Should You Buy Eight Sleep? (2024)

Updated: September 4, 2024

Sleep technology is the term used for consumer electronics that help you sleep better at night. From smart mattresses and sleep trackers to wearable gadgets and sleep-enhancing apps, sleep tech is a relatively new industry that makes many promises to consumers about getting better sleep.

In this article, we’ll explore the downsides (and the upsides) of sleep technology, using Eight Sleep’s Pod as an example. The Pod is Eight Sleep’s flagship product, a “smart sleep” system that features active temperature regulation and app-integrated data collection. We’ll answer the most important question: Is sleep tech worth it?

Disclaimer: We co-authored this article with dedicated healthcare provider Dr. Gregory Stoltz, DC. The following tips, including those from Dr. Stoltz, are general recommendations and aren’t meant to replace your doctor’s professional diagnosis. Always consult your physician before trying these sleep positions.

 

What is Eight Sleep?

The Eight Sleep Pod is a cooling sleep technology that combines a mattress cover with a water-circulating hub. The water moves through the cover to provide cooling benefits. The hub is controlled by a paid subscription app on your phone. You can also add an adjustable base, which comes standard with higher-priced Pod models. Eight Sleep offers three versions of the Pod: Pod 3, Pod 4, and Pod 4 Ultra.

 

Downsides of sleep technology

Prohibitive pricing

One of the largest obstacles to using sleep technologies like Eight Sleep’s Pod is the cost. Its optional bundled mattress is $1,500 for a California queen size. (Eight Sleep also offers its Pod in only California sizes, not standard mattress sizes.) That’s arguably pretty pricey just for the mattress, considering that Eight Sleep doesn’t offer a lot of information about it—and that’s before adding any of the actual tech.

Eight Sleep’s cheapest version, the Pod 3, costs $3,444 for a California queen-size cover and hub. If you want the adjustable base, you have to opt for the Pod 4 Ultra, which is $5,449 with the adjustable base. Customers are also required to pay a minimum of $299/year to subscribe to the company’s Autopilot app, which tracks your health data and adjusts the bed’s temperature and position accordingly.

(It’s worth noting that required app subscriptions are a common practice for sleep tech companies. In fact, it’s often not possible to use a lot of sleep technology without using its paired mobile app.)

The price can go even higher if you want a specific sleep technology’s premium version. For Eight Sleep, the Pod 4 Ultra is its most premium option. The total cost for the Pod 4 Ultra in California queen size—including matching mattress, bed frame leg kit, and Enhanced annual Autopilot app subscription—reaches $7,487 up front, with an added app subscription cost every year after. That’s a pretty steep price for temperature-controlled sleep.

READ MORE: Get our ranked list of the best cooling mattresses in Canada

There are less expensive alternatives to help you stay cool while you sleep.

Controlling your sleep temperature shouldn’t cost that much, and can be easily achieved with the right mattress type. For comparison, Octave Horizon is $1,499 for a queen size, and offers more advanced cooling technologies than Eight Sleep’s bundled mattress. It also scored 8.7 for cooling features—the highest score of any mattress we’ve reviewed.

Octave Horizon’s cover is woven with CryoFusion™ cooling nanofibres for a cool-to-the-touch feel. Its interior contains layers of ecoLuxe® cooling gel foam and copper-infused memory foam treated with PolarMAX® phase-change material for temperature control, as well as aerated latex foam and multi-zone support foam with integrated air channels for breathability. You also get all these cooling features for less than one-fifth of Eight Sleep’s potential cost.

 

 

Restrictive policies

Buying sleep technology means buying into the policies that come with your purchase, and sometimes those policies can have pretty big caveats. Eight Sleep’s Pod technology only has a two-year standard warranty or a five-year extended warranty with the Enhanced Autopilot subscription.

But buying a longer warranty will cost you. Eight Sleep’s five-year extended warranty means bumping that annual app subscription from $299 to $399. Eight Sleep requires you to stay subscribed to its Autopilot app for a minimum of one year. It’s not clear whether you can continue using the Pod if you cancel your app subscription after the one-year mark.

For most sleep tech companies, app subscriptions often aren’t optional. It’s possible to get out of them some of the time, but like Eight Sleep, many require a mandatory use period before you can cancel.

Trial periods can also be very restrictive. Eight Sleep only offers a 30-night trial for its Pod technology, which is very short for any sleep product—especially one with a hefty price tag. This trial period is far too short to provide any real value. One month may not be enough time to break in your mattress. In fact, according to Eight Sleep, you need at least 8 weeks to get used to a new mattress, which is longer than the trial period for their product.

In comparison, Octave Horizon comes with a much more generous 365-night sleep trial and a 365-year warranty. If it doesn’t work for you, you can return the mattress within the trial period for a full refund with free return pickup. Horizon is also more affordable at $1,499 for a queen size.

 

 

Data security

Sleep technologies can gather a lot of personal information about you over time. Eight Sleep’s Autopilot app, for instance, gathers data like:

• Your age
• Your time spent in various sleep stages
• How long you sleep
• When you get into and out of bed
• Your breathing and heart rate

Increasingly, sleep tech companies are keeping their collected data in cloud-based storage. This can put your personal information at risk. Data breaches have become more common in today’s internet-based world.

According to Statista, there were 3,205 data breaches in American-based companies alone during 2023, which are estimated to have affected over 353 million people worldwide. As hard as cybersecurity experts work to keep your data secure, there’s just no guarantee that any sleep technology company can keep your personal information safe.

It’s also worth noting that any company that controls health data—including your sleep and health tracking data—should be HIPAA or PIPEDA compliant. Compliance ensures that businesses follow the correct steps to protect customer information, which should be detailed in the company’s privacy policy.

