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This small but mighty Dodow sleep aid has been helping us nod off

The device has a sleep-inducing light metronome

Helen Wilson-Beevers
Friday 05 May 2023 12:53 EDT
There are two time settings on this battery-powered relaxation tool
There are two time settings on this battery-powered relaxation tool (iStock/The Independent)

With so many of us leading hectic lives, it can be tricky to unwind at night. As a result, wellbeing buys that help with sleep and relaxation are popular picks and include everything from supplements and pillow sprays, to silk pillowcases, eye masks and more.

Whether you struggle with insomnia or have an unpredictable snooze pattern, sleep aids such as candles and cooling bedding can help.

In a bid to combat their trouble sleeping without taking pills, the founders of Dodow created their own solution to restless nights. Dodow is a small sleep aid designed to help users fall asleep faster. It works by projecting a sleep-inducing blue light metronome onto the ceiling, to which you match your breathing pattern. In case you’re wondering about its inclusion of blue light – which experts warn to avoid before bed – the amount is actually too low to affect the sleep hormone melatonin.

Breathwork has therapeutic benefits, and it can calm your nervous system in turn. But we wanted to know how effective this little tool could really be for tackling sleep trouble. Keep reading this article to find out what we thought of the Dodow device.

How we tested

We spent several weeks testing the Dodow sleep aid – keeping it on our bedside table, and even taking it away with us on an overnight break. We used it on the whole family, including as part of our children’s bedtime routine. Read on for our full verdict.

Dodow sleep aid device

Dodow sleep aid device.jpg
  • Colour: White
  • Battery-powered: Yes
  • Size: 9cm x 9cm x 1.8cm
  • Time settings: Two

The first thing we noticed about Dodow’s sleep aid is how compact and lightweight it is – the slimline circular shape is only 9cm x 9cm x 1.8cm in size. Because of that, the device can be easily transported between different parts of the bedroom, around the house and when travelling away from home. We also found it appealing that Dodow didn’t take up much space on our bedside table or have an overpowering presence aesthetically. Plus, it’s battery powered, so there are no pesky wires. There were batteries included with our model too.

The way Dodow works is that it has a metronome light system that is designed to lull you to sleep. There are two settings of eight minutes and 20 minutes, depending on how long you’d like to use Dodow. On the base is a simple visual guide, outlining that, to turn the Dodow on for eight minutes, you need to press its top once, and twice to select the 20-minute session. This was pleasing, as the straightforward setup uses zero brainpower. So far, so easy.

After we’d been reading in bed, we tapped the top of the Dodow and watched the blue light start to glow onto our bedroom ceiling. As instructed, we synced the rhythm of our breathing with the light’s pulse. You are supposed to inhale as the light expands and exhale as it shrinks in again, and we found we started doing this quite naturally.

This sleep aid device offers a mindful experience if you’re a fan of meditation. As we focused on following the light’s movement and breathing calmly, we found our mind began to empty. Although, at first, we’d set the timer for 20 minutes, we fell asleep within that time and woke up impressed.

We are prone to waking up several times in the night and struggle to get back to sleep when busy life-admin thoughts fill our head. As we kept Dodow close by, on the bedside table, during nights when we found it tricky to drift off again, the device was very useful. The combination of it being so simple to use and offering an easy mind-clearing exercise meant Dodow helped us fall asleep.

We also found Dodow useful for our kids, when they were struggling to sleep or just needed to relax ahead of bedtime. Plus, we took the Dodow away on overnight trips, with the sleep aid fitting neatly into a small bag.

While we didn’t fall asleep within minutes each time, whenever we used Dodow, it was a valuable calming exercise. As such, the device has become our go-to for sleep support.

  1.  £49 from Amazon
Prices may vary
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The verdict: Dodow sleep aid device

If you’re looking for a calming exercise to help with relaxation and sleep, we would recommend Dodow’s sleep aid device. It is simple to use, small enough for easy transportation, and we saw impressive results. Overall, we found following the device’s light metronome an effective way of falling asleep and emptying our busy mind.

Struggle to sleep due to overheating at night? We’ve rounded up the best fans

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