Sleep Basics product reviews
Welcome to our Sleep Basics product reviews. We have completed an extensive vetting and testing process of available technologies for improving your sleep.
Sleep technologies we have reviewed
One of the most powerful things you can do for your long term health is to sleep well, and thankfully, there are many tools that you can use to improve your sleep quality and quantity.
At A Longer Life, we are here to guide you on your longevity journey.
Blue Light Blockers Testing
We used studio lighting tools to create a spectrum of colours rich in blue light and then took images of these lights through the lens of each pair of glasses
Blue light blocking glasses are a fantastic and relatively low cost option for optimising your sleep.
These glasses can be used in the evening whenever you have blue light in your environment (screens are a top offender), so that you avoid sending blue light into your eyes.
This is important, as blue light will tell your pineal gland to not release melatonin and therefore reduce your sleep quality and disrupt your sleep schedule.
In our testing, we check each lens against a spectrum of blue light as well as evaluating them for comfort, durability and style!
Blue light glasses
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Brand: Bon Charge
Product: Onyx Blue Light Blockers
Pricing: $$$
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Testing period: I have worn my first pair of these glasses for more than 4 years; my most recent pair for two weeks
Blue light test results: The Hudson glasses blocked the full spectrum of blue light, while allowing in reds and greens. Very effective blue light blocking.
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What I liked: Exceptionally tough and durable. My first pair lasted for more than 4 years. The wrap-around style blocks the blue light from all angles. They have been particularly helpful for jet lag when I need to tell my body to go to sleep.
What I didn't like: I do not have any complaints or drawbacks about these glasses.
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5 out of 5. I have yet to come across a better set of blue light blocking glasses. These are worth the premium price point.
15% off with discount code: alongerlife
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Brand: Do Not Age
Product: Blue Light Blockers
Pricing: $
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Testing period: 8+ weeks
Blue light test results: Effective, but some blue light does appear to make it through the lens.
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What I liked: These glasses are low cost and effectively block much of the blue light in the environment.
What I didn't like: The lenses are easily scratched and frames can bend if you fall asleep on them.
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3.5 out of 5. These glasses have a low price and are a good introductory option. They block the least amount of blue light as compared to all of the brands we have tested.
10% off with discount code: longevityblog
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Brand: Bon Charge
Product: Hudson Blue Light Blockers
Pricing: $$
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Testing period: 4 weeks
Blue light test results: The Hudson glasses blocked the full spectrum of blue light, while allowing in reds and greens. Very effective blue light blocking.
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What I liked: The glasses were comfortable to wear and stylish. The frame and hinges are very well made and durability seems high.
What I didn't like: I personally prefer a frame and lenses that wrap around the eyes and are close to the face. Too much blue light enters the eyes from above, below and the sides of the frame.
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4 out of 5. These glasses are solid and well made with high quality lenses. I personally would like the lenses to be bigger and the frame to sit closer to my face to block more of the light coming from the sides, but these are a very stylish option that are ideal for looking at screens in lower light environments.
15% off with discount code: alongerlife
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Brand: Baxter Blue
Product: Dylan Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Pricing: $$
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Testing period: 4 weeks
Blue light test results: Complete blue light spectrum blocking with greens also blocked, very effective.
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What I liked: These glasses have fantastic lenses and are quite resilient to bending. They also are well styled and look great when worn.
What I didn't like: They are a bit ‘creaky’ and the smooth frame is a bit slippery on my ears.
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4.5 out of 5. These glasses block both blue and green light and the lenses are of very high quality. The frames are solid, look stylish and appear to be quite durable. They’ve held up to our testing quite well.
15% off with discount code: alongerlife
Sleep masks
Your ideal sleep environment is one without light. Even seemingly small sources of light can disrupt your sleep or prevent you from falling back asleep when you awake in the night. By wearing a comfortable and high quality sleep mask, you can avoid the impact of any extra light in your sleep environment.
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Brand: Hostage Tape
Product: Hostage Blindfold Sleep Mask
Price: $
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Testing period: I used this sleep mask for 4+ weeks, every night, including on an overnight trip away.
Experience: The sleep mask is very comfortable and completely blocks out light. It did not push up against my eyelashes.
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What I liked: The material is soft and did not bother my skin. It also did not have any strong odor. It was easy to adjust to the right size and the strap did not slip.
What I didn't like: The position of the strap isn’t quite right for my ears, and I had to position it higher than ideal, meaning that it sometimes slips off my face at night.
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4 out of 5. A good sleep mask for the price that appears to be durably made.
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Brand: Bon Charge
Product: Classic Blackout Sleep Mask
Price: $$
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Testing period: I used this sleep mask for 3+ weeks, every night. At home only.
Experience: The mask was effective for light blocking and was relatively comfortable to use.
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What I liked: I liked the highly adjustable ‘eye cups’ on the bask, which are attached with a quality velcro. You can move these in/out laterally to match the spacing of your eye sockets. The velcro strap around the back was also easy to use.
What I didn't like: It is possible that for users with longer hair, velcro strapping it onto your face could catch stray hairs and tug on them. I also have some modest concerns about the durability of the materials.
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3.5 out of 5. Given the higher price point, I’d like to see this mask hold up well over time. The materials used seem to be at risk of degrading. It was also less comfortable than some of the other masks we tested.
15% off with discount code: alongerlife
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Brand: Baxter Blue
Product: Sleep Mask
Price: $$
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Testing period: I used this sleep mask for 3+ weeks, every night. I also used it on an overnight trip where there was light in the room at night.
Experience: The mask blocked out light effectively and was very comfortable. It did not push up against my eyelashes.
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What I liked: Easy to adjust to the right size. The strap did not loosen once adjusted. Soft material that was gentle on the skin.
What I didn't like: It had a strong odor when first opened, however this dissipated after about 3 days. It sometimes slips off my face at night, about every third night on average.
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4 out of 5. A quality sleep mask that effectively blocks out light and is comfortable to wear.