Insufficient sleep has developed into a serious problem in recent years, with serious consequences for human health and wellbeing. According to the CDC, up to 45 percent of people around the world do not get enough sleep, including one in three Americans. In recent years, the popularity of smart watches, fitness trackers, and other consumer wearables has made it possible to remotely monitor sleep on a large scale. These devices' data is producing insights that can be applied to a better understanding of sleep and the development of strategies to prevent sleep loss. The field of sleep technology is currently expanding, bringing in new players from start-ups to major tech firms and piquing the interest of insurance providers, healthcare providers, employers, and policymakers.
Technology need not always be seen negatively; in fact, it can be a powerful ally in the quest for a speedy and effective recovery from sleep deprivation. In this blog, it will be discussed what the most up-to-date ways are to improve our physical and mental health and get better after not getting enough sleep.
Blue light and sleep science
Some professionals frequently travel great distances, and there are new portable gadgets fitted directly onto aircraft to lessen the weariness. This method is also used to recover from jet lag and its associated sleep deprivation symptoms. There are also specialized sleep science programs to help people recover from sleep loss.
In relation to sleep science, "power naps," or mid-day restorative naps, are becoming more and more popular. These work wonders in the short term to reverse the effects of sleep deprivation.
Using behavioral data to improve sleep
Knowing one's own patterns is the first step in developing an effective plan for recovering from a condition of sleep deprivation. Because of this, wearable technology is in greater demand since it has embedded microsensors that continuously monitor people's physiological behaviors. According to RT Magazine, the management of sleep apnea, which affects more than 900 million people globally, will see the fastest growth in the use of these devices.
Wireless devices that analyze respiration, nighttime movements, the length of each sleep cycle, and time spent falling asleep are available to collect this data. With no equipment or wires linked to the body, these tiny gadgets can monitor the person from a few meters away.
These gadgets can gather additional information about the surroundings (temperature, light, and noise), and they can then offer advice on how to improve sleep, like turning down the heat or using earplugs.
Because of the accelerated pace of technological development, expanding healthcare infrastructure, high prevalence of obesity, and growing senior population, North America has historically been the largest market for sleep technology products.
Controlling the amount of light from electronics
It may seem like common practice to check your computer, smartphone, or tablet screen just before bed. However, the blue light emitted by electronics disrupts sleep patterns, which is a serious issue for everyone who needs sleep to ensure the restoration that the body needs to function optimally every day.
There are numerous ways to address this issue. For instance, many cellphones today feature a particular filter that can cut down on blue light. As an alternative, you can wear glasses with specific blue light filters that should be worn while using a computer or two to three hours prior to bedtime. These lenses are designed to block out blue light from electronics so that it won't affect your circadian rhythms.
These specialized glasses can be used in conjunction with an algorithm-based program that learns your sleep patterns, wakefulness, training, and competition to show us when and how much sleep we need to recuperate in order to perform at our best. According to this viewpoint, the spectacles are used to support adjustments like anticipating bedtime. The system offers further recommendations via the app, such as when to eat, exercise, and restrict light sources to recover from sleep loss in a beneficial way.
Adaptive mattresses
There are beds that can manage their own comfort and attributes, not just the firmness of the mattress. The "smart" component of these mattresses enables you to access information that will help you understand how you can sleep better: a special smartphone app gathers data by type (best sleep time, optimal sleep hours, and other similar data) and provides the option to connect to other location and fitness apps, providing daily sleep monitoring.
The pinnacle of hardware for recovering from sleep deprivation is a smart mattress, especially in a room with purple lighting, which has been shown to boost body relaxation and encourage rest (and consequently recovery from sleep deprivation).
Seek help to recover from sleep deprivation
Sleep deprivation is an issue that should not be overlooked. A lot of factors in your daily life may suffer from the consequences of it. If your regular routine has been affected tremendously by your lack of sleep and you are in need of professional assistance, do not hesitate to contact us through our website or via phone call at (949) 200-7929. To help us get to know you better, you may also complete this quick assessment and verify your insurance.
Losing sleep has a negative long-term impact on people's wellbeing, the success of enterprises, and the health of economies. Consumer wearables and sleep technology are still in their infancy, and more study is required to build a case for their efficacy. However, these newly developed tools show a lot of potential for controlling, analyzing, and improving sleep-related health and wellbeing.