Digital Wellness
With the influx of modern technology into our daily lives, it could be difficult to maintain the natural groundedness our bodies desire. While there are a lot of technological advances that aid in this regard, there are many that can disrupt our peace of mind and slowly add unnoticed anxiety and strain. Thankfully, there are also many ways in which we can use technology to our advantage, to keep us in sync with what our bodies and minds want, rather than opposing it. Here are a few simple ways you can use technology to your physical and mental benefit.
1. Timed Lights
You can use the lighting controls to help promote your normal sleep patterns. Bright lights at night can trigger our brains to think that it is still time to be awake, causing our