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Get Paid to Sleep Studies [100% Legit]

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Yes, the title is very clickbaity.  I know, I know.

But, as with any post I create here, it’s all about honesty and listing all of the great options out there that can make you some cool cash.

And, yes, if you want to get paid to sleep, it can be done, but it won’t be as easy as showing up to a bedroom and taking a snooze.

In many cases, as you’re about to find out, you often have to hook your body up as you sleep with devices, allowing medical professionals to monitor you.  This isn’t always the case, however.

As you’re about to see, there are actually quite a few ways to make money while sleeping, generally via medical studies.  And yes, again, they are 100% legit.

So, if you want to get paid while taking a snooze, let’s dive in and explore the many options available to you.

Get Paid to Sleep Studies

1.  ClinicalTrials.gov

One of the most legitimate ways to get paid while sleeping is simply through a medical clinical study.  By far, this is the best way to get paid while sleeping, and get paid handsomely in some cases.  I’m talking thousands of dollars.

And, to find one, it can be done through ClinicalTrails.gov, a government operated database that helps you find privately and publicly funded clinical studies conducted around the world.

At this moment while I write this, for example, the database had more than 298,000 studies in more than 200+ countries, meaning there’s something for you.

Using the ClinicalTrails.gov Search Engine

To use it, it’s quite simple and I will show you how you can potentially find a sleep study near you.  Don’t be intimidated, it’s not that hard, I promise you that much.

First off, you will want to visit the website and use the keyword “sleep” in the “Other terms” field to only show sleep-related studies.  You will also want to select your country, state and city to ensure you’re only looking at studies nearby, up to 300 miles away.  You can check out the screenshot below to see what I’m talking about.

Hit “Search” and it’s now time to view the results.

Doing so will immediately take you to the results page, but you don’t want to explore the studies just yet as some of the studies listed won’t be recruiting.

To ensure you’re only looking at studies that are recruiting, you will want to make sure you filter your results and select “recruiting” on the sidebar, as seen below:

While optional, you can scroll down and play around with the eligibility criteria to ensure you’re only looking studies catered to you.

As with any medical studies, these professionals are always looking for a particular demographic, so it’s so important you’re applying to a study that needs your help.  For instance, looking at that screenshot, one study wanted participants who suffered from obstructive sleep apnea.

Even if you’re healthy, there are a lot of sleep studies available, so don’t feel you have to have a condition in order to get approved.  This isn’t the case as there are studies for everyone.



Finding a Good Sleep Study

Okay, now that you have filtered out the noise and can now look at the active sleep studies, this is where the fun begins.

From here, take a look at some of the study titles and see if any are of interest.

For example, I saw one right away that I could be interested in that involved a new sleep supplement.

Again, a lot of these studies will ask that you have a certain condition, but as long as you use your filters on the sidebar, you should be able to find at least one study that you qualify for.

If there are hundreds of studies, be sure to browse the entire list to pick and choose which one suits you best.  Remember that some of these studies could be quite intensive, but a good researcher will always tell you exactly what’s expected of you.  It’s up to you to determine if it’s worth the compensation.

Applying to the Study

When you finally find a study that interests you, click on the listing to read more.

On the description page, you will be able to view the sponsor, the collaborator as well as many other details, such as the study details, a detailed description, eligibility criteria and more.

It’s so important that you read these descriptions in detail to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into as well as how long it could take.  You can usually find almost all of the information you need to know right on this page.

For instance, the sleep supplement study I mentioned above would last one month and it appeared that participants would take one of four options, one being the control.  In other words, a placebo that’s basically nothing.

The study, at least according to the measures, wanted to determine the time it takes to fall asleep after the lights turned off as well as rapid eye movement sleep in minutes.

As long as you read the eligibility requirements and feel comfortable with the study, then you will want to scroll down to the bottom where you can look at the contacts.  In this section, you will find an e-mail, in which you can contact to receive more information, including compensation.

If you have any questions, always ask your contact that’s noted on this page.  He or she will do their best to offer an honest answer and let you know what’s expected of you.

What Happens During These Tests?

These sleep studies greatly vary depending on which study you apply for.

The example I noted above, for example, asked you to wear a FitBit while at home and record your results.  This isn’t always the case, however, as some studies may be more intrusive, sometimes requiring needles or even waking you up in the middle of a deep sleep.

Again, it’s hard to give you a definite answer, so it’s best to at least ask the researcher ahead of time.

All studies are so different, so don’t expect to always be able to sleep 8+ hours straight.

In the end, just make sure that you read the description in detail to ensure that you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into as these studies will tell you exactly what they are doing and what kind of participant they are looking for.

2.  University Sleep Studies

Much like the ClinicalTrials.gov website, there are a variety of universities that often seek candidates who are willing to participate in a sleep study and will post this information directly on the university website.

