The Importance of Sleep and How Technology Can Improve Sleep Quality
By Kate Sheppard, Specialist Wellness Writer
Sleep is a vital part of our everyday lives. Getting enough of it (at least 7 hours per night) can have a huge impact on our health and wellbeing.
While you sleep your body does amazing things to keep you well - both physically and emotionally. In children and teenagers especially, sleep is needed to support healthy growth and development. In adults, sleep is required to support good health and brain function, as well as positive lifestyle habits.
In this article, we will be discussing the importance of sleep and how technology can aid in improving sleep quality.
What are the benefits of sleep?
We know that sleep is good for us because we feel terrible when we don’t have enough of it. But what exactly are the benefits and how does getting enough sleep help us mentally and physically get through the day?
Supports your mental wellbeing
Sleep supports your mental health and wellbeing. Lack of sleep has been shown to negatively impact conditions such as depression and anxiety, causing a worsening of symptoms.
There is a close relationship between your mental health and wellbeing and sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, you can struggle more with poor mental health. However, it is common for mental health conditions to make it harder to sleep.
It’s a vicious cycle that can be hard to break. However, improving your sleep can make all the difference! Keep reading to learn how you can improve your sleep starting tonight!
Improved concentration and alertness
Sleeping well helps keep your energy levels high, but it also improves your alertness and concentration levels throughout the day. This is one of the reasons good sleep (and plenty of it) is highly recommended for teenagers and children as they do a lot of learning and development every day as they grow.
Not getting enough sleep can mean your body and brain don’t function properly during the day. This causes issues with concentration, memory, alertness, assessment of risk, and so much more.
As such, lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on people who are driving, operating heavy machinery, or making important decisions - making you more likely to have an accident or make a mistake.
It can help you maintain a healthy weight
Much like drinking enough water, getting enough sleep can help you maintain a healthy weight.
When you don’t get enough sleep, you feel more sluggish and tired during the day. This makes you more likely to consume sugary/caffeinated drinks and eat foods high in carbohydrates and calories. And while these things may provide short-term relief, they compound the problem of weight gain.
What’s more, tired people are less likely to exercise. So, those who are sleep deprived on the regular may find their eating habits become increasingly unhealthy and their exercise habits reduce.
Getting enough sleep can make all the difference - helping you feel more awake and well-rested during the day so you have the energy to exercise and the motivation to eat well. This makes it easier to maintain a healthy weight and ensures your body is getting the rest and recovery time it desperately needs.
Helps you learn more and retain memories
Not only does sleep help your body rest, repair, and stay healthy, it also does the same for your mind. This means that as you sleep your brain has the chance to process all the things you’ve learned during the day and convert short-term memories into long-term memories.
This is one of the reasons why it’s so important for children to get plenty of sleep. Children in particular are learning so many new things each day that their brains need time to process information and store memories.
Reduces blood pressure and increases heart health
Lack of sleep has been known to increase your risk of developing diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke (to name a few). This is because, if you aren’t sleeping well at night, your nervous system doesn’t have the time it needs to rest and recover. As a result, it remains stimulated and your heart rate and blood pressure remain elevated.
According to Blood Pressure UK, “Many studies have shown people who have trouble sleeping are more likely to have high blood pressure. Sleeping less than five hours a night, insomnia and interrupted sleep all appear to raise blood pressure. This effect seems to be stronger in women than in men, and during middle age.”
Getting enough sleep is ideal for increasing heart health as it gives your body the time it needs to recover.
Strengthens the immune system
Getting enough sleep gives your body the time it needs to rest and recover which is vital for protecting your immune system. The body’s immune system is what’s responsible for fighting off germs and keeping infectious bugs at bay. It’s one of the reasons you crave rest and sleep when you’re sick.
Prioritising sleep is vital for protecting your immune system. It keeps your body well-rested, healthy, and strong so you’re less likely to get ill. Or, if you do get sick, you’re better positioned to fight off the illness quickly!
How technology can aid in improving sleep quality
Now that you know the benefits of sleep, let’s take a look at how you can get a better night’s sleep and start experiencing some of the benefits for yourself!
Blocking blue light
We’ve all heard that taking your phone to bed is bad for you. Sure, there’s the obvious things that can keep you alert like checking your work emails or scrolling social media. However, the biggest issue with using technology at bedtime is the emission of blue light.
Scientists have discovered that blue light emitted by phones and other electronic devices is one of the top culprits when it comes to lack of sleep and poor sleep quality. Thankfully, there is a solution.
