Snug As Bug: Is the Hug Sleep Pod Worth It?

Imagine yourself encased in a warm cocoon on a cold day or night. You’re comfy, warm, and sleepy. You’re finally getting the sleep you’ve wanted. Now imagine a nice warm sock that encases your entire body that helped make that happen. 

That is the idea behind the Hug Sleep Pod, a personal sleep aid that has been on the market since 2021 and has sold thousands of units. Many satisfied customers say the Hug Sleep Pod gives them the sleep they desire by relieving stress and making them feel secure and super comfy.

In short, the Sleep Pod is not only good for your sleeping, but for your overall health. 

Everyone knows stress can affect sleep, and the lack of sleep from an overstressed life can cause serious health issues. So how do you get the sleep you need?

The solution is to use a sleep aid, but which one? There are so many products — from pills to pillows — that promise peaceful slumber that deciding which one might be right for you can be difficult.

Perhaps this article will help make that choice a little easier and, hopefully, successful.

The Hug Sleep Pod emerged on the scene through the inventor investment TV series Shark Tank. As noted earlier, there are many in the past year that proclaim its benefits. In this article we will look at whether the Sleep Pod really works and, if so, will it work on whatever is keeping you from a good night’s sleep.

Stress Affects Sleep

The CDC reports that one in three Americans don’t get enough sleep. A main culprit in that statistic is stress — a little word that can cause huge problems.

Stress is an integral part of our biology. It is the built-in fight-or-flight reaction and releases adrenalin into the body that enables us to react to dangerous situations. Simply put, stress doesn’t HAVE to be a bad thing. Overactive stress IS.

Stress can come from work or from living a hectic life. It causes health issues like hypertension, diabetes, and weight gain. Even if it doesn’t affect your health in those ways, a high-stress level leads to a lack of sleep, which in itself can lead to such things as bad driving, unpleasant mood, anger, alcoholism, and other problems. 

 

Sleep Deprivation Affects Health

Stephanie Watson, writer for the online Healthline, says the body “needs sleep, just as it needs air and food to function at its best.” Healthline advisor Stacy Sampson agrees with Watson, noting the body rests and heals itself while the person sleeps. It restores its chemical balances and gives the mind new connections to help it retain memories.

The brain does not function well without 7 to 8 hours of good sleep. Failure to do so can eventually lead to a lower quality of life and, as previously noted, even potentially fatal cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

There are several weapons in your sleep arsenal you can use to help achieve the rest you need. You can make sure the bedroom is designed for relaxation and sleep. You will want a good mattress that provides comfort and support that best suits you. Pillows and even sheets can play important roles in making sure the Sandman is not kept away from your bedroom.

In addition to those bedroom musts, you might want to consider a sleep aid like the Hug Sleep Pod. 

How to Prevent Sleep Problems? 

If you have spent many a sleepless night, you know what you feel like the next day – tired and out of sorts. When you cannot fall asleep, you can turn to many different sleep aids. Those options range from medications to simply reducing pre-bedtime stimuli such as computer and phone screens or reading. Practicing prayer and meditation can also reduce stress and help induce sleep.

Now they say hugs also work. 

New studies suggest that a physical hug helps to induce deep sleep. Cuddling or snuggling can help you sleep more deeply and longer. Couples who share a bed are more likely to move about, but their brain gets the relaxation it needs to make a fresh start in the morning.

How Does The Hug Sleep Pod Factor Into This? 

The Hug Sleep Pod simulates that hugging sensation to achieve better and more natural sleep. This product has brought a new term into the English language, the compression blanket.

This technology takes the weighted blanket one step further by using pressure therapy. It is a deep pressure touch blanket made with stretchy warm material that gently compresses around your body, mimicking the hugging sensation. Its stretchability allows you to get in and out easily, but the compression helps you feel more relaxed and able to wake up refreshed after a good night’s sleep. 

If you already know the sleep benefits of using a weighted blanket, you will like the Sleep Pod even more. It provides more sensitive pressure than the weighted blanket without the heavy weight or heat of a heavy blanket. 

What Is the Hug Sleep Pod?

The Hug Sleep Pod is a unique four-way stretch fabric that slips over your body like a huge sock. The special fabric offers a calming pressure that simulates a hug to help you fall asleep and get a deeper sleep throughout the night. 

The Hug Sleep Pod uses a high-tech material that gives you a cooler feel in warm weather and a more insulated feel in the winter. It is a breathable material that doesn’t trap body heat, so it doesn’t cause night sweats.

The Hug Sleep Pod is designed in a cocoon-like shape, so you feel the slight pressure along your entire body. All you have to do is step into it and snuggle up.

Yes. You actually step into the Hug Sleep Pod.

If the temperature is something you worry about, the Hug Sleep Pod has a temperature regulating pocket allowing you to push your feet out, so you are kept cooler on hotter nights. Despite the benefits of this material, the Sleep Pod does not have moisture-wicking properties and is more like a sleeping bag. 

The Sleep Pod is made of synthetic material, so people who are allergic or sensitive to non-organic materials should do more research before buying one. The company does not advertise its product as being hypoallergenic. 

The Hug Sleep Pod comes in small, medium, and large as well as kids’ sizes. 

How The Hug Sleep Pod Works

The design and craftsmanship of the Hug Sleep Pod is based on the sleep science research of company founders Matt Mundt and Angie Kupper, a husband and wife team from Brookfield, Wisconsin. The idea was to help people find that warm, hugging mechanism that follows the natural pressure points healing method called deep touch pressure (DTP). 

