Like everything else in these normalcy-challenged times, this year’s college experience has been like no other. As if the complexities of quantum mechanics, the regulatory requirements of international investment banking, and the post-contemporary reevaluation of Heidegger’s Overcoming Metaphysics weren’t sufficiently stressful, today’s college student must also navigate the disruptions caused by the coronavirus.
It’s all enough to drive already sleep-deprived college students to distraction and, all kidding aside, contribute to poor academic performance and potentially serious health issues. Happily, the holidays are upon us and with them comes the perfect opportunity to contribute to the well-being of your favorite scholar by giving the gifts of sleep.
Genuinely practical, sometimes whimsical and eminently affordable, any of the following items are sure to delight and de-stress students on and off campus everywhere.
1. Acu-Mat
No demographic appreciates irony more than college students. That makes them a natural fit for the counterintuitive, sleep-aiding comfort of an Acu-Mat acupressure mat covered with 2,710 copper alloy spikes. Though those new to acupressure therapy may require a minute or two of acclimation, the ensuing release of endorphins and consequent physical and mental relaxation will be worth the wait.
2. PureZone 3 in 1 True HEPA Air Purifier
Wildfires and volcanic eruptions notwithstanding, indoor air is significantly more polluted than outdoor air. Keep the former clean with the PureZone 3 in 1 True HEPA Air Purifier and its 99.7% pollen/allergen, dust, mold spores, smoke and — now more importantly than ever — germs capture rate. Complete with Sleep Mode for quiet cleaning, the sleek and stylish PureZone 3 in 1 improves sleep by improving air quality.
3. 30 Blinks Contoured Sleep Mask
Contoured for eye-opening and closing comfort and all but 100% ambient light-eliminating, the easy-on, easy-off 40 Blinks Contoured Sleep Mask comes in all kinds of colors and prints. Even better, it machine-washes without shrinkage or shape-loss, perfect for students who don’t always bring laundry home to load-separation-conscious moms — or dads!
4. Terra Vita Magnolia Bark Tea
Keeping humans calm and well-rested for literally thousands of years, Magnolia bark beverages like Terra Vita Magnolia Bark Tea likely owe their sedative properties to a compound called honokial. Neither hokey nor hallucinatory, hookial is an organic, low molecular weight compound that has been used in eastern natural medicines for centuries and college dorms for decades.
5. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
Sleep, as University of California professor Matthew Walker explains in this New York Times and international bestseller, is more than just a break from life’s travails. It’s a biological and psychological matter of life and health. A fascinating read for the layperson and required reading for many healthcare students, Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams illustrates the science behind what Shakespeare called sleep “great nature’s second course.”
6. Ovitus Foot Spa Bath Massager
Designed with Tai Chi Shiatsu nodes, which are larger and more rounded than the harder, dotted nodes found on most foot bath/massagers, the Ovitus Foot Spa Bath Massager delivers superior relief and comfort that comes with adjustable heat and bubbles without deep-massage pressure points.
7. DreamStation Go CPAP with Bluetooth
Available from cpapRX, your one-stop online resource for prescription sleep disorder equipment and supplies, the DreamStation Go CPAP with Bluetooth is a compact, super-portable PAP that offers all the comfort and therapies of full size units. Perfect for college students’ often on-the-go lifestyles, this unit has one third fewer components than standard portable machines for more reliable, lightweight travel and ease of Bluetooth-enabled operation. And for a limited time, the DreamStation Go is on sale–order yours today for $130 off!  Â
8. TouchPoints For Sleep
Vibration technology has come a long way since the Richter Scale-registering shake of yesteryear’s motel magic fingers. Take, for example, TouchPoint’s low amplitude vibrating wrist and ankle bracelets. Slip these comfortable bands on 30 minutes before bed for imperceptible but effective relaxation. A Time magazine finalist for invention of the year, TouchPoints For Sleep shut off automatically in the likely event you’re out before the 30 minutes are up.
9. cpapRX At Home Sleep Apnea Test
Contrary to popular campus belief, some tests are actually designed to relieve stress and contribute to a good night’s sleep.
Easily taken, quickly evaluated and impossible to fail, our At-Home Sleep Apnea Test features board-certified specialists to walk students (or anyone who may be experiencing sleep apnea symptoms) through sleep apnea screening, testing, treatments and, naturally, any recommended prescription processes.
Some of life’s best memories are made at college, and restorative sleep — along with great friends and good times — is integral to making and preserving them. Thoughtful and practical, these gifts are sure to aid that memory-making and endear the giver to the recipient in the process. Consider them your contribution to your college student’s time well spent in particular, not to mention higher education in general! Â