Homedics Soundspa Acoustic Relaxation Machine

I’ve suffered from insomnia for years now. Not just sometimes, or rarely; but a full time insomniac. That’s me!

I toss and turn, then toss some more, and so on. Most nights I watch my ceiling in hopes that perhaps staring at it will bore me to sleep.

The problem with me is that I have a million thoughts, and images running through my mind which keeps me from falling asleep. It’s so aggravating at times, that I actually feel like knocking myself out just to go to sleep.

Before I know it, it’s 6am, and it’s time to go to work. Sleep for me is nothing more then “rest”. It’s rare if I actually fall asleep. On a lucky night, I’ll get 2 or 3 hours, but like I said. ‘If I’m lucky’.

Ive been told to try and sleep to the sound of a running fan, which seemed to help somewhat. I could rest easier, but still wasn’t actually falling asleep. I still run the fan even in the dead of winter hoping that the noise will bring me sleep. Sometimes it does, and sometimes it does not. Running a fan in the winter almost always guarantees me a cold though.

However because of this condition, and years of not sleeping my body, and mind have become accustom to not sleeping, and I’m able to function normally. Thank the Pope!

All of this has come to an end, just 6 days ago when I purchased homedics soundspa acoustic relaxation machine.

I thought at first it would be another gimmick to pry open my wallet. But I was willing to try anything, other than freezing to death with a fan running in my room all night.

I saw it sitting on the shelf at Khols, and for $25 I figured if it didn’t work, I could always return it.

After 6 days of using it though; this baby isn’t going anywhere.

It has 6 different sounds. You have the option to set a timer to 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or an hour. You could also just turn it on, and have it run for as long as you’d like without any time settings. The volume goes from quiet to loud, so you can easily higher the volume to drown out any distracting noises. This is especially wonderful if you live downstairs, and there are people upstairs from you. The machine drowns out barking dogs, footsteps, voices, etc…

I seriously was not thinking this small machine could pack so much power. Sound is clear and crisp, and best of all it put me to sleep in only 20 minutes.
It came with a power adapter, or you had the option to apply 4 batteries to make the machine mobile. I never used the battery feature, seeing how if it has a plug, thats good enough for me. No use in wasting money on batteries, when I could just plug it in.

Sounds and Options:

 SUMMER NIGHT

This sounds just like a summer night in the country. Crickets and other bugs chirp and buzz in a nice calming way. It’s very relaxing.

OCEAN

Waves come crashing into the shore on this setting. The sound would have been very relaxing, and perhaps even put me to sleep quickly if it weren’t for the annoying gawking (((GUAK GUAKKKK)) sounds of seagulls, after each wave crashes. This setting also has an easily detectable loop. If your a sleeper like me, this could keep you up all night, as you may find Yourself counting loops instead of resting. That’s my case anyways.

RAINFOREST

In this setting you hear a bunch of different animals and bugs. Mostly though frogs, and chirping birds. I actually enjoy this setting. I have yet to fall asleep to this setting though, because I find myself trying to hear the chirps of all the different birds, and trying to identify what bird makes that sound. Can you say obsessive compulsive disorder anyone!? It is a nice sound to just relax to.

RAIN

This is my setting! My dream setting! I fall asleep every time this setting is left on. For me the sound of rain has always been soothing, and refreshing to the soul. The sound is just this. Pouring rain landing in tiny puddles. I got my first 8 hours of sleep, in years due to this sound. I couldn’t be more thankful. (I’ll be writing a thank you letter to the company right after my review)

WATERFALL   

This setting sounds just like running water, or a stream/river. I have yet to set this one to try and relax. It sounds more like white noise to me, which basically freaks me out ever since the movie. So I don’t play this one. Also I think if I were to play this one all night, I may end up breaking my sleep to run to the bathroom.

HEARTBEAT

This setting sounds just like a human beating heart. I don’t use this setting, its somewhat odd to me, and not at all comforting. It sounds like one of those baby machines that mothers sometimes buy for their babies to help them sleep. I guess this could be an excellent setting for just that. However its not for me.

Overall Experience:

I no longer have to run a fan to try to sleep. Which became like a disease, seeing how my brain told me “I NEEDED TO RUN THE FAN TO SLEEP”

Basically all I’d like to say is that, even if I were to hate the other 5 noises/sounds that the homedics sound machine made, 1 sound has given me something I’ve missed for years. A good nights sleep. I almost forgot what it felt like. I couldn’t ask for more.

A few months after using the Homedics Soundspa Acoustic Relaxation Machine, my insomnia had returned. Sadly my body…or mind seems to grow accustom to these sleep remedies.

Although the Homedics Soundspa Acoustic Relaxation Machine allows me to rest easy, and at time fall asleep easier, it is still not 100% going to cure insomnia.

Another issue I ran into recently with my Homedics Soundspa Acoustic Relaxation Machine was it’s speaker. At times I have to tap the machine to get the noise to come back on. It’s annoying, but it seems like the speakers have blown. I never leave it on the highest volume, so the speakers blowing tell me it’s not the best of noise machines in the world.

I however still recommend it. If you suffer from insomnia as badly as I do, the machine will at least give you a few months of nice sleep.