Is Eight Sleep HSA/FSA Eligible? Yes, Here’s How!

What is Eight Sleep

Eight Sleep is the intelligent mattress system that’s basically climate control for your bed, backed by serious sleep science and used by elite athletes, executives, and biohackers who understand that sleep is the ultimate performance enhancer. Founded in 2014 by Matteo Franceschetti and Alexandra Zatarain, Eight Sleep has transformed how people think about sleep technology by combining precise temperature regulation with clinical-grade biometric tracking.

The Pod system uses a network of water tubes integrated into a mattress cover to heat or cool each side of your bed independently, anywhere from 55°F to 110°F. While you sleep, it continuously tracks your heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), respiratory rate, and sleep stages without requiring any wearables. Think of it as having a sleep lab and personal sleep coach built into your mattress.

The Science of Temperature and Sleep:

Temperature regulation isn’t just about comfort. It’s fundamental to sleep quality in ways most people don’t realize.

Research published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology shows that your core body temperature needs to drop 2-3°F to initiate sleep and reach deeper sleep stages. When your sleeping environment is too warm, your body can’t complete this thermoregulation process, resulting in fragmented sleep and reduced time in restorative deep sleep and REM stages.

The National Sleep Foundation identifies the ideal sleeping temperature as 60-67°F, but here’s what’s revolutionary about Eight Sleep: optimal temperature isn’t static throughout the night. Your body’s temperature needs change across sleep cycles. Eight Sleep’s Autopilot feature uses AI to dynamically adjust temperature based on your sleep stages, cooling you during deep sleep when your body needs it most, then gently warming you before wake time.

Studies from the Sleep Research Society demonstrate that temperature manipulation can increase slow-wave (deep) sleep by up to 30%. Eight Sleep’s internal data shows users experiencing an average of 34% improvement in deep sleep duration.

Clinical-Grade Sleep Tracking:

Eight Sleep transforms your bed into a sleep lab without the wires or discomfort. The system tracks:

• Heart Rate and HRV – Heart rate variability is one of the most reliable indicators of recovery, stress, and overall health. Research in Frontiers in Public Health shows that HRV predicts everything from cardiovascular risk to immune function. Eight Sleep provides nightly HRV data that rivals dedicated wearables like Whoop and Oura Ring.
• Respiratory Rate – Changes in breathing patterns during sleep can indicate illness, stress, or sleep-disordered breathing. The system detects respiratory rate changes that might signal health issues before you feel symptoms.
• Sleep Stages – Using ballistocardiography (detecting micro-movements from your heartbeat), Eight Sleep tracks time in light sleep, deep sleep, and REM with accuracy validated against polysomnography (the gold standard sleep study method).
• Sleep and Wake Times – Automatic detection without pressing buttons or wearing devices.

The Pod Features:

• Dual-Zone Temperature Control – Each side of the bed operates independently, ending the thermostat wars that plague couples. Your partner can sleep at 72°F while you’re at 62°F.
• Autopilot – AI-driven temperature adjustments throughout the night based on your biometrics, sleep stages, and preferences. The system learns your patterns and optimizes automatically.
• GentleRise Wake – Instead of jarring alarms, the Pod gradually warms your side of the bed and can vibrate gently to wake you during light sleep, when you’ll feel most refreshed.
• Snore Detection and Mitigation – The Pod 4 Ultra can detect snoring and automatically elevate your head to open airways, potentially reducing snoring without waking you or your partner.
• Health Insights Dashboard – Comprehensive sleep reports, trends over time, and actionable recommendations based on your data.

Why Sleep Matters This Much:

The CDC reports that one-third of American adults don’t get enough sleep, and chronic sleep deprivation is linked to virtually every major health condition. Research from Harvard Medical School shows that poor sleep increases risk of:

• Heart disease by 48%
• Stroke by 15%
• Type 2 diabetes by 37%
• Obesity by 55%
• Depression by 300%

Matthew Walker, PhD, neuroscientist and author of Why We Sleep, calls sleep “the Swiss Army knife of health.” Andrew Huberman, PhD, Stanford neuroscientist, has called Eight Sleep “the single best tool for improving sleep” on his widely-followed podcast. These aren’t paid endorsements. They’re scientists who understand that temperature-regulated sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s a fundamental health intervention.

