Tech for Health: Addressing Sleep Disorders – Zeo – Personal Sleep Coach – Fitbit

Technology is rapidly invading the personal healthcare industry. New gadgets are springing up daily to help us exercise more and to sleep better. Not getting a good night sleep causes many problems. Some recent headlines reminded us that technology can get in the way of a good nights rest and can cause sleep disorders.

A recent Sleep in America poll found that 43% of Americans aged 13 to 64 are rarely getting a good nights sleep on weeknights. 60% have a sleep problem every night for almost every night. People say they need 7.5 hours but are getting less than 6 on weeknights. 95% of people use a television, computer, video game or cell phone within an hour of going to bed.

The upshot is that any interactive activity like using a computer or smart phone should be avoided an hour before going to sleep. Any alerts like messages should be avoided in the bedroom.

A reminder that the National Sleep Foundation recommends adults get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night, although that number will vary from person to person.

Other helpful tips to get more sleep:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time each day
• Make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible. Even the light from a smart phone or alarm clock can suppress melatonin
• If you have trouble sleeping, turn alarm clocks so you cannot see them
• Cleanup your bedroom, a messy bedroom provokes stress by reminding you of unfinished chores
• That room temperature is a physiological cue. A drop in body temperature trigger sleep. Between 60 to 68° is ideal.
• Avoid leaving stacks of unfinished work or unfinished books in the bedroom. Your brain, seeing this, since it into overdrive.
• Avoid alcohol, eating large meals, and caffeinated beverages several hours before going to sleep
• Open the curtains and expose yourself to bright light in the morning. Some find the use of full spectrum CFL’s helpful
• Exercise regularly, especially in the morning
• Treat bed like a sanctuary, no computing, no television set
• If you cannot sleep within 20 minutes, get up and read a non stimulating book. Return to bed when you are sleepy
• Sleeping pills are a short term aid at best

Previously you needed to visit a sleep clinic to get analysis done. There is a new tool to help you get a good nights rest.

UP wristband health monitor

Jawbone recently introduced the UP, a wristband that contains a motion sensor to track your activities, sleep, and eating habits. It works in conjunction with an iPhone app and costs about $100. It tracks what you eat by having you take a photo of every meal, then you report how you felt a couple of hours after the meal. It tracks your sleeping habits and can wake you up when your most likely to feel refreshed.

Zeo Personal Sleep Coach

Zeo Personal Sleep Coach is an electronic device that tells you how you really sleep, and helps you find ways to improve your sleep. Accurately measure your sleep quality and sleep quantity at home. The Zeo Bedside Display allows you to store your sleep information on an SD memory card so you can upload all of your sleep information to the myZeo Personal Coaching website, and begin to spot trends in your sleep that you have never been able to see before. Uncover the links between how you live–including exercise, diet, stress, and environment–and how you sleep.

Fitbit exercise monitor

Fitbit is another high-tech health device. Clip it to your clothing or put it in your pocket and it will track the number of calories you burn while walking, exercising, throughout the day. You can wear it at  night and use it to measure how long it takes you to fall asleep, how restless you are at night, and figure out when you wake up.

Check out the site Sleep Education from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Worst case, make an appointment for a professional sleep clinic that has Cognitive sleep programs like the well respected Stanford Sleep Clinic.

Related posts:

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2. Hibernate or Sleep – Computer Energy Saving
3. Greenquest – Personal Energy Site
4. Full Spectrum CFLs to beat Winter Blues
5. DECT Baby Monitors Radiation Alert
6. Health concerns of Diet Soda
7. Bicycling Against Cars – Health Benefits vs Pollution
8. Personal Energy Generator

Posted on March 15th, 2011
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