Blue light blockers - otherwise known as “night mode” - on electronics allow people to use their technology before bed without negatively affecting their sleep. This means you can watch a movie to unwind, write your to-do list, or fire off that last-minute message to a friend.
Red light therapy
As we’ve already mentioned, getting a good night’s sleep is essential for the body to rest and recover. If you suffer from insomnia, frequent night wakings, or generally disturbed sleep, your body may not be getting enough time to repair and this can cause a host of health problems.
Red light therapy is a great solution for people struggling to sleep well. It can be an effective tool for improving sleep quality and duration - helping you reap the benefits of a quality night's sleep.
So how does it work? Well, red light therapy is when the body is exposed to red light. This process increases the production of melatonin in the brain. This is the hormone that helps to regulate our circadian rhythms, reducing anxiety and helping us feel more rested during the day.
Red light therapy can also help reduce inflammation in the body by increasing oxygen levels in the tissues and increasing blood flow. This allows the body to relax fully during sleep, helping support a better night’s sleep and longer sleep sessions so that you wake feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
Smart lighting solutions
It feels like the days of waking up with the sunrise are gone. Most of us set our alarms for work and during the winter months, this often means waking up while it’s still dark. What’s more, bedtime can be a challenge as exposure to bright lights throughout the day can delay feelings of drowsiness.
Smart bulb technology has the solution. By controlling the brightness of lights, smart bulbs can mimic sunset and sunrise, helping set the mood for sleep while also encouraging gentler waking.
Look into combining smart lighting with blackout blinds in your bedroom. These can help to create the perfect environment for a night of deep and restful sleep. Made to measure blinds reduce outside light (and often noise), creating a peaceful and undisturbed setting for you to get some much needed shuteye.
These lighting solutions are transforming sleep schedules, which in turn is having a positive impact on people’s mental and physical health.
Utilising white noise
Many people can’t sleep with lots of noise. Whether you’re trying to sleep in a noisy household or you live in the middle of the city, noise can be very disruptive, making it difficult to get a good night of uninterrupted sleep.
White noise apps have been a great solution for many people - helping block out disruptive sounds (like wailing sirens or barking dogs) and replacing these with the sound of static, rainfall, or crackling fires (to name a few options!)
Smartphones have white noise apps available that offer a whole selection of different sounds to choose from. So, whatever helps you get the shut-eye you need, white noise apps could be the solution.
Cryotherapy sessions
Cryotherapy sessions are a popular way to improve sleep quality and duration. Cryotherapy involves sitting in cold temperatures for 3-5 minutes to help reduce inflammation and speed up the body’s healing process.
Cryotherapy has also been known to help with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Symptoms of anxiety and depression often keep people up at night and due to lack of sleep these symptoms worsen during the day - leading into a vicious cycle. Cryotherapy helps break this cycle by exposing the body to cold temperatures for short bursts at a time and helping to induce sleep.
Exposure to low temperatures produces endorphins in the body which help control our sleep patterns. This hormone is produced in the brain and then distributed throughout the body. It plays a vital role in setting sleep patterns and helping people feel tired when they go to bed. Exposure to cold temperatures increases the hormone’s production so that people suffering from lack of sleep, poor sleep quality, and insomnia can find relief from their symptoms.
On-the-go meditation
Apps like Headspace or Calm are great for people wanting on-the-go meditation exercises. Meditation has been proven to support healthier sleep habits by reducing stress and anxiety and supporting the body to wind down at the end of a busy day.
What’s more, because these apps can be accessed via your smartphone or tablet, you can take them with you anywhere. So, whether you’re at home, on holiday, or away for work, you can get a good night’s sleep.
Sleep Trackers
Tracking sleep activity can be helpful for people making a change to their sleep schedule. Whether you’re trying to set a new routine or learn more about how you sleep, sleep-tracking technology can help.
Sleep trackers do exactly what they say on the tin; they track your sleep. However, in addition to tracking how long you’ve slept, sleep trackers display sleep quality, duration, and stages. This helps you understand the type of sleep you’re getting and whether any factors are causing poor sleep. With this information, you can better control your sleep and make changes that benefit you.
In Summary
As you can see, sleep (and getting enough of it) is important. We hope this article has helped to highlight the benefits of a good night’s sleep and has encouraged you to prioritise sleep for your physical and mental wellbeing.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kate Sheppard
Specialist Wellness Writer
Kate Sheppard, a mum of two who loves sharing insights about the joys and challenges of parenting and spilling the beans on her latest health and wellness tips. When she's not spending time with her family, you'll find her exploring the countryside.