1. Before going to bed, decrease your device stimulation
It can be hard to limit your tablet or phone use just before going to bed. Simply do some research on how certain settings can be adjusted on your device to help reduce any negative impacts they can have on your sleep. You can do things like adjusting the brightness of the screen or use the night mode feature on your smartphone to limit how much blue light you receive. Some smartphones do that automatically depending on what time of day it is. If you are having a hard time staying asleep or getting to sleep due to pings and notifications, put your phone on airplane mode in order to minimize the interruptions to get a peaceful and interrupted night’s sleep.
2. Download a sleeping app onto your smartphone
There is a huge number of smartphone apps available that have been designed to help you fall asleep and stay asleep all night lone. There are many apps that offer free soothing music to fall asleep to or relaxation exercises, like guided imagery, to quiet down your brain. The American Sleep Association offers a list of some of the top sleep apps, including the following:
Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock: Your sleeping habits are recorded and it calls to wake you up when you are entered into the lightest sleeping phase.
Pzizz: Binaural beats, sound effects, and music are used and remixed every night according to what you like and don’t like to help you fall and stay asleep.
Relax Melodies: A combination of sounds, melodies, and guided meditation are played to soothe you into falling asleep.
There is a growing number of smart devices and apps that have been designed to help with your sleeping.
3. Your sleep app or fitness tracker can be used for tracking and monitoring your sleep patterns
Although the accuracy of the trackers might not be the best, the data can offer you insights on your sleeping. If you don’t want to wear technology to bed, then considering using Sleep Cycle or another app that uses the microphone on your phone to pick subtle noises up, like movement, while you are sleeping. Consult with your doctor about any concerns you might have to determine whether you might benefit from advanced sleep treatment or therapy.
4. Avoid increased daytime activity and naps
If you feel a lull in the late afternoon, instead of drinking a sugary or caffeinated drink as a pick-me-up, use the stimulating properties of your devices. A couple of minutes spent playing a game, laughing at social media memes, or surfing the internet can help you resist that urge you have for taking an afternoon nap. Remain alert and active throughout the day to help you sleep much better at night.
5. Use technology in your bedroom instead of limiting it
For example, there is a device called Dodow that projects a gentle, soft, pulsating light onto your sealing that you can synchronize your breathing with. The goal here is slowing your heart rate down and lulling you to sleep.
A smart bed is another option. Certain types of these beds offer sleep-promoting, low-frequency vibrations, pressure adjustments, and climate control. A less technological solution can be a new mattress, read these reviews on the best mattress for side sleepers. If you are kept awake by your partner’s snoring or environmental noise, you can use white noise for creating a soothing backdrop that will drown out noises that are bothersome to you.
6. Incorporate smart home technology
If you are worried about your teenager’s late-night texts or binges on social media, place your WiFi on “bedtime” by shutting it down at a certain time. There are other home tech devices that are available that will dim your lights automatically depending on what time of day it is, to create a more sleep-inducing environment.
