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There’s no shortage of sleep-optimizing products on the market—from mouth-taping and melatonin supplements to temperature-regulating mattresses and white noise machines. I’ve tried my fair share of these sleep aids, but the one that I’m loyal to is the Helight Sleep, a palm-sized red light therapy lamp.
What Is the Helight Sleep?
This rechargeable, portable red light illuminates for 14 minutes while you wind down before bed, then gradually fades to dark over the next 14 minutes as you fall asleep. It emits a wavelength of 630 nanometers (nm)—roughly the baseline for red light therapy devices considered to actually work.
According to Helight, when your room is otherwise totally dark, the red light passes through your eyelids to create a relaxing biological response. The brand’s patented design was inspired by NASA research into helping astronauts sleep better.
It’s surprisingly small—smaller than it looks online—fitting in the palm of your hand and undoubtedly compact enough to travel with. Plus, it runs on a rechargeable battery that lasts at least a couple of weeks with nightly use.
How Does It Stand Out From Other Sleep Optimizers?
I like that, unlike many other sleep optimizers, there’s no mobile app component, subscription, or account setup required—you just press the button to turn it on each night and let it do its thing.
The Helight’s 28-minute winddown window is just long enough to read a chapter or two on my Kindle (set to dark mode, of course) before dozing off into a peaceful slumber.
Does It Actually Work?
Research does support the idea of red light therapy for improving sleep quality and circadian rhythm (the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle). It might even help minimize sleep inertia—the groggy, “out of it” feeling you get when waking up in the morning.
Does it work, though? It certainly seems to work. When I use the Helight Sleep, I find it easier to wind down and fall asleep. Sometimes, I drift off before the red light fades all the way to black, and other times, it’s a few minutes after. But either way, sleep comes easily.
How Much Does It Cost?
The Helight Sleep is $139, which, admittedly, seems like a lot for such a little thing. But again, it does seem to work. Plus, it’s convenient and backed by science.
My toddler kept grabbing the Helight off my nightstand (I can see why he thought it looked like a fun toy) and, at one point, dropped it and broke it beyond repair. Due to the steeper price, my husband initially bought a cheaper option on Amazon as a replacement, but it just wasn’t comparable. This red light was more like a nightlight—it plugged into the wall and didn’t do the Helight’s slow fade-down but instead went on (and stayed on) when it sensed the lights go dark.
When ordering a replacement of the real-deal Helight Sleep, I realized the brand makes a less-breakable kid version and got that one as well for my six-year-old, who kept asking to borrow mine. The gadget is also backed by a two-year warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee to give you peace of mind about your purchase. “Buy it nice or buy it twice,” as they say.
Design Specs:
- 630 nanometers red light wavelength.
- 3.4 x 2.8 inches.
- USB-C charging port.
- Includes travel bag and USB charging cord.
- Two-year manufacturer warranty.
Pros:
- Supports relaxation and falling asleep faster.
- Inspired by NASA research.
- Rechargeable with long battery life.
- Compact and travel-friendly.
- No mobile app or subscription required.
Cons:
- May break if dropped.
- Pricey.
