We don’t have to tell you about the effects of sleep deprivation; not only have they been well researched, but we’ve all felt them from time to time. But as important as sleep is to our wellbeing, research posits that over one-third of Americans aren’t getting the rest they need.
If this sounds all too familiar, it may be time to explore ways to invest in your own sleep health with some smart tech.
Even one of our most basic biological functions — sleep — can be elevated with a few smart bedroom upgrades.
Below, we’ve listed four of our favorite smart bedroom upgrades to help you catch better Z’s. Better yet, these smart home hacks all have wireless or battery-powered options, so cables won’t trip the sheep you’re counting.
1. Sleep Trackers
Sleep trackers hit the mainstream in the last decade or so. As their name implies, these devices monitor how much sleep you’re getting by evaluating your bedtime and wake time, REM cycles, and movement and noise.
Sleep trackers come in many shapes and sizes, from standalone devices meant to live on your nightstand to wearables, which wrap around your wrist. The wearable versions typically monitor your heart rate as well, adding another layer to your sleep smarts.
Sleep trackers can also aid in detecting environmental factors that affect our sleep.
Perhaps you haven’t been getting restful sleep but can’t figure out why — you’ve blocked out light, you cut out caffeine well in advance of bedtime, and you’re sure your family members aren’t waking you up in the middle of the night. There may be disruptions around or outside the home that aren’t enough to wake you but are enough to disturb your restful slumber, like a bird starting its morning song an hour before your alarm goes off. A sleep tracker can alert you (when you’re awake, of course) to such noises.
Ultimately, sleep trackers aim to help you understand your sleep patterns so you can adjust accordingly. Some may find this overwhelming, however, so find a sleep tracker with the exact features you need.
2. Smart Alarm Clocks
Sometimes it feels like there’s no winning with alarm clocks. They’re either too soft and gentle or too loud and abrasive. By now, most of us probably use our phones as our alarms, which comes with its own set of downsides. (How many times have you unconsciously hit “Stop” instead of “Snooze”?)
A smart alarm clock can strike the perfect balance of actually waking us up without starting us off on the wrong side of the bed. These high-tech clocks offer many customizable features.
Beyond allowing you to select the alarm sound and volume that work best for you, smart clocks can provide soft light and even show you weather and traffic for your area. They can pair with other smart devices via Bluetooth®, and many have wireless charging capabilities for your phone, watch, or other smart tech to take advantage of.
Many models also have voice-controlled snooze functions, so next time you groan, “Five more minutes,” your clock will give you just that.
3. Aromatherapy Diffusers
Essential oils may not exactly come to mind when you think about smart technology — or sleep for that matter. But the right blend of “smart” and “natural” can create the perfect ecosystem for better sleep.
Since certain smells (like lavender) have already been proven to promote better sleep, upgrade your nighttime ambience with a smart essential oil diffuser. A smart diffuser pairs with your smartphone, allowing you to control the diffuser’s schedule, color, and strength of the mist it’s emitting.
Most models offer a timer, so you can set it as you’re drifting off and forget about it.
Note that some essential oils are toxic for pets to even breathe, so research the scents you’re bringing into your home.
4. Wireless Fans
Even if you’re not the type of person to prefer sleeping in arctic conditions, most of us can agree that proper airflow has a positive impact on our sleep. While we may rely on our ceiling fans for this, there are smarter options out there to help even more.
A smart fan works wonders at regulating the temperature of both our bedrooms and our bodies for high-quality rest. Create the environment of your dreams by programming the perfect temperature. Set it to oscillate if you wish, and schedule a timer if you don’t want cold air on you through the morning.
Many people find the white noise of a fan to further aid in sleep, adding another layer of comfort to your slumber.
Since many smart fans have wireless models, you can keep the perfect sleep on the go, and you’ll never have to worry about tripping over the cord during a midnight pit stop.
These smart bedroom devices can help us achieve the sleep we deserve, contributing to our overall health.
How Ambiq Contributes
Ultra-low power multi-protocol Bluetooth wireless microcontrollers from Ambiq® are enabling millions of endpoint devices shape the building blocks of a smart home and the IoT world.
Ambiq’s ultra-low power SoCs can support key technologies required by connected homes and smart buildings such as Bluetooth Low Energy. Future generations will include additional multi-protocol communications such as Bluetooth Mesh, ANT+, RF4CE, and Zigbee. Built on our patented Subthreshold Power Optimized Technology (SPOT®) platform, Ambiq’s products reduce the total system power consumption on the order of nanoamps for all battery-powered endpoint devices.
Quite simply, our solutions enable endpoint intelligence everywhere.
