Experts agree, getting an extra 60-90 minutes of sleep per night can help Americans feel happier and healthier. Throughout much of society, sleep was hardly seen as a key component to human health, but as more technology developments lead to new discoveries about how/why we sleep, it’s now more clear than ever just how vital it is for our health. Technological advancements like these have made their presence known in virtually every aspect of healthcare. Doctors are growing more educated on how our bodies function, as well as the importance of quality sleep. For the individual, mobile apps and the internet give us the tools we need to take control over our sleep habits, and ensure that we are well-rested on a nightly basis.

Better Data Leads to Better Health

One of the most popular new technologies when it comes to sleep is in the form of a mobile app like Relax Melodies is the best sleep app. Our devices now have the capability to record audio of ourselves when we sleep. Couple this with the internet and sleeping apps can now determine with a high degree of accuracy the quality of your night’s sleep.

Not only will these apps listen for sounds of you stirring and waking, but it takes into account the room temperature, lunar schedule, and any light sources in the room. Additionally, it can determine which stage of sleep you are in, and wake you up at an optimal time to avoid drowsiness. With all this information in the palm of your hand, individuals are now better prepared than ever to assess their own sleeping habits, and make changes based on the data they receive from the app. 

What You Sleep on Matters

As more research is poured into studying sleep, bed manufacturers are able to improve the products they make, to help tailor beds to fit individual sleeping needs. Bedtester.com asserts that laying down on a comfortable mattress each night helps you fall asleep faster, and helps you stay asleep through the night – which is an important factor in sleep quality. Sleeping on an old, outdated mattress can also cause a number of health issues, from allergies and skin quality, to chronic back and neck pain.

Lifestyle Changes Are Often Needed

A part of the reason why people get low quality sleep is because they live a sedentary lifestyle, and are often not tired enough to fall into a natural sleep. While technology can be extremely helpful in addressing some of the issues that need to be made – it cannot do the work for you. Working out on a regular basis can go a long way to help people fall asleep for 7 to 9 hours – and fitness apps can help people maintain a regular exercise schedule. In addition, the light that screens from laptops and mobile phones emit send signals to the brain that it is not time for sleep. That’s why experts recommend putting the technology down for at least one hour before bedtime. This helps the body fall into a state of natural tiredness, thus inducing a natural sleep.

While researchers still have much to learn about our sleeping habits and what it means for our overall health, we have already come a long way in recent years. The average American now has access to detailed data about their own personal sleep habits, and can use that information to change their lifestyle and sleeping habits to ensure that they get the proper amount of quality sleep. As we continue to learn more about what sleep does to our quality of life, more attention will be put on it. The days of bragging about how late you stayed up will likely be replaced by just  the opposite – bragging about how long you slept for.