‘This AI-powered cooling mattress topper has revolutionised my sleep’
As the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior health and wellbeing writer, I’ve tried a lot of sleep tech over the years. I’m talking headphones, sleep trackers, sunrise alarms, meditation aids and everything in between. One of my favourites, though, is the Eight Sleep Pod 4 smart mattress topper.
Not familiar? The high-tech bit of kit boasts automatic heating and cooling, in-depth sleep tracking, an AI-powered sleep coach and a smart alarm clock, to help improve your slumber in a meaningful way, not just monitor it.
I've been using it every night for over six months now and I've noticed major improvements to my sleep duration and quality. I'm a hot, sweaty sleeper, so the cooling technology has been completely revolutionary for me.
Read on for everything you need to know about the Pod 4 – also popular with athletes and celebs including Gwyneth Paltrow, Ellen DeGeneres and Serena Williams – and all the ways it could transform your sleep.
What is Eight Sleep?
Pod 4
Co-founders – Matteo Franceschetti, Alexandra Zatarain and Max Bassi – created the company back in 2014 to offer a personalised solution to improving sleep.
“We saw that there was a gap in the market for tech that addresses and enhances sleep,” Zatarain tells me. “Unlike wearables, the overnight data we provide is just part of the experience; we’re staging an intervention that will actually help you sleep better.”
How does it work? Firstly, we know that temperature can have a major impact on both the quality and duration of our sleep, with studies showing that being too hot can disrupt REM and slow-wave sleep (the deepest stages), leading to frequent wake-ups during the night. This is because your core temperature needs to drop by a degree or two to help signal to the body when it’s time to drift off.
So, the pod features an ‘active grid’ (a thick fitted sheet that you slip onto your mattress) and a computer hub, which circulates cool water through the grid to regulate your sleep temperature as required (based on tracking data).
Temperature control aside, it boasts a plethora of innovations to help you fall asleep and prevent tossing and turning throughout the night, including biometric sensors for accurate sleep and health tracking, vibrating and thermal alarms and even snore detection – yes, really!
How we tested
We recruited a panel of testers (me included) to trial the Pod 4 cover over a period of three weeks, before awarding it an overall score. They judged it on quality of instructions, ease of use, design, comfort and functionality, including how easy it was to set up and control, how well it fitted over their mattress and how comfortable it was to sleep on.
They also considered whether it improved their sleep time and quality, providing detailed feedback on their personal experiences.
Eight Sleep Pod 4 review
Score: 85/100
Eight Sleep Pod 4
Pros
Heating and cooling capabilities
The Pod 4 boasts an upgraded thermal engine and double the cooling power of its predecessor, the Pod 3. It can heat up to 43C and right down to 13C, helping you get a solid night’s rest during both heatwaves and cold snaps.
Testers described this functionality as “revolutionary”, with one saying, “I’m a really hot sleeper, so I loved that I could set it to really cool when I got into bed."
Automatic temperature adjustments
You can adjust the temperature manually within the Eight Sleep app or on the topper itself, but the best part about the pod is its autopilot feature – which proved a big hit with our testers. It learns what settings suit you best and automatically regulates your temperature while you’re asleep based on a range of individual data, including heart rate, heart rate variability (the variation in time between heartbeats), respiratory rate, sleep stages and environmental temperature.
This can be particularly beneficial for women, especially those going through the perimenopause and menopause. “One of the main symptoms when women enter the perimenopause is that their sleep worsens,” explains Zatarain. “They’re experiencing changes in their hormone levels, which can affect body temperature and lead to night sweats and hot flashes.”
Eight Sleep can help regulate unpredictable body temperatures overnight and stop night sweats from fragmenting your sleep. Sure enough, one of our testers who struggles with temperature regulation said they experienced fewer hot flashes and enjoyed a more comfortable night’s sleep when using the pod.
Dual climate control
Been contemplating a sleep divorce? There’s no need with the Pod 4, which has two separate zones on each side of the bed, so you and your bedfellow can set and adjust your own heating and cooling systems – another popular feature among our testing panel.
For me, this is a huge plus as my partner and I have very different temperature preferences. While I prefer to stay as cool as possible to stop me waking up a sweaty mess at 3am, he likes to feel warm and cosy while dosing off.
Smart alarm clock
Unlike your standard blaring alarm, which jolts you awake, the Pod 4 gradually increases the temperature of your bed while gently vibrating for a tranquil start to the day. “I found it a lovely way to wake up instead of being harshly woken by my phone,” said one tester.
