormates who want to play music and take shots in the hallway until 2 in the morning. By the end of the first few weeks of college, my son was delirious with lack of sleep.
After a number of research and product trials, we were able to find solutions that worked, and they honestly saved his first year of college. So as I prepared to send my second son off to college, I made sure he’s better prepared for sleep.
Side note: I also wasn’t expecting for the sleep needs of my mid-40s and the sleep needs of my college-aged kids to be the same, but here we are. In an interesting crossover of target audiences, these products are also perfect for helping moms hitting perimenopause to get a better night’s sleep too!
So whether you are trying to block out noisy dormmate or a snoring spouse, cool down from a hot flash or a hot dorm room, these are some of my family’s tried and true, must-haves for a better night’s sleep.
Ozlo Sleepbuds 2
It was the second week of college and my son not slept a single solid night. After researching dozens of sleep earbuds, I came across stories about a new product on Kickstarter, developed by some of the researchers at Boze. I read rave reviews about the sleepbuds that Boze had previously offered and the complaints that they had been discontinued. But these new ones – the Ozlo Sleepbuds – were projected to have the same, or even better, features and function.
The initial Ozlo’s literally saved my son’s freshman year of sleep. I would have paid $1000 to find something that worked, but luckily, their newest version – the Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 – are just $279 (and FSA/HSA approved!). They are small, comfortable earbuds that have tons of different sound options that help you block out noise, get to sleep, stay asleep and wake up on time. The new Ozlo Sleepbuds 2 have an improved battery life (up to 14 hours), better Bluetooth connectivity for easy pairing and new features like sleep modes, audio tuning and bedside controls.
Their sleek design and multiple silicone tips makes them super comfortable whether you are a back or side sleeper and ensures they stay in all night long. Although the first version had a dozen or so soundscapes to choose from, Ozlo continues to update their options and now boasts over 60 to choose from! Plus they have smart features like in-ear alarms so you can wake up for work or class without disrupting a partner or if you like to fall asleep to a podcast or audiobook, Ozlo’s will sense when you’ve fallen asleep, pause your streaming audio so you don’t lose your place and switch to your selection of noise masking. Genius!
We were gifted one pair for review, but our family now owns three Ozlos. If noise is keeping you from getting or staying asleep, give Ozlo Sleepbuds 2.0 a try. With a 30-day refund policy, the only thing you have to lose out on is a good night’s sleep.
SleepMe Chilipad 2.0
One of my kids is a VERY hot sleeper. He wants the windows open, a fan blowing on him and zero covers, no matter the month. These Rest sheets and comforter definitely helped over the last year, but I knew his third story, no-AC dorm room would require something more. Since my feed has been full of perimenopause product pushes, I had recently come across ads for the Chilipad by SleepMe.
Filled with temperature-controlled water channels, the Chilipad is a mattress pad that cools as low as 55°F and also warms to up to 115°F! The newly released Chilipad 2.0 boasts whisper-quiet workings, a waterproof cover, and the ability to pre-schedule cooling/warming. It can also be purchased with one or two separate temperature-controlled sides.
I was cautious of the claims of how effectively it would actually perform. Once the Chilipad 2.0 arrived, set up was easy, and the pad seemed comfortable to sleep on. I was a believer after the first night when my son woke up TOO COLD. I don’t think I had ever heard him utter those words. It took a few nights of trial and error to find the perfect temperature, but once my son dialed it in, the Chilipad 2.0 dramatically improved his sleep! He now falls asleep faster, stays asleep longer and rests more deeply than he ever did before the Chilipad. If you don’t need all the bells and whistles of the Chilipad 2.0, their Chilipad 1.0 and Chilipad Cube offer more affordable price points to getting a cooler (or warmer) night’s sleep.
If your sleep is disrupted by being too hot, too cold, or needing a different temperature than your bed partner, the Chilipad by SleepMe might just be the whisper-quiet and extremely effective sleep solution you need.
Sealy Dreamlife Hybrid Mattress
Maybe your house is different, but my teenage-aged sons have been sleeping on the same twin mattress they moved to out of the crib. Just me? I guess it was a bit of “if it ain’t broke” mentality, but with kids going off to college, we’ve finally invested in some mattress upgrades. While there have been a lot of new bed-in-a-box brands popping up in the last 10 years, I wanted a trusted brand name.
We opted for their 10” Sealy Dreamlife Hybrid mattress that blends the best features of supportive coils along with gel memory foam. Founded in 1881, Sealy has been making mattresses for over 140 years! The coil foundation helps to provide better edge support and a medium firm feel while the memory foam prevents motion transfer and improves overall comfort. The mattress arrives compactly rolled into an easy to transport box. Once we removed the plastic, the mattress expanded to size in seconds and didn’t have any weird chemical smells that some bed-in-the-box mattresses can have. One thing I did not expect? The intense game of ro-sham-bo for who would get to sleep on it first.
We also got to try out the TEMPUR-Adapt Topper from Sealy’s sister company. This topper is 10000% better than the wavy foam one I bought for my first son who went to college. The TEMPUR-Adapt has three inches of Temper-pedic’s foam that made the thin plastic-covered dorm mattress feel downright comfortable. You can also opt for the cooling version which is made with additional heating-wicking and cooling materials to reduce nighttime warmth. The straps are tight and positioned to keep the topper from moving while the three inches of flat foam is far superior to the wavy foam toppers.
Whether you are 19 or 49, getting quality sleep is vital to your health. If disruptions due to noise, heat or discomfort are robbing you or a loved one from a good night’s sleep, I’m here to let you you that a solution may just be an Amazon delivery away. I don’t love buying things, but these products have undeniable improved the quality and quantity of my family’s sleep.
Maybe they can help you and your loved ones sleep better too.
Wishing you all the zzzzzzs……..
Disclaimer: Writer’s views are her own. Some samples provided.
