There are 6 ways technology affects your sleep health
Hello, dear sleep enthusiasts! Let’s speak about something we all long for, although sometimes, getting it really is a big task: a good night’s sleep. No wonder, then, if you often find yourself in that helpless position where tossing and turning is all you do, instead of drifting into sweet slumber. As a self-proclaimed sleep detective, I’ve gone into the technology that affects your sleep health and oh boy, I really do have some juicy insights for you! And now, let’s discuss six ways technology affects our sleep and how we can ensure we get a good night’s sleep.
1. Blue light blues
Ah, that pretty glow from your cellphone or tablet! It’s so inviting! But that blue light from our screens can trick our brains into thinking it is still daytime. Research shows that it inhibits the secretion of melatonin-the hormone that controls our sleep.
Well, a tip: Try to put those screens away to bask in their light at least an hour before bedtime. Reading traditional books or switching on blue light filters can be really helpful. Dim those lights a bit…your future self will thank you!
2. Sleep trackers: The good or the bad?
In this day and age, with homemade sleeper fitness trackers, keeping an eye on our sleep could never be easier! A few taps on an app and you should be on your way – you could literally tell how much sleep you got and how much time you invested in each phase of sleep. This sounds just great, right? Although tracking sometimes inspires, it can also become too compulsive. Imagine yourself waking up and checking sleep data as if your life depended on it – have done that! Sometimes this weight is anxious instead of relaxing.
Pro tip: Use sleep trackers smartly. Aim for its benefits without becoming too obsessed with numerical data. Besides, a short, high-quality sleep is better than a long, low-quality one!
3. Smart Home Devices That Deal with the Sleep Issue
Smart home technology can literally help create the ideal sleep environment, from smart thermostats so your room temperature is spot-on to white noise machines that block out distractions. All of these innovations can mean a better sleep experience.
Set the scene: having snuggled into bed, you dim the lights and turn on your favorite sleep sounds with a smooth voice command, just like having your very own bedtime assistant!
Pro Tip: Try out different smart devices and see what works best for you. After all, sleep preferences vary from person to person, so tailor your setup accordingly!
4.Sleep Apps: Find Your Zen
Scrolling through these sleep apps, if only for a few minutes that translate into hours, can amp up relaxation. Guided meditations, calming sounds, and myriad mindfulness techniques make the apps an instant aide in calming down the otherwise overactive mind before bed. There’s personal endorsement for me with respect to a couple of great apps that genuinely changed the game of my routine! Being a warm-down to Zoom calls and email-long days is what they’re best at!
Pro Tip: Jot down your favorite sleep apps and knife them into a fixed bedtime ritual. You might just find the best aid for tranquilizing in much the same way!
5. The Dopamine Dilemma
Scrolling through social media feels the most appealing for winding down. Very entertaining but certainly not without flaws. Feed on something pleasing and that is bound to send dopamine surging up, making it rather hard to “stop” your brain from working when it is time to hit the hay.
For some, including really exceptionally responsible folks, the desire to steal one last peek at the notifications or to check how many likes they received before sleep is practically impossible. Any of this sound familiar?
Pro Tip: Set limits on social media in the evening hours. You might want to consider a phone-free zone in your bedroom to create an atmosphere that will allow you to wind down.
6. Online Gaming: The Midnight Dilemma
For our late-night gamers, we must talk! Online gaming is thrilling and compulsive in some sense. All this rush of competition keeps our blood pumped and brain engaged, thereby making sleep seem a distant fairy tale. I have had my share of late-night gaming sessions that turned into another one game and another one game, and before I knew it, the sun was already up.
Pro Tip: Set a time frame. Log off at least one hour before you plan to go to Dreamland.
Summary
Sleeping well requires an able balancing act between the two: the good kind of technology and the good kind of sleep.” This essentially means embracing high technology has a lot of little things to do, especially around pre-sleep time. The good news is we can all make little changes and set little boundaries to improve our sleep and our relationship with technology.
Together, let’s commit to keep sleep on our priority list! Sleep tight, tech warriors!
This time around, if you liked this conversation on technology that affects your sleep health, do feel free to drop your comments below, sharing your favorite sleep hacks and experiences. We are in this together!
