With the spread of the coronavirus, stress and anxiety levels are higher than usual—this is especially true for business owners who worry about not only their own safety, but also the safety of their employees and the health of their businesses. Unfortunately, this additional stress could be impacting your sleep and your overall well-being.
To manage stress effectively and keep our immune systems healthy as we deal with this crisis, the best thing we can do for ourselves and our businesses is to get adequate sleep. Studies show that when we lose just one hour of sleep, there is a decrease in our cognitive abilities, stress management, and immune function.
How can business owners get better sleep? Believe it or not, technology can be a big help in finding the rest we need. We already use tech in so many areas of our lives—from setting appointments to paying bills; we rely on our devices to get things done. So, it’s no surprise that many Americans have turned to technology to get a better night’s sleep. With new research highlighting the importance of sleep for maintaining proper physical and mental health, these gadgets are making it easier than ever to find deep, restorative sleep. Read on to discover ten gadgets that make improving your sleep quick and easy.
1. Adjustable Beds
Adjustable beds allow you to adjust the angle of your head and feet to find the perfect sleep position. A slightly elevated head opens up airways and reduces snoring and symptoms of sleep apnea, while elevated legs can improve blood flow and organ function. If you suffer from chronic back pain or sciatic nerve pain, raised knees can also relieve pressure placed on the lumbar.
Amerisleep’s Adjustable Base includes all of these features and more! In addition to head and foot articulation, this base also comes with pillow tilting abilities, making reading in bed comfortable and safe. Using either your smartphone or the beds wireless remote, you can control the elevation of the bed, turn on under-bed lighting, program your favorite position, or start a full-body wave massage. All of these luxurious features make it easy to find the perfect night’s sleep.
2. Light Therapy Glasses
One step to getting better sleep is understanding your circadian rhythm. This rhythm is influenced by the rise and fall of the sun and indicates the times of day you are likely to feel awake versus sleepy. For example, when the sun is up, and you’re exposed to more light, your body doesn’t release melatonin, and you feel more alert. In contrast, when the sun goes down, the lack of sunlight triggers melatonin production, and you start to feel tired.
Light therapy glasses like the Luminette 3 can help reset your internal clock so that you fall asleep quickly each night and stay sharp during the day. These glasses are lightweight and travel comfortably. They are especially helpful when traveling overseas and resetting your cycle to a new time zone.
3. Sunrise Alarms
Waking up to a loud alarm clock every morning is not a great way to start the day. Sunrise alarms clocks, on the other hand, allow for a more peaceful and gentle wake up. These alarms also help to establish your internal clock so that you begin waking naturally at the same time every morning.
The Casper Glow Light emits a soft, warm light that helps you relax before bed. Once you are relaxed and ready for sleep, it lulls you to sleep by gradually dimming its glow. In the morning, it fills your room with morning light, so you wake gently and ready for the day.
4. Digital Sleep Lamps
There are many variations when it comes to digital sleep lamps. Like the Luminette 3 light therapy glasses, some use light to “trick” your mind into staying more alert even when you’re tired. However, others, like the Dodow, use soft, ambient light to help you wind down and destress before bed.
The Dodow digital sleep aid is a small, flat disk that sits on your nightstand. When you’re ready for bed, tap the surface of the disk, and a glowing halo of light appears on the ceiling above your bed. By syncing your breath with the light, you naturally relax and drift off to sleep.
5. Oil Diffusers
Research shows that essential oils like lavender, chamomile, cedarwood, and sweet marjoram oil can alleviate stress and anxiety to promote restful sleep. An oil diffuser works to emit this pleasant fragrance throughout the night.
The @aroma Sleep Sheep is a 100 percent wool-felt diffuser that can help you fall asleep stress-free. You simply place a 10ml bottle of essential oil in the diffuser, invert for 3 seconds, and shake lightly. The wool sheep at the top distributes a soothing scent as you sleep.
6. Tech Usage Monitors
Melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep, is triggered by darkness. Melatonin’s reaction to light is one of the reasons that the blue light from your phone and other electronic screens can interfere with your sleep. Because of this, experts advise us to reduce exposure to this light at least 3 hours before bed. This reduction ensures melatonin production is never interrupted, and you can fall asleep quickly. To help you monitor your technology use at night, devices like the Circle Home can help.
The Circle Home is a valuable tool that tracks multiple devices and gives you a clear account of usage. This device also promotes healthy technology use and helps you shut down all screen time early enough to avoid disrupting your sleep. If you have children, you can schedule their sleep times and automatically disconnect their devices from WiFi before bed.
7. Snoring Aids
Snoring can be disruptive for both you and your sleep partner. There are several snoring aids on the market, but many of them use uncomfortable nasal inserts, nose strips, or mouth guards. However, new technology relies on a small pillow insert that requires no contact.
The Smart Nora is a snoring device that can be used beneath any pillow. It is easily removable and portable, plus it works with any sleep position–including side, back, and stomach. It even works if you tend to move around when you sleep. Here’s how it works–once you begin to snore, the Smart Nora recognizes the vibration and triggers a soft movement to the pillow. This gentle shift activates the throat muscles and opens airways to reduce snoring.
8. Air Quality Monitors
The air quality, humidity, temperature, and noise levels in your home can affect your sleep. Devices that measure and test your air can help you assess any issues that could be affecting your rest.
The Netatmo Indoor Air Quality tells you the best noise level, temperature, and the right humidity level for sleep. It also uses sensors to highlight problems and help you fix them. Using their Smart Indoor Air App, you can monitor and adjust the environment in each room of your home.
9. Sleep Tracking Pad
Sleep tracking sensors provide valuable feedback on your sleep habits. Using the information gathered, you can adjust your sleep schedule and bedtime routine to get better rest. There are several advanced mattresses on the market with built-in sleep tracking sensors, but if you are not in a position to purchase a new mattress, you can opt for a sleep tracking pad.
The Withings Sleep Tracking Pad slides underneath your mattress and monitors your heart rate, respiratory rate, detects snoring, and it can even tell you the amount of time you spent in each sleep cycle. It is powered by Nokia and sends feedback straight to the Withings Health Mate smartphone application.
10. Sleep Tracking Apps
You can turn your smartphone into a sleep device with the use of a sleep tracking app. These applications use the built-in microphone on your smartphone to monitor your breathing patterns and movements throughout the night. The app then provides you with feedback such as how long it took you to fall asleep and how often you changed positions.
The Sleep Cycle app uses your sleep cycle information to wake you only during the lightest stage of sleep. This alarm ensures that your deep sleep and REM sleep are never interrupted. With the premium subscription, the app will track your snoring and provide you with a sleep score each morning. It is available on Apple iOS and Android Google Play.
These gadgets aren’t necessary for healthy sleep, but they certainly can help. Improving the quality of your rest starts with understanding your sleep habits. All of the gadgets on our list can help you create a healthier, safer, and more soothing sleep experience.
Jason Garcia is a manager of a family enterprise, property consultant and a business specialist. He has a niche blog for property leasing and real estate investment. He writes articles advising readers on how to invest and secure homes and businesses.