Yes, while you can often find these studies in that government database, it can be easier for some to browse these listings for a few reasons.

For one, looking at this university page can ensure you’re working with a nearby location.  This is important if you don’t want to travel far.

And secondly, the university pages often lay out the information in a simpler manner, at least from what I saw.

Like the clinical trails I mentioned above, these studies will have requirements, so just make sure you read about the study in detail before applying so that you don’t waste anyone’s time.

While some of these studies can be found on the ClinicalTrials.gov website, it doesn’t hurt to bookmark these university websites for future reference:

Keep checking back to these URLs as they are always updating and recruiting, so just because you don’t see something today, it doesn’t mean there will be nothing there tomorrow.

Also, this is just a small list.  If you have a particular university in mind, searching for something along the lines of “the college name + paid sleep studies” can often yield results if your college of choice is offering them.

3.  Additional Resources (aside from ClinicalTrials.gov)

Clinical trials and the universities I mention above are not the only ways you can find sleep studies as there are other ways to find them as well, often via third-party medical study companies.

Take Craigslist, for example.

A lot of times, researchers will post, usually in the “et cetera” portion of the jobs section, so be sure to check there.

For example, here was one listing I found:

These may come directly from the university, kind of tying into point two, but it could be a very reputable third-party as well.  Just make sure you at least Google the company to see if you can find any information and/or reviews.  You can usually find a lot of information in doing so.

Aside from the Craigslist tips, you may want to check the following resources as well since they often post very high-paying studies.

Most of these websites/companies try to update the most current sleep studies they have available, so it doesn’t hurt to at least check to see what’s available.  You can take a look at the lists for free.

A quick search can yield even more results as well.  For example, in the past, NASA had a study where they would pay you $19,000 to lie in a bed for two months.

4.  Bed Tester

It sounds like a wacky job, but it does exist!

And, as a bed tester, it’s just as it sounds.

Sleep on the bed for the night, offer your feedback to the company and get rewarded for your time.

One company paid a student $1,000 to sleep in a designer bed every night for a month, while Travelodge’s Director of Sleep was paid to nap on the company’s 25,000 beds.  During his time, he had to check on the lighting and pay close attention to how sound-proof the walls were.

These jobs exist, but they are very rare.

How Can I Find a Bed Testing Job?

Almost all of these jobs will be temporary, meaning you will only get paid for the night, week, or if you’re lucky, the entire month.  Some jobs may be full-time, such as a QA tester, but this job will require a lot more than just sleeping.

To find one of these jobs, you can go about doing it the same way you would find any other job.

Whether it’s Indeed or Craigslist, using terms such as “bed tester” or simply “sleep” could yield something.

Again, don’t expect to make a living doing it.

Heck, you will be lucky to find one bed testing opportunity.

But, as always, I try to list as many options as possible.

How Much Does a Paid Sleep Study Pay?

From my understanding, most sleep studies pay anywhere from $25 to $250+ for a very simple sleep study, but the big money usually comes in when you’re invited to spend the night at a sleep center.

For example, one university I found would pay up to $1,680 as long as you made two visits of 3.7 days each.  Another I found paid more than $7,000, but this required three 11-night stays.

In the end, it really depends on how long they want you to stay at the hospitals and much is involved in the stay.

The more stays, the more you can make.

The same can be said about the lab work as the more that needs to be done, the more you can make as well.

But, in the end, it’s hard to say.  It could be as little as $25 or more than $10,000.  A legitimate researching organization will always let you know up front before any commitment is made.

Your results will greatly vary.

Can You Get Paid to Sleep?

As you can see, it’s a yes!  But, it won’t be as easy as showing up and just sleeping.  In some cases, you may have to fill out a survey, or in some circumstances, you may be asked to partake in some sort of medical study that requires medication, etc.  It all varies.

Nonetheless, you can get paid to sleep, but you will have to find a study suitable for you.

 

Final Thoughts

Getting paid to sleep can be done, but most of the time, it’s going to be done via one of those clinical trials I mentioned above 99.9% of the time.

The other ideas do exist but they are so rare, I feel you have a better chance at winning the lottery than snagging one of those jobs.  I mean, who wouldn’t want it?

In the end, even if you’re able to participate in a sleep study, some studies can be quite the chore, at least according to participants who have taken advantage of them in the past, from needles to waking up 10 times or even laying in an awkward position for 45 minutes.

Regardless, if you don’t mind helping the medical community, it’s really a win-win.

Just listen to the directions, attempt to sleep and collect your paycheck.

I’m pretty sure I covered all the bases in regards to making money while you sleep, but if you feel I’m missing any, do let me know in the comments below!

I also want to hear if you ever participated! I’m sure others would love to hear about your experiences.

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

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