You can also set separate vibration and thermal alarms, so you can wake up at your optimal time without disturbing your partner, and vice versa.
Clinical grade sleep and health tracking
The Pod 4 is fitted with 36 biometric and environmental sensors to track your sleep and overall health stats – it’s great for those who want to keep on top of their data, without having to wear a bulky tracker in bed.
It monitors heart rate, heart rate variability and breath rate (with 99% accuracy, according to the brand) and will notify you if there are any changes to your normal patterns. It will also give you a daily ‘sleep fitness’ score, based on your sleep routine, quality of rest, overall duration and snoring.
You can view all your data via the user-friendly Eight Sleep app on your phone – testers found this extremely responsive and simple to use. It also encouraged them to follow a consistent bedtime routine, get more Zs (it takes points off your sleep score if you fall below seven hours) and form healthier habits.
It's quiet and comfortable
If you’re wondering how relaxing it is to sleep on an active grid that houses a network of rubber tubing which pumps out water, let us reassure you. The Pod 4 scores highly in the comfort stakes.
“It was thick and comfortable; it felt like I had a new mattress!” said one satisfied tester, while another said they barely noticed it was there.
According to Eight Sleep, the fitted sheet (which will go on any mattress) has been redesigned using softer materials, it’s 20% slimmer than previous iterations and will mould to your body’s shape. Additionally, it won’t change the firmness of the mattress it’s placed on.
The power hub has also been redesigned to decrease the noise level of the thermal engine and cooling fans, so it’s virtually silent. Again, I noticed it was significantly quieter than the Pod 3 – it emits a tiny bit of white noise, but it certainly didn’t keep me up. My fellow tester agreed saying: “I was worried that it would be loud, but it honestly didn’t interrupt me at all.”
Hands-free temperature control
The Pod 4 features tap controls, so you don’t have to get your phone out if you want to make adjustments as you’re winding down. The tap sensors are embedded into the cover and are placed conveniently on either side – you simply double tap to cool, triple tap to warm and tap twice to snooze your alarm. For me, this was an excellent addition as I’m making a conscious effort to limit my screen time when I’m in bed.
Snore detection
Another new and exciting feature is snore detection. While snoring affects up to 41.5% of people in the UK, most aren’t clued up on their noisy habits and the impact it has on their sleep (and those around them).
The biometric sensors in the Pod 4 detect snoring through vibrations emitted from the body. They’re able to determine which side of the bed the snoring is coming from as well as the intensity and, each morning, users can check their snoring stats within the app.
I was under the impression I wasn’t a snorer (regardless of what my partner told me) but on average, I spend at least 15 minutes snoring each night!
Cons
Long set-up
The Pod 4 is a high-tech bit of kit, so the set-up process is a bit arduous. It will take a few hours from start to finish, so make sure you set aside enough time and don’t make my mistake of trying to do it at 10pm!
After fitting the sheet over your mattress and securing it with adjustable straps, you connect to the hub using the Eight Sleep app and then ‘prime’ the cover by filling up the water tank. This final part can take up to three hours but don’t let that put you off.
Some testers did describe the set-up process as “confusing”, but they appreciated the quick, helpful responses from the customer service team. If you prefer, the brand also offers a ‘white glove service’ for a totally seamless installation experience.
Price
There’s no getting around it, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 is an eye-wateringly expensive piece of kit and it’s not accessible for everyone.
It currently costs £2,699, with an additional subscription cost of £17 or £25 per month (there’s also a yearly subscription option). “I couldn’t stop thinking about the hefty price tag,” admitted one tester, while another said: “It is an expensive product but if you can afford it, I think it’s worth considering.”
The verdict: Is Eight Sleep worth it?
Our testers noticed major improvements to their sleep quality and quantity while using the Pod 4. Personally, I’ve been using it for over six months now and as a hot sleeper, it has completely transformed my snoozing – I no longer wake up drenched in sweat come 3am and can sleep comfortably through the night.
There’s a lot of sleep tech out there, but Eight Sleep stands out from the crowd because it doesn’t just highlight problems, it offers helpful solutions. Plus, it’s based on my individual experiences, not general population data.
It’s a serious investment, but if you have the funds and you’re serious about improving the quality of your sleep – particularly if temperature regulation is an issue – then it’s undoubtedly worth it.
The Pod 4 is available to buy directly from the Eight Sleep website.
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