As humans, we all have many things that make us different. This includes physical appearance, skills, cognitive abilities, personalities, languages, dialects, and interests.
Thousands of details collectively distinguish us from each other. Even in the case of identical twins, no two people on the face of the planet are alike.
But despite all the complications and aspects, there is one thing we all desire to be happy, healthy, and successful: sleep. Understanding the relationship between sleep and technology is vital for us today because, for better or worse, it affects us all.
Keeping us awake
For the average person, technology clearly has a negative impact on our ability to sleep at night. A lot of this has to do with the way the screen suppresses melatonin.
The National Sleep Foundation explains, "Blue light emitted from a cell phone, computer, tablet, and television screens limits the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls the sleep/wake cycle, or circadian rhythm. " this explains the National Sleep Foundation. "Decreasing melatonin makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep."
Most Americans report using their phone, laptop, or TV within an hour of going to bed. Many people also fall asleep with the television on in the background.
The only way to combat the negative effects of blue light is to give yourself at least 30 minutes of screen-free time before bed. For best results, make your bedroom a tech-free zone.
Helping us sleep
The relationship between technology and sleep is not entirely negative. In fact, for every downside, there seems to be an upside.
“Sleep technology is one of the biggest trends at CES, and it's evident in the number and variety of products on display,” explains Sleep Junkies.
Some of the key innovations in the sleep aid market include adjustable mattresses, app-controlled mattress cooling systems, smart breathing aids, noise-canceling earplugs, and brainwave entertainment systems (for relaxation).
Develop an understanding of sleep habits.
Another positive relationship between sleep and high technology is the way the latter helps us understand our sleep habits. Whether through personal sleep activity trackers or complex studies conducted in specialized laboratories, researchers are developing a deeper understanding of our sleep habits, an understanding that should help society for years to come. .
Take Fitbit devices for example. Amerisleep often conducts studies using data from these devices and analyzes the information to better understand how people sleep.
This study on bed sharing and restlessness is a good example. He found that a person's average sleep time varies depending on the company he keeps. Solo sleepers average 6 hours and 24 minutes; People who rest an average of 6 hours and 31 minutes. And those sharing a bed with a pet get 6 hours and 27 minutes.
Other Amerisleep studies have looked at sleep quality and work habits, the relationship between sleep and illness, sleep quality and bedtime routines, and even sleep patterns in different cities and states. The more we understand about sleep, the more we can optimize our sleep schedule for maximum effect.
Catch more Zs
Technology can interfere with our sleep patterns, improve our ability to sleep, and help us understand the relationship between sleep and other aspects of our lives. We can't make a definitive statement about whether technology has a net positive or negative effect on sleep, but we can see that there are a number of correlations.
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