Upgrade your sleep: Tech tips for a better night’s rest!

World Sleep Day is just around the corner on March 14th. It’s an event all about highlighting the importance of good sleep for your overall health and wellbeing. With this year’s theme being ‘make sleep health a priority’, we thought it’d be a good idea to list some amazing tech that can help you catch more Zzzs. And we’ve also got tips on how to transform your bedroom into the perfect sleep sanctuary. Ahh…

First up, let's talk about some clever tech that can monitor your sleep and get you drifting off more easily:

• Smart watches and fitness trackers: Loads of smart wearables come equipped with sensors that keep tabs on your sleep. Just wear one overnight, and you’ll wake up to insights on your sleep stages, duration, and quality. This can help you better understand your sleep habits and make tweaks to improve your rest.

• Smart rings: These smaller bits of tech can be comfier to wear overnight, with some recording deeper sleep stats like skin temperature and night-time movements. The Samsung Galaxy Ring even uses Ai to suggest ways to get a better night in the Samsung Health companion app.

• Smart ambient lighting: By emitting warm light, smart bulbs tell your body it's time to wind down by mimicking a natural sunset. Products like Philips Hue even let you automate the lights for a certain time so you can create a consistent bedtime routine.

• Sleep masks: We all know these help you nod off by blocking out light and creating a perfectly dark environment. But smart sleep masks come with extra features like soothing sounds and gentle vibrations to help your brain know it's snooze time.

While there’s loads of tech that can help you monitor your sleep and unwind, there are some much simpler ways to help yourself get a better night:

• Don’t use your phone before bed: Late-night scrolling is something lots of us are guilty of. And phone screens can emit blue light that disrupts production of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it harder to feel tired. Luckily, lots of mobiles let you turn on a blue light filter so you’re not exposed to as much. Or try reading a book tonight instead…

• Switch on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode: You won’t want to hear notifications pinging all night long. That’s why limiting these distractions is one of the easiest ways to get quality, uninterrupted sleep before your alarm goes off.

• Try using sleep apps: We don’t recommend looking at a screen when you’re trying to get some shuteye. But if you struggle to doze off, apps like Calm and Headspace can really help. They offer guided relaxation exercises and can play stories and nature sounds to ease your busy mind.

You won’t be getting a good night’s rest unless you make where you sleep as cosy as possible. Here’s how you can get your bedroom set up for the best sleep ever:

• Keep your room cool: Getting too warm disturbs your sleep, so try and make your bedroom cool to help your body maintain its natural sleep cycle. Check out smart thermostats, which let you set your preferred temperature from your phone. They can even adjust automatically, so you’re sleeping soundly all night.

• Block out light: It’s an obvious one, but darkness signals to your brain that it's time to sleep. That’s why fitting blackout curtains or using an eye mask can help block out any unwanted light.

• Reduce noise: If you live in a built-up area, try wearing earplugs at night to stop passing cars or noisy neighbours from disturbing you. White noise machines and relaxing background music can be good too, especially if you suffer from tinnitus.

• Invest in a good mattress and pillows: We spend about a third of our lives sleeping, so make sure you’ve got a mattress and pillows that properly support your body. You don’t want to be waking up with aches and pains.

There you have it. With a calming combo of sleep-friendly gadgets and mindful bedtime habits, you’ll be getting more rest than ever before. Sweet dreams!

Have you got any more tips for a good night’s sleep? We’d love to hear them in the comments section below.