Getting a good night’s sleep seems to be almost out of reach for the majority of the population these days –despite the necessity of sleep to keep us functioning at optimal levels, from lowering blood pressure to helpings regulate our appetite and increase our everyday productivity. Unfortunately, all the glorious technology at our fingertips can disrupt the body’s sleep schedule, making it difficult to achieve full REM sleep. Although most gadgets should be considered a big mistake when it comes to improving your sleeping habits, there are a few pieces of tech that can help make the process a little easier.
One of the first things most sleep experts would recommend is a sound machine, a device that is often marketed as a device to play soft noises for babies to help them sleep through the night. Typically their purpose is to recreate the sounds heard within the womb in order to ease babies into a state of emotional wellbeing. Although the idea of a sound machine, sound soother, or conditioner may seem unappealing for some, there is some solid science behind the playing of white noise or pink noise (a softer variation of white noise) to help you fall asleep and stay asleep, and, luckily, they come in a variety of more grown up sounds like the ocean, the rain, and whale songs. You can find various types of sound machines in any home store or baby store, but if you aren’t the type to run out and buy one without trying it, there are a number of apps available for download onto your phone that will do the trick.
Tracking your sleep is another method of encouraging better sleeping habits. There a variety of wristband trackers that will not only measure how long you sleep but the quality of your sleep, how many times you wake up during the night, and whether you are sleeping deeply or lightly. Most sleep trackers can also sync up to an app on your phone so that you can view all your recorded data and compare it with factors such as your diet and your caffeine intake. These devices make it easy to adjust your daily routine in order to permanently improve your sleeping habits.
Lighting is another factor that can have massive effects on your sleep quality. When there is too much light in a room while you are trying to sleep, your body is prevented from producing melatonin, meaning that what sleep you are getting isn’t very restful. We’ve all heard that the blue light that is emitted from our phones and computer screens can also prevent our bodies from manufacturing melatonin, but slightly less known is that soft orange light can actually increase melatonin production. Investing in a small lamp or device that emanates these particular light waves can benefit your body in the long run and lead to a deeper and more peaceful REM sleep.