Why Eight Sleep Qualifies for HSA/FSA Eligibility

IRS Publication 502 states that medical expenses are “the costs of diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, and for the purpose of affecting any part or function of the body,” but “must be primarily to alleviate or prevent a physical or mental condition or illness.”

This means Eight Sleep can qualify for HSA/FSA reimbursement when used for prevention or treatment of:

• Insomnia and sleep-onset disorders – The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recognizes that temperature plays a critical role in sleep initiation. Cooling the body helps trigger the natural thermoregulation process that signals sleep onset. Studies in Sleep Medicine Reviews show that ambient temperature manipulation significantly improves sleep latency (time to fall asleep) in insomnia patients.
• Sleep maintenance disorders – Waking frequently during the night often results from temperature dysregulation. Research in the Journal of Sleep Research demonstrates that maintaining optimal temperature throughout the night reduces sleep fragmentation and increases sleep efficiency.
• Night sweats and temperature regulation disorders – Menopause-related night sweats affect up to 85% of women according to the North American Menopause Society. Conditions like hyperhidrosis, thyroid disorders, and certain medications also cause temperature dysregulation during sleep. Eight Sleep’s cooling capabilities provide relief without medication.
• Sleep apnea and snoring disorders – While Eight Sleep doesn’t replace CPAP for diagnosed sleep apnea, the Pod 4 Ultra’s automatic head elevation when snoring is detected can reduce mild snoring and positional sleep apnea. The American Sleep Apnea Association notes that positional therapy is an effective intervention for many patients.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome – The CDC recognizes that unrefreshing sleep is a hallmark symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome. Improving deep sleep duration and sleep quality can significantly impact daytime energy and function for CFS patients.
• Depression and anxiety disorders – Sleep and mental health are bidirectionally linked. Research in JAMA Psychiatry shows that improving sleep quality can reduce depression symptoms by up to 50%. The Anxiety & Depression Association of America notes that sleep disruption is both a symptom and contributing factor to anxiety disorders.
• Cardiovascular disease and hypertension – Poor sleep quality directly impacts heart health. Studies in the European Heart Journal show that fragmented sleep increases cardiovascular mortality risk. Deep sleep is when blood pressure naturally dips and the heart recovers. Eight Sleep’s ability to increase deep sleep duration supports cardiovascular health.
• Chronic pain and fibromyalgia – Pain disrupts sleep, and poor sleep increases pain sensitivity, creating a vicious cycle. Research in the Journal of Pain shows that improving sleep quality can reduce pain perception. Temperature therapy (both warming and cooling) is recognized for pain management.
• Hormonal disorders affecting sleep – Conditions affecting cortisol, thyroid, and sex hormones all impact sleep quality. Perimenopause and menopause cause sleep disruption in the majority of women. Eight Sleep’s temperature control addresses the thermal symptoms while sleep tracking helps identify patterns related to hormonal fluctuations.
• Recovery from illness, surgery, or intense training – Sleep is when the body repairs itself. The National Institutes of Health notes that sleep deprivation impairs immune function and delays healing. Athletes and those recovering from illness or surgery benefit from optimized deep sleep for tissue repair and immune function.

The key requirement is that your healthcare provider must document Eight Sleep as medically necessary for preventing or managing your specific health condition, not just for general comfort. This documentation comes in the form of a Letter of Medical Necessity (LMN).

Traditional Route: Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician or sleep specialist, discuss your sleep issues and health conditions, and request a Letter of Medical Necessity if sleep optimization technology is recommended as part of your treatment plan. This typically requires an office visit, potential wait times, and can cost $50-100+ depending on your insurance.

Faster, Smarter Route: Use Crates Health to get your Letter of Medical Necessity online in just a few minutes. Our platform connects you with licensed healthcare providers who can evaluate your conditions remotely and issue the appropriate documentation if you qualify. No office visits, no waiting weeks for appointments, and no surprise medical bills.