Modern Sleep Solutions: 5 New & Innovative Ways People Are Improving Their Sleep by Kiley Morrow

Sleeping is as important as breathing. Without sleep, you can’t function optimally during the day. Unfortunately, the modern-day human is accustomed to only a few hours of sleep. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more than a third of Americans do not get enough sleep on a regular basis. This can be because of a busy schedule, scrolling through smartphones late at night or the constant need to always be busy and on the go. We are getting less sleep than ever.

Sometimes, it’s not even intentional. Many people do not get enough sleep not because they don’t want to, but because they can’t. Sleep deprivation can cause people to feel angry, be impulsive, have mood swings, feel sad or depressed, and lose motivation, according to the NIH. With adults needing at least seven to nine hours of sleep each night, how are sleep experts solving this problem? 

Here are some of the newest and most innovative ways to improve the quality of your sleep:

1. The Bed That Molds to Your Body

I'm not just talking about the softest mattress here. I'm referring to the memory foam mattress that molds to your body. This allows you to sleep more comfortably because you sink into the mattress. Your movements are absorbed, allowing for better support. This can be good for your partner’s sleep, too, because they won’t feel you moving.

In addition, memory foam mattresses are flexible. The mattress softens and molds to your body as you sleep, but as soon as you get up, it goes back to its original shape. This means you could be sleeping in any position every night and still get a really good night's sleep.

2. The Sun-Like Lamp

This is a lamp that gradually dims itself as you begin to wind down for the night. Kind of like the sun setting, signaling to your body that it’s time to relax and go to bed. What’s great about this lamp is that it emits a soft glow that helps you feel relaxed. And you never have to get out of bed to turn it off. More advanced models will even have a sensor that detects your movement, so it will automatically emit just enough light to guide you when you need to go to the bathroom or grab a midnight snack.

3. The Cool Gel Sleep Mask

Ditch your old sleeping mask and switch to a cool gel sleep mask, designed to provide comfort around your eyes. It can be used whether you’re trying to sleep or just want to get instant eye relief. With its microwave-safe material, you can use it both hot and cold. Hot is for relieving pain and headache, while cold is for puffy and dark eye circles.

4. The Spray That Helps Put You to Sleep

Essential oils have been around for a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that the mainstream consumer began to discover the potent benefits of aromatherapy. Oils that are good for sleep include:

• lavender
• frankincense
• chamomile

Sleep sprays often come in combination with essential oils, herbal ingredients and water. Just spray it onto your pillow and you may find that you'll fall asleep more easily. These oils have been used in ancient times to help with sleep, so it’s bound to work with modern man, too.

5. The Sleep Tracker

It may sound counter-intuitive to deal with a gadget before you sleep, but hear me out. You only need to log your sleep. This means the time that you go to bed and the time that you wake up. There are plenty of sleep tracking apps to choose from, and there are even smart clocks designed to track your sleep.

The point of tracking your sleep is to get insight on your sleeping habits. From the data on your sleep tracker, you may find that you do better sleeping early or that you wake up at the same time every day no matter what time you go to bed. This allows you to tweak your sleep hygiene, allowing for more quality shut-eye.

Which of these strategies are you going to try at your next bedtime? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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