DTP is a therapy practice discovered by Dr. Temple Grandin in 1992. Grandin developed a squeeze machine that he reported helped relieve stress and anxiety. She wrote a paper in which she said such therapy helped improve the lives of autistic children who suffered from stress.

This deep touch pressure therapy centers around firm tactile sensory input to the whole body and can consist of hugs, firm stroking, cuddling, hugging, compression or swaddling. When this slight pressure is applied to the whole body, it calms both children and adults. For many people, the slight pressure of a weighted blanket is reminiscent of this touch. If you get that sensation from a weighted blanket, imagine how you would feel with the pressured touch of the Hug Sleep Pod. 

Matt’s background in mechanical engineering and product design helped him create the design. Angie was working in the mental health field and knew that better sleep would help reduce many problems. Together they designed the Hug Sleep Pod and took it to Shark Tank to secure the funding to get it to market. 

The Sleep Pod was showcased on one of the shows, and every one of the investors made offers. The couple decided to work with Lori Greiner and Mark Cuban, who made an offer for 20% of the profits.

Since then, 50,000 Sleep Pods have been sold and customers are saying much they love it.

Types of Hug Sleep Pods

There are four Hug Sleep Pods: the classic, the hooded, the Move, and children’s models. Here is a closer look at each one to help you determine which one fits your needs.

The Classic Hug Sleep Pod

The adult classic sleep pod gives you that safe and secure feeling of being tucked in securely at night. The sleep sack encases and embraces your body in a thin temperature-controlling pouch that lets you fall asleep faster and enjoy an improved sleep.

Its grey color may not be pretty or sexy, but it is a calming color that promotes sleep. No “loud” colors to disturb your slumber or flashy patterns to distract your attention from the business at hand — going to sleep.

It can be described as a huge cotton sock that can be closed or open at the bottom. You can also think of it as  baby swaddling for adults.

Find this sleep pod on Amazon for $73.99

 

The Hug Sleep Pod Move

Have you ever slept in a sleeping bag? The pod is kind of like that, only much lighter weight than a sleeping bag. The only downside to being snug as a bug in the Hug is the problem posed by those midnight visits to the bathroom.

Where there is a problem, can a solution be far behind? There is, and it’s name is the Hug “Move” for adults. The Move allows the user to pull the pod up around their hips to make running to the restroom easier. Despite it being more “portable” than other models, the Move has the same soothing pressure as the Classic pod.

Find the Hug Move sleep pod on Amazon for $89.99.

 

The Hug Hooded Sleep Pod

The hooded Hug Sleep Pod is a new product in the line. The hood was added for extra warmth. The user can also pull up the hoodie to feel more secure as they sleep.

The cooling material is temperature-regulated, lightweight, and breathable like the other sleep pods. This unit accommodates all types of sleepers and positions.

All Hug Sleep Pod models are stretchy and can support a pillow, but if you like to sleep with a pillow between your legs, you can buy a larger size to accommodate the pillow.

Find the hooded Hug Sleep Pod on Amazon for $109.99

 

The Hug Sleep Pod Move for Kids

Kids can have just as much trouble falling asleep as adults. They need to feel secure at night. The Hug Sleep Pod Move swaddles them even if they aren’t babies and helps them feel secure at night. The Hug Sleep Pod Move is for kids ages 7-10 and 10-14. It is not meant for younger children.

The Move model allows them to free their feet and move about. Even with this movement ability, it has a dependable pressure from the compression fabric and gives a calming effect.

Find this Hug Sleep Pod on Amazon for $89.99

 

How To Put The Sleep Pod On

The Hug Sleep Pod is like your personal cocoon. You get into it the same as you would a sleeping bag or your pants — feet first. All you do is sit down on the bed, scrunch the pod up, put your feet in, and pull it up like you would a sock over your foot. 

How to Care for The Hug Sleep Pod

Caring for the Hug is as easy as washing your regular blankets. Just throw it in the washing machine and dryer like you do any other bedding. The company recommends turning the Sleep Pod inside out and washing it in warm water to prevent pilling on the exterior fabric. “Pilling” is when small balls of cloth form on a fabric’s surface due to abrasions that occur during washing. Tumble dry on a medium setting.

Guarantee

The manufacturer stands behind its product with a 30-night sleep guarantee. If you decide at that time that the product doesn’t work for you, you can return it to the manufacturer for a full refund. Hug Sleep does not cover the cost of the return shipping.

 

Should You Buy The Hug Sleep Pod? 

The Hug Sleep Pod can be worth the cost if you experience sleep issues, especially if you have anxiety and stress. People often say the soft and warm feeling when they are in the pod helps them sleep better.

The gentle compression of the material applies slight pressure on every part of your body, making you feel like you are being hugged in a swaddling blanket.

You can wear the pod just on your legs, up to your waist, up to your chest, or even with your arms inside. The colors are pretty basic. The Classic and the Move come in gray, which is considered to be a soothing color well-suited for this product.

In Conclusion

The Hug Sleep Pod helps users get a good night’s sleep. It is better than a weighted blanket because it gives you a more compressed feeling, like a person hugging you all night. It helps you fall asleep faster and stay in a deep sleep for longer.

The Sleep Pod is an innovative, high-tech product that works, and a full 30-day warranty backs it. The material is soft and offers full body compression. It is temperature regulating. It is not hypoallergenic, so it may not be appropriate for people who are allergic or have sensitive skin. 

In sum, there are several obvious benefits to this product and evidence that its attributes can help relieve stress-related issues that can hinder your ability to get a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to serious health problems.

This article has provided the information you need to know about the product for your decision-making process. All that’s left is for you to decide which of the Sleep Pod’s is right for you.