Eight Sleep’s privacy policy only talks about information gathered when you use the company’s website. It doesn’t share any information about health data storage or protection, which is concerning.

 

 

Benefits of sleep technology

Health monitoring

Sleep tech lets you monitor your sleep habits on an ongoing basis. Apps like Autopilot are often paired with sleep tech that lets you continuously monitor your vital signs, including your heart rate and respiratory rate. These can provide useful insights to improve your well-being, though they’re not a replacement for a visit to your doctor or a dedicated sleep study.

However, your body can also tell you how you slept a lot better than a device. Health monitoring technology makes assumptions about your physiology based on the average population that was used to develop the technology. So while the technology may give insights, it’s more important to look at your body’s broader trends rather than specific data points.

 

Temperature control

Some smart sleep systems like the Eight Sleep Pod can control your bed’s temperature. The Pod lets you select a temperature range of 13–43 degrees Celsius and can adjust its temperature throughout the night. This feature can be helpful if you’re a hot sleeper, but you can also enjoy cooling benefits with a mattress like Octave.

 

Managing sleep disorders

If you live with a sleeping disorder like sleep apnea or insomnia, sleep technology can help you manage your condition. For instance, Eight Sleep’s Pod 4 Ultra can automatically adjust the elevation of your upper body if it detects you snoring. (That said, you can also simply sleep in one of Canada’s best adjustable beds to begin with.)

Convenience

Sleep tech with wireless control is exceedingly common. Often, sleep tech companies will have subscription-based apps that you can download to your phone to control their devices, even when you’re away from home. (It’s not clear whether you can use these technologies without the associated paid subscription.)

 

Longer sleep

Sleep tech can help you fall asleep faster, meaning that you also sleep longer. Eight Sleep claims that its Pod 4, for example, can help you sleep for up to an hour longer. This lets you face the day with more energy and less stress.

 

 

Tips for sleeping better

Want to sleep better but don’t want to spend over $7,000 on sleep technologies like the Eight Sleep Pod? Try some of these tips at home instead.

 

Limit your nap times

Humans are diurnal creatures, meaning we’re meant to be active when there’s light outside and asleep when it’s dark—not the other way around. A long afternoon nap is nice, but NIH and Mayo Clinic studies show it also makes falling asleep at night more difficult. Try not to nap later in the day. If you do take a nap, keep it to an hour or less.

 

Stick to a sleep schedule

Try to go to bed at the same time every night, and to wake up at the same time every morning. It’s also important not to get into bed until you’re ready to actually sleep. Doing so helps you avoid insomnia and primes your body to maintain a consistent sleep pattern. Once you get into the habit, it’s easier to keep it up.

 

Optimize your sleep environment

Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool to help promote a restful environment. Use a comfortable mattress and pillows, and choose bedding that you find cozy. If you’re a hot sleeper, put on a fan or get cooling bamboo sheets to keep temperatures low.

 

 

Manage stress

You may be able to sleep better if you can manage the stress that keeps you awake at night. Practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation. You can also try mindfulness and relaxation apps, or listen to calming music, podcasts, or audiobooks as you let your body wind down for the day.

 

Limit your screen time before bed

Science has proven that brightly lit, brain-stimulating devices aren’t the most calming or relaxing thing before bed. Turn off your computer and mobile devices at least an hour before going to bed, and avoid blue light at the same time. This gives your brain the chance to properly relax and ease into a good night’s sleep more easily.

 

Limit caffeine and alcohol

Both caffeine and alcohol make it much more difficult for your body to achieve REM sleep—the phase where you get the deepest sleep. Studies say you should avoid caffeinated beverages at least 9 hours before bedtime. So if you have a 10:00pm bedtime, that means no caffeine after 1:00pm. It’s also a good idea to avoid alcohol for at least a few hours before sleeping.

 

Get active during the day

Engage in regular physical activity, even if it’s just a half-hour walk. Try not to exercise too close to bedtime, though. Vigorous exercise can be too stimulating to help you relax, especially if it involves high-intensity cardio.

 

Get a good mattress and bedding

It’s hard to fall asleep if your bed is uncomfortable, or if it makes you too hot to rest. Choose a mattress and bedding with the firmness and features that you need. Think about your bedding and pillow, too. The right type of pillow can help you tailor your sleep experience further, and relieve pressure from your head and neck while you sleep.

 

Is sleep tech worth the expense?

Sleep technologies, whether in-bedroom solutions like Eight Sleep’s Pod or wearable devices, can positively influence your sleep. But they tend to be pricey, often require subscriptions to mobile apps that are difficult to opt out of, and have shorter warranty periods than mattresses and foundations that offer similar benefits.

If you’re a hot sleeper, the Octave line of foam mattresses helps you sleep cool without the need for any electronics. The three mattresses available in the brand—Vista, Mirage, and Horizon—are all made with temperature-regulating fabrics, copper-infused memory foam for heat dissipation, and multi-zone support foam with air channels for a combination of breathability and pressure-point relief.

Mirage and Horizon each come with upgraded features for even more cooling, like breathable aerated latex foam and cooling gel foam for temperature control. At just $1,499 for a queen size, Horizon comes with a 365-night sleep trial and 15-year warranty, plus a free bedding bundle with your purchase.

If sleep position is important to you, the Douglas Adjustable Bed offers an affordable and convenient way to control your body’s elevation while in bed. At $1,149 for a queen-size frame, it works with any mattress that’s compatible with an adjustable bed. And with a 120-night sleep trial, you’ll have plenty of time to get to know it before buying.