One of the hottest sectors in luxury travel isn’t about seeking thrills but tranquility.
The global sleep tourism market, valued at $74.54 billion in 2024, is poised for 12.4% annual growth through 2030, a report says. The engine behind this boom is clear: with 74% of Americans losing sleep to stress and 68% to anxiety, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, the demand for a good night’s rest has never been higher.
The advantages of quality slumber are well-documented: a stronger immune system, an improved mood and increased energy, to name a few. Still, this knowledge often gets lost between late-night emails and early-morning alarms.
But that’s where Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Equinox Hotel New York steps in. The Hudson Yards hotel has joined forces with Dr. Matthew Walker, one of the world’s foremost experts in sleep science, to create The Equinox Hotels Sleep Lab. This science-backed initiative transforms four of the hotel’s Premier King rooms into high-tech sanctuaries for rest. With temperature-controlled mattresses, targeted spa treatments and specialized amenities, this evidence-based approach promises you’ll wake up feeling well-rested.
The Bed
The sleep experience starts with the king-sized bed, which consists of two conjoined mattresses, each with its own duvet to eliminate the risk of a middle-of-the-night tug-of-war over covers. Each mattress is made from layers of entirely natural materials, including horsehair and seaweed.
The bed also gets a technology upgrade. Temperature-responsive sheets can be preset to align with the ideal settings for different points in the sleep cycle. The bed cools down to an optimal range of 60 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit and gradually warms as you begin to wake up.
In addition to measuring body temperature, the mattress impressively tracks metrics, such as the time it takes to fall asleep and the duration spent in each stage of the four sleep cycles, using indicators like heart rate and breathing patterns. When morning arrives, you’ll find a sleep report waiting on an iPhone on the bedside table, complete with a sleep score based on the data collected.
The Room
Beyond the bed, the room is designed to help guests fall asleep easily and wake up pleasantly. Thirty minutes before your desired sleep time, the lights begin to dim slowly. In the morning, they gradually brighten to mimic the soft, amber glow of natural sunlight and the heavenly sound of melodic chimes fill the room. This gentle wake-up call is a refreshing change from the usual blaring alarm of a smartphone.
The Rituals
One of the unique features of The Sleep Lab by Equinox Hotels is the 15-minute AM and PM Rituals, which can be accessed through the room’s Apple TV. The PM routine helps prepare the body for rest with a breathwork exercise that involves a deep four-second inhale, a seven-second hold and an eight-second exhale to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps relax your body. Additionally, shoulder, lower back and calf stretches are included to relieve any tension accumulated throughout the day.
The AM Rituals start with a full-body scan and feature yoga sequences, such as sun salutations, designed to get your body moving and energy flowing. By the end of this session, you’ll be shaking off any lingering morning fog.
Both videos are easy to follow. All the necessary equipment, including a Manduka yoga mat, cork blocks and a foam roller, are conveniently in the RoomBar (the hotel’s wellness minibar).
The RoomBar
Along with the fitness equipment, guests staying in The Sleep Lab by Equinox Hotels will find snooze-specific amenities: a valerian root and L-Theanine Dream supplement; a Dream, Plz wellness patch; a sleek, ergonomic eye mask (in case the blackout shades aren’t enough for you); and Equinox Hotels’ exclusive line of teas.
The tea selection features a calming chamomile, lavender and valerian root blend called Power Down and an invigorating Regenerate blend made with butterfly blue pea flower, ginger and lemon verbena.
The Bathroom
The other suggested activations include the most spa-like element of The Sleep Lab: the in-room steam shower. It uses a custom blend of essential oils to promote sleep, giving the steam a warm, spicy aroma. When combined with the bedtime-specific body wash, which has a soothing and light citrus scent of chamomile, Tasmanian pepper and tangerine, the experience is a significant upgrade from a traditional hot bath before bed.
The morning ritual also features the shower — but an icy one. It is recommended to alternate between the steam and ice shower, which drops to a chilling 46 degrees. Although it may be uncomfortable, it’s a surefire way to jump-start your morning, while also reducing inflammation and boosting circulation.
But if you can’t handle the cold, you can still enjoy the invigorating AM body wash, which offers bright notes of sandalwood, rose and lime, along with a eucalyptus ginger body scrub.
The Spa
The bedroom isn’t the only place dedicated to better sleep. Four-Star The Spa by Equinox Hotels has science-driven treatments centered on promoting rest as well. The Art + Science of Sleep package includes two cryotherapy and wave table sessions at the spa. The cryotherapy requires three minutes in a minus-150-degree chamber, which, although not necessarily the most relaxing 180 seconds, does provide numerous benefits, such as reduced cortisol (better known as the stress hormone) and less inflammation. This can help alleviate pain and minimize the tossing and turning that can disrupt restful sleep.
The Wave Table, which looks like a glowing, blue waterbed on a massage table, promises to provide the equivalent of three hours of sleep in just 30 minutes. This is achieved with quantum harmonics played in headphones. The sounds, a mix of low, vibrational hums (similar to the chimes of a sound bowl) and waves crashing on a distant shore, are intended to mirror brain waves to reset circadian rhythms. The experience is a restorative one, like a great nap where you wake up fully alert.
The Spa by Equinox Hotels also offers sleep-targeted add-ons to treatments. One option is the NutriSleep IV, which is administered onsite by a medical professional. This painless IV delivers a high concentration of sleep-supportive nutrients such as magnesium, glycine and taurine. Alternatively, you might consider a stint in the infrared sauna. This service is the perfect complement to cryotherapy and can help regulate sleep-wake cycles by increasing melatonin production.
