How to Get Better Sleep
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One of the most enticing aspects of wellness is that with just a few small habit changes, you can practically spend every waking minute contributing to your overall well-being. But what about the minutes you are not awake? Increasingly, we are realizing that sleep wellness is one of the most important aspects of your overall health.
Studies show that disruption to our circadian rhythms is bad for our overall health and increases our risk for diabetes and obesity, amongst others. And the key factor to safeguard our internal clock is solid sleep patterns.
Sleep is receiving renewed interest in the wellness world because more people are working from home. According to the founders of Heavenly Life, a leading brand behind relaxing and sleep-inducing chamomile shampoo, due to the absence of a “typical” nine-to-five job, it is easy to go to bed earlier or later. But when the world is uncertain, a consistent sleep ritual can do a lot to bring about calm and order.
It is for this reason that sleep trackers are used by more and more people. The early sleep trackers could not measure much more than the time you spent sleeping, but the quality of data that you can now receive from your tracker has improved immensely. The latest sleep trackers monitor your heart rate, breathing, blood oxygen levels and restlessness. Some sleep trackers even connect with your alarm, to wake you up when you are in your lightest sleep cycle.
Sleep trackers have also evolved to look not only at the person sleeping, but also the ambient environment. You can now get trackers that measure CO2 levels, air purity and humidity. By keeping track of snoring and breathing, some apps can detect conditions such as sleep apnea, which could have long-term negative effects if they are not treated.
Another sleep technology development that could well be a health boost for some and a marriage saver for others is the smart base. This base works with data from the sleep tracker to measure snoring, and the angle of the base is automatically adjusted to help ease the snoring. Some bases even offer a range of soothing massages that you can control through an app.
One of the most important aspects of sleep trackers is that many of them come equipped with the ability to learn from your data. For instance, sleep trackers with built-in thermometers can analyze multiple sleep sessions to find out at what temperature you enjoy your deepest sleep. You can then adjust the room temperature to improve your rest.
Of course, tracking devices are only one aspect of healthy sleeping. Most people know that avoiding late afternoon coffee can lead to a better night’s rest, but that is only the start. Many studies have proven the link between healthy sleeping patterns, a good diet, and the right exercise levels.
Limiting afternoon naps to 30 minutes will also ensure that your night rhythms are not affected. Psychologically, it is also better to leave your work out of the bedroom.
By combining these approaches, you can set your body up to take full advantage and heal itself while you sleep.
