25 Feb TECHNOLOGY AND SLEEP
Sleep
There is no denying the fact that technology has made it more convenient for us to live daily. Advancement in medicine, communication, and industry has made life a lot easier and has provided with a source of income for a lot of people. But with all the euphoria surrounding the advancement in technology, a lot of people have ignored the dangers they pose; like how they affect our sleep patterns.
We now live in a world dominated by electronics and the majority of us cannot bear to be without our phones, tablets or laptops for more than five minutes. According to a 2014 survey by the National Sleep Foundation, 95 percent of people report using some sort of electronic device within an hour of bedtime.
Technology has been found to be associated with sleep patterns, with most people who spend more time on their phones and other gadgets reporting difficulty to sleep. The screens of these devices not only make it difficult to sleep but also make us more wakeful. And the more wakeful we are, the more activity we do that robs us of sleep. It’s also important to note that the use of these devices in the evenings may make it harder to drop off to sleep, reduce the quality of sleep and make you sleepier the next day. So how can we use technology and still be able to have proper sleep?
Leave the electronics outside your bedroom
It is no myth that electronics affect your sleep. Consequently, it is advised that you leave your electronic gadgets outside your room. It is the best bet for saving yourself from technological disturbances during the night so you can gain some quality sleep.
Change your device light settings
It is generally advised that you shouldn’t use blue light devices 30 to 60 minutes before bed. Nowadays, you can easily get apps that can help you to reduce or remove the blue light settings on your devices. You can as well get devices that are fitted with blue light filters.
Turn off your notification
If you must have your phone in your room, then it is better you turn off your notifications. Nowadays, most devices have some sort of do not disturb feature which could even be timed if there’s the need to.
Set up a regular bedtime routine
Come up with some relaxing activities that you can do in your hour or two before bedtime that doesn’t involve the use of any technological device. Try reading a book, having a discussion with someone etc. This will undoubtedly help your sleep pattern.
Make use of a sleep monitoring device
In as much as we can say that technology has made it a bit difficult for people to sleep, it can also help to improve sleep. There are a lot of devices out there that can help you sleep better, monitor your sleep, cancel noise and also help you to solve any form of sleep disorder.
Just like everything in life has its pros and cons, technology is no exception. And in as much as it has made daily living easier for us, it still has its own sets of disadvantages. But with proper self-control, we can read more of its advantages.