5 Tech Gadgets That Improved My Sleep

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    • insomnia_cures.jpgWe tend to think of gadgets, and technology, as stimulants: games, lights, and electric distractions that keep us awake, and push sleep away. That can be true, but technology can also help us obtain better sleep, and the benefits that go with it.

    A growing number of scientific studies underscore the value of quality slumber time, for mental health, productivity, and happiness. Public personalities from my Boing Boing colleague Mark to Arianna Huffington have become advocates of optimized snoozing. Lately I’ve been on a quest for better rest myself, and would like to share some of the tools I’ve found helpful.

    Now, before we start: sleep is an intimate thing, and our bodies and minds are all very different from one another. What works for me may not be effective for you. So I’ve included a variety of options here, some focused on sound, some on light, some on behavioral changes. As with all things in life and online, YMMV (“your mileage may vary”). And as with all things that involve your personal health, if you’re experiencing ongoing sleep problems that disrupt your quality of life, you should talk to a doctor (this post should not be taken as medical advice).


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    PZIZZ
    Advertised as “the insomnia solution,” this app for Android  and iPhone is one of the most popular software solutions for sleep cycle management. There are two versions, “pzizz relax’” and “pzizz sleep,” each targeted towards specific goals: either a daytime power naps or night-time deep sleep. You use the app to build customized audio soundtracks, and a randomizing algorithm creates a new soundtrack each time you use it for up to 100 billion combinations (certainly more than any of us require in a lifetime).



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    SLEEP CYCLE
    The Sleep Cycle alarm clock for iPhone and iPod Touch (sadly, no Android yet) is a “bio-alarm clock” that uses your i-device’s accelerometer to monitor your movement and analyze your sleep patterns. It wakes you up when you’re in the lightest phase of sleep. Waking up this way, during the lightest phase instead of deeper sleep, “feels more like waking up without an alarm clock” according to the app developers. I’ve found this to be true. The idea of sleeping with an iPhone under your pillow takes a little getting used to, however. I keep expecting a quarter to show up in the morning from the app fairy.


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    THE PHILLIPS WAKE-UP LIGHT
    An “Official Light Therapy Product of the National Sleep Foundation,” this lamp with optional audio features (FM radio, or nature sounds) helps wake you up in a gentle way with gradually increasing light. The light gradually brightens over a period of 30 minutes before a time you set gently prepare your body to wake up. 
    phillips_wake_up_light.jpg
    Basically, it simulates the effect of sunrise on your circadian rhythms. Unlike other tools listed in this post, by the way–this one’s good for people who are deaf, have limited hearing abilities, or are not as sensitive to audio stimuli as they are to visual stimuli.

    Xeni Jardin
    Xeni Jardin
    Xeni Jardin is an editor of Boing Boing and a tech culture journalist whose intergalactic adventures are chronicled online, on radio, in print, and on television. Boing Boing is a pioneering blog that offers an eclectic blend of of tech culture, gadgets, entertainment, business, and more -- a "geek's eye view" on the world.

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    • http://profile.typepad.com/snufkin1 Snufkin

      I bought a FitBit 2 months ago & the sleep analysis function has really helped me with sticking to a sleep schedule when I’m tempted to stay up too late. When you see the stats of how badly you’re sleeping on the weekend because you stay up until 3a watching videos on YouTube, it kind of forces you to stick to a regular bed time.

    • http://profile.typepad.com/paulasalgado Paula Salgado

      There is an app for Android similar to Sleep Cycle – Sleep-as-anDroid. I’ve been using it for a while and it is really useful to see your sleep patterns.

    • http://profile.typepad.com/carolinering Caroline Ring

      Shouldn’t a sleep cycle app for Android be called Electric Sheep?

      But seriously — Sleep Cycle sounds like a great app. Thanks for pointing it out. I will have to take a look at it.

    • http://futuregadgets4u.com/index.php/it-gadgets Future IT Gadgets,Gaming Gadgets,Mobile Gadgets,Computer Gadgets,Networking Gadgets,Laptop Gadgets,Notebook Gadgets,Netbook Gadgets,Phone Gadgets

      Valuable info. Fortunate me I found your site by accident, and I’m surprised why this coincidence didn’t came about in advance! I bookmarked it.