Technology to help you sleep

18 Mar 2016

Technology often gets a bad rap when it comes to night-time habits. Experts say your bedroom should be technology free. But there are some types of technology that can actually help you get a good night’s rest.

Put simply, often technology can actually keep you awake. The light emitting from screens and devices tends to inhibit the body’s ability to switch off, by preventing the production of natural melatonin. But there are actually ‘good’ technologies that can assist with sending you into a lovely slumber.

Wake-up gadgets

If you don’t need to rely on an alarm clock to wakeup, wearable devices are a great way to wake up naturally. Devices such as a FitBit will measure your sleep quality and wake you with vibrations when you’re body is ready to wake.

Alternatively, consider investing in a wake-up light. Before electricity, people would sleep and wake according to the sun. Why change that now? A wake-up light sits on your bedside table and wakes you naturally by brightening the room slowly, so it feels like you are waking up to natural sunlight.

White noise

While noise can be very disruptive to sleep, it’s all about the type of noise around. Things like a dripping tap or loud stereo music from across the road can be irritating and can definitely impede on your ability to sleep. However, this is not the case with white noise. White noise machines gently block out other noises by providing random sounds designed to lull you to sleep. Think rushing waterfalls or the wind blowing through the trees. There are many white noise machines on offer that you can purchase. Simply pop it in your room, hit play and off to sleep you go.

Night lights

Night lights are not just for the little ones in the family. While blue light is detrimental to sleep, pulsing blue LED lights actually help by regulating the rhythm of your breathing. It also means that if you wake up in the middle of the night, there is a sleep-friendly light to help you get from A to B, for example, bed to bathroom. Consider purchasing some night lights that plug into wall sockets. These can be randomly placed throughout the house so you never have to turn a light on. They only work when it’s dark so they save energy as well.

Control the temperature

Our ability to fall asleep is highly reliant on our body’s core temperature. A timed thermostat will help lower the temperature in your room to facilitate falling asleep. Consider also, setting the timer to slightly raise the temperature approximately 30 minutes before you need to be up and about. This will give your body the chance to gradually warm up and wake up.