Smart homes are no longer a thing of the future, they are well and truly here.
A myriad of technological innovations have now made their way into our lives: from smartphones to smartwatches, and smart assistants to smart clothing, we are living in a truly ‘smart’ period. And, arguably, one of the greatest enablers of this technological boom has been an increase in sophistication and power of IoT networks, the systems many modern technologies rely upon to communicate and operate. In fact the power of IoT networks has advanced so greatly that our homes have now become mechanized spaces, with lots of new innovation happening under the banner of ‘smart homes’.
Although most would point to the benefits of technological advancement and integration into our lives, there are some who highlight the negative aspects. One of the main areas of contention between technology enthusiasts and ‘nay-sayers’ is in the bedroom, with many people saying that over-use of tech is ruining our ability to get a good night’s sleep.
Now, however, commentators are increasingly highlighting a number of new technologies that can actually help you get a better night’s sleep – we explore more below:
1) Use of Smart Speakers
Many of us use our phones in bed before we try to get some sleep. This is a practise that shouldn’t be adopted. Whilst staring at your phone, the light hits your eyes, which send a signal to your brain that it isn’t quite time to rest yet.
The use of a smart speaker is an option that will allow you to listen to an audiobook or catchup on the latest news, without the worry of straining your eyes. Many new speakers in this field also have the capability to double up as white-noise producers, helping to create an environment where you will struggle to get up, rather than drift off!
2) Keep Track Of Your Sleep
Another way in which you can improve your sleep with a smart device is by tracking your sleep with a smart watch. Several smart watches track your sleep as well as how many steps you take in a day. The information that the device will be able to tell you is how much deep sleep you have had, how many times you woke up, and how long in the night you were restless for. For the competitive one’s amongst us, you can also compare your sleep patterns to your friends to judge who can crown themselves as the best sleeper.
3) Dim the Lights With Smart Bulbs
As mentioned, the blue light that gets emitted off of our phones, laptops, and televisions throughout the day is what tricks our brain into thinking that it is still day time. A way of overcoming this problem, and making sure that you’re mind is aware that it is the evening i,s by getting some smart bulbs with filters on. This will decrease the amount of blue light that you absorb. Another feature to go alongside smart bulbs would be to sync the lights with the sunset. This is so that it eases you into sleep in a more natural manor.
