FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How this site works, how the picks are made, and the questions about sleep gear that come up most often.
Questions we actually get
Who writes Heft & Hush?
Ryder M., the hands-on owner behind Magoo Media Group, writes every page. There is no editorial team and no staff byline - one named person is accountable for every claim on the site.
Do you test the products you recommend?
No, and we say so on every commercial page. We do not run a laboratory, we have not measured these products with any instrument, and we do not claim to have slept with them. Selection here is research-based: we compare published specifications and clearly-credited public reporting, then say who each product is wrong for.
Why are there no star ratings or scores on this site?
Because we have not tested these products, so a score out of ten would be a number we invented to look authoritative. Where a score would normally sit in our comparison tables, we put a real published specification instead.
Why don't you show prices?
We do not have live price access yet, so every buy button reads 'Check price on Amazon'. Prices in this category move constantly, and a number written into a page months ago is worse than no number - it is a specific false statement rather than a gap. Always check the current price on the retailer's page before buying.
How does this site make money?
Affiliate commission from Amazon links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Because every money link goes to the same retailer, commission is broadly similar whichever product you buy, so there is no financial reason to push you towards the expensive option. The full disclosure.
What should I buy first if I sleep badly?
A sleep mask and a pack of foam earplugs. Together they cost under thirty dollars and they handle light and noise, which account for most environmentally-caused bad nights. They also tell you which of the two was your problem, which makes every later purchase better-informed.
How heavy should my weighted blanket be?
About ten percent of your body weight, rounding down rather than up if you land between two available sizes. Side sleepers should take the lighter option, because on your side the same total weight is carried by a much smaller contact area.
Will a white noise machine block out my partner's snoring?
Not reliably. Snoring is loud, low-frequency and irregular, which is the worst possible combination for masking. Foam earplugs or active noise canceling sleep earbuds are the honest answers, and the earplugs cost under twenty dollars.
What is the difference between white, pink and brown noise?
They differ in how sound energy is spread across frequencies. White noise is flat and bright and masks voices and clatter best. Pink noise rolls off the highs and sounds like steady rain. Brown noise rolls off further and sounds like a distant rumble, which makes it the best match for traffic and snoring.
Which sleep mask works for side sleepers?
A contoured mask with deliberately slim side panels, or a flat silk mask. The deepest modular masks give the best blackout and are exactly the ones a pillow drives back into your face - which is why the most-recommended mask in the category is the one side sleepers complain about most.
Do sunrise alarm clocks work?
For many people, yes, and it depends almost entirely on peak brightness. A dim unit will not register through closed eyelids and you will sleep through it. Independent light-meter testing by Optimize Your Biology reports quality units putting roughly 275 to 395 lux at 18 inches - their measurement, not ours.
Do you recommend melatonin or sleep supplements?
No, and we do not cover them at all. We are not medically qualified, and recommending or comparing anything you ingest is outside what a gear site should be doing.
Do you cover mattresses or sleep trackers?
No. The remit here is deliberately narrow: weighted blankets, sound machines and earplugs, sunrise alarm clocks, and sleep masks. Most sites in this space sprawl across mattresses, trackers and general wellness, and the depth suffers for it.
When should I see a doctor instead of buying something?
If sleep trouble has run for weeks rather than nights, if you are falling asleep during the day, or if you wake gasping or choking. Nothing on this site treats, prevents or cures anything, and every problem guide here carries a section saying exactly this.
Are your product links safe to click?
They route through a redirect on this domain that attaches our Amazon Associates tag and sends you on to Amazon. Nothing is collected about you in the process, and the redirect only ever sends you to a retailer we have listed.
Do you publish reader reviews or testimonials?
No. This is a new site with no readers to quote, and inventing some would be the fastest way to deserve none. If you see a testimonial anywhere on this site, it is an error and we would like to hear about it.
How often are pages updated?
Roundups and model reviews are reviewed quarterly, comparisons and problem guides twice yearly, and any page immediately if a recommended product is discontinued. The visible last-updated date changes only when the content actually changed.
How do I report something that's wrong?
Email contact@heftandhush.com or use the contact form. Corrections are dealt with before anything else in the inbox, and material ones are noted at the foot of the page so the change is visible rather than silent.
Not answered here? Ask us directly.