Authors: Therabody Scientists: Tim Roberts, MSc; Kyle Silvey, PhD; Michelle Darian, MS, MPH, RD, LDN
A new study shows that SmartGoggles work — those who use SmartGoggles before bed improved multiple measures of sleep and felt more relaxed and less stressed than at baseline.
Therabody’s SmartGoggles look like a pair of goggles yet provide therapeutic benefits to the eyes and temples. The device simultaneously delivers a gentle eye and temple massage through vibrating motors and gentle heat to soothe and relax the body and mind. And using SmartGoggles before bed can prepare the body for a good night’s rest.
Read more about the study that confirms the sleep benefits of using Therabody SmartGoggles.
Why Is Sleep Critical To Wellness?
Everyone can agree that getting a good night’s rest is a critical component of any wellness routine. From the professional athlete to the executive to the parent, we all perform better when well-rested. Here are just a few of the health benefits of a good night’s sleep:
- Cognition: Sleep can help to improve cognitive function — it enhances memory, learning, and concentration. [1]
- Hormone regulation: It also plays a role in regulating hormones, including those responsible for appetite and satiety. [2]
- Immune function: Sleep supports immune function and reduces inflammation in the body. [3]
- Chronic disease risk: Sufficient sleep can also help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and depression and can even lead to a longer life expectancy. [4, 5]
- Performance + recovery: Sleep is also important for athletic performance and recovery, as it allows muscles to repair and grow. [6]
- Stress + mood: There is also a strong, bidirectional connection between stress and sleep. High levels of stress can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep, leading to poor sleep quality, and poor sleep can lead to higher stress levels during the day. [7]
And while one night of sleep will likely not throw off your wellness, when poor sleep is compounded over time, it can start to impact many aspects of overall health critically. So, consistent quality rest is essential to prioritize consistently.
How Can You Support Getting Quality Sleep?
Despite the vast data on the importance of sleep, 1 in 3 Americans fails to get the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night. And while many turn to pharmacological and other pricey interventions to help improve sleep, technology that enhances the body’s natural processes that help drift off to sleep is emerging.
Studies show that gentle, rhythmic vibrations can help to support getting quality sleep. Think back to the practices that help to encourage a baby to fall asleep — the gentle rocking of a rocking chair or a smooth ride in a car can help to lull a baby to sleep. In fact, the same may be true for adults. Studies show that vibration can help relax the body, helping to fall asleep faster and get more restful sleep. [8, 9, 10]
To test the age-old theory that gentle vibrations can aid sleep, SleepScore Labs — a leader in sleep research and innovation — investigated the impact of Therabody’s SmartGoggles, which delivers gentle vibrations and heat to the eyes and temples, on subjective and objective measures of sleep, stress, and relaxation. Here’s how the study was conducted and what they found.