In 2024, for the first time since the 2001 Gallup pollmost Americans (57%) said they would feel better if they got more sleep. Science backs up the claim: Getting enough rest can affect you weightemotional well-being, blood pressure, mental and physical performance, and more, according to UC Davis Health.
If you want to ring in the new year feeling rested and refreshed, consider some new sleep-promoting products from Therabodycult favorite WELFARE brand that introduced Theraguna hand massage gun, in 2016.
“It makes me proud to be able to say that we're staying true to who we are as a brand,” says Therabody founder and chief wellness officer Dr. Jason Wersland. entrepreneur. “We want to help and empower you to take your health into your own hands.”
Image Credit: Courtesy of Therabody. Dr. Jason Wersland.
Related: How success happened for Benjamin Nazarian, CEO of Therabody
Therabody's SmartGoggles (second generation)a wearable device that provides heated eye massage for relaxation, headache relief and better sleep, and SleepMaskan eye mask with soothing vibrations for improved sleep, hit the market in September, just in time for the holiday shopping season.
Wersland says the idea for Therabody's SmartGoggles, first released in 2022, came a few years ago during the development of the company's Theragun G2Pro. The car made a noise that coincided with the pulse of its engine, which meant that “what you were feeling was what you were hearing” and prompted him to think about how he could apply the technology to sleep.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Therabody
“That pulse in the glasses, your heart tries to match that.”
The second-generation SmartGoggles, which retail for $199, are based on the original model. Like the original, the second-generation headphones include a built-in biometric sensor for personalized treatments within three 15-minute modes: SmartRelax, Headache and Eye Strain, and Sleep. These modes include low and high pulse levels, waves (a slow rise and fall) and continuous vibration patterns to achieve the desired result. The product is SleepScore was validated.
The new design blocks light and features contoured padding and an adjustable strap for better comfort and fit. The second generation SmartGoggles is also available in black instead of the original white – a response to customer feedback about the latter's tendency to show more frequently used clothing, according to Wersland.
In SmartRelax mode, the biometric sensor analyzes the user's pulse to produce vibration patterns tailored to reduce heartbeat and increase relaxation. “That pulse in the glasses, your heart tries to match that,” explains Wersland. “So what we're feeding you is a lower stimulus than your heart rate, because your heart is trying to match its environment.”
Feeling the smart glasses on your head for the first time can take a little getting used to if you're not used to wearing technology on your face (I wasn't), but the second generation is 10% lighter than its predecessor. and it's only meant to be worn for about 15 minutes at a time, not overnight.
Related: The science behind how sleep makes you smarter
True, when I first tried the SmartRelax mode, its heartbeat-like staccato kicked in, along with heat and a massage cycle designed to treat trigger points, including the forehead, temples, and above and below the eyes. The pulsatile vibration pattern also requires a bit of an adjustment period, which makes sense, as the device provides data contrary to the body's status quo to induce a parasympathetic state. However, about halfway through my first SmartRelax experience, I became more familiar with the presence of the SmartGoggles on my face and movement patterns and began to feel more relaxed.
The headache and eye strain and sleep preparation modes also use a combination of vibration and massage to achieve their intended effects, the former to relieve tension headaches and eyestrain and the latter to prepare the body for sleep. However, the sleep preparation cycle does not include heat, as a lower body temperature is usually considered better for sleep.
“These micro-moments in your life (help you) flow into a parasympathetic state.”
All modes are customizable within the Therabody app, allowing users to adjust how long each session lasts and choose from different routines, which are also customizable. For example, when I clicked on “Relax” from a drop-down menu of benefits—which also includes options like “Focus” and “Travel Relief”—I was presented with 27 routines and selected “Day at the Park.” The nature soundscape, filled with chirping birds and rustling leaves, played from the app while the SmartGoggles emitted low heat and pulse vibrations.
If you run the session for at least five minutes, you can view your start and end heart rates within the app.
“The whole point was to give you 15 minutes, these micro-moments in your life, so you could spend in a parasimpatik state,” says Wersland. “Take care of your heart, take care of your breathing, just take a second and relax.”
Therabody's SleepMask, which sells for $99 and is also certified by SleepScore, was created after Wersland's mother told him she had trouble staying asleep. Smart glasses are not meant to be worn for a full night sleepas they are very bulky, but the SleepMask is a lightweight solution with the same three sleep-inducing vibration patterns (pulse, wave and constant) that can be adjusted for intensity.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Therabody
Additionally, the SleepMask's machine-washable interior and 100% shut-off feature definitely puts it ahead of most standard eye masks on the market—in my experience, the contouring and adjustable strap really succeeded in eliminating any shade of light.
“If a product isn't solving a problem, it's going to be a flash in the pan.”
So if you have to add Therabody's SmartGoggles and SleepMask holiday wish list this year? Either (or both) can be valuable, depending on what you're looking for from the purchase. If you're looking for multi-purpose wearable technology that can help you target stress and tension throughout the day AND prepare you for a good night's sleep, SmartGoggles are a solid option. If you're willing to give up some of the bells and whistles for a simpler product that focuses on sleep, the SleepMask might make more sense.
Of course, anyone who asks less stress and better sleepers may want to double up and see if the combination unlocks new levels of relaxation.
At the end of the day, Therabody strives to provide individualized solutions with the science to back them up. “If a product is not solving a problemit will be a flash in the pan,” Wersland says. “A real problem we all have is regulating our nervous system. So for me, that's what drives our products. That's why I feel so confident that we're nowhere near done creating amazing things.”