SLEEP ISSUES
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SLEEP
How to use tech for a good night’s rest
WRITTEN BY KIM KOMANDO
18
2018 EDITION | (201) HEALTH
affect sleep patterns, especially when used in a
thoughtful and methodical way.
Here’s some technology, including apps, track-
ers, gadgets and special smart mattresses, that may
help you catch more Z’s.
Sleep apps
Sleep apps are handy because you can down-
load a sleep app onto your smartphone. No need
for extra hardware. Sleep apps use your phone’s
“accelerometer” to figure out what your body is
doing. You place the phone near your body in bed.
The phone will detect when you toss and turn,
and it will make an educated guess about what
sleep stage you’re in.
Perhaps the most helpful feature is the ALARM
CLOCK . Just set a window of time when you want
to wake up, and the app will determine when
you’ve entered your “lightest” sleep. Unlike an
old radio clock, the alarm tones are gentle and
M
ost of us know about “circa-
dian rhythms” and the
“sleep cycle.” We have a
basic idea of REM, and
know it’s not best to wake
up during a “deep sleep.”
But all of this is academic. It’s not like you can
watch yourself sleep. Alarm clocks have always
been set for a certain time, and that time has noth-
ing to do with how deeply you’re snoozing.
A wave of technology is helping everyday peo-
ple understand their unconscious lives. Thanks to
sophisticated apps, watches, and even mattresses,
you can independently adjust the way your body
behaves at night.
There is an entire branch of medical science,
called polysomnography, that helps diagnose sleep
disorders, and it’s hard to say whether a free app
can rival a specialist’s advice. Still, many people
believe that the right technology can positively