If there is one thing that everyone can agree on, it’s that we all need better sleep than we’re getting. Blue light pollution, too much noise and sky-high stress levels all interfere with the sweet release of melatonin into your body, and to be honest, it’s affecting our health. Studies have found that getting enough sleep each night can help prevent certain health risks and even contribute to a longer lifespan.
Try out some smart home technologies that will help you sleep better. Smart humidifiers and thermostats can help you stay comfortable. Smart security systems can bring you peace of mind, reducing stress. And smart mattresses can help you measure the quality of your sleep. Check out how these devices can make a difference.
Focus on Comfort
How often do you wake up freezing because at some point you tossed the covers off in the middle of a hot flash? Or maybe you wake up soaked in sweat because the humidity is through the roof.
A smart thermostat can help regulate the temperature of your room based on your routines and preferences. A smart humidifier can monitor humidity levels in a room and automatically activate and reduce the humidity if it rises too high. If the temperature or humidity are at uncomfortable levels, these devices will automatically adjust — no more waking up soaked in sweat or dry to the bone.
Focus on Control
A smart mattress is more than just a device that tracks your sleep patterns. You can connect a smart mattress to the rest of your smart home devices to influence your entire ecosystem to encourage better sleep habits.
The mattress will note when you drop into REM sleep and compile the data into an easy-to-read format. After a week, you will know the average amount of time it takes for you to fall into deep sleep once you lay down. The mattress will also note how often you move about at night, when you wake up and more. Gathering all of this information helps you tweak and customize your day-to-day routine, so you can make the most of your nighttime hours.
According to the National Institutes of Health, exposure to dimmed lights at night is better for production of melatonin – the hormone that helps control your body’s sleep-wake cycles. Being in a dim room will help you to fall asleep more quickly and naturally than if you try to fall asleep immediately after turning off the lights in a brightly-lit room. Connect a smart mattress to the rest of your home, and can set your smart lights to dim and swap to a warmer color an hour before bed. You can also set your other devices to shut down at this time, and perhaps play soft music over your smart speakers.
By removing the stimulating devices as you start to wind down for bed, you can help restore your body’s circadian rhythm and achieve a sound sleep.
Focus on Security
Many of us need to feel safe and secure in order to sleep soundly. A sense of fear or worry will activate your body’s fight-or-flight response and keep you from dropping into deeper sleep patterns. A smart home security system can help remedy that.
Motion sensors on your doors and windows will sound an alarm if someone tries to gain entry into your home. A security camera outside your home will alert you and begin to record if it detects motion. A high-decibel siren will send thieves running and give you plenty of warning.
Since most security systems link to an outside monitoring service, you can rest easy knowing that if the alarm goes off, you won’t be the only one that knows. The police will be notified by the monitoring service, or you can cancel the request for authorities if it turns out to be a false alarm.
Improve Your Sleep, Improve Your Life
The quality of your sleep — and getting enough of it — makes a huge difference in your day-to-day life. If you find yourself drowsy or exhausted throughout the day, invest in some smart sleep products and see what kind of difference it makes in your life.
Patrick Hearn is an Atlanta-based tech writer for Xfinity Home. When not researching the latest gadget or home security solution, he can be found at the latest coffee shop trying the newest pour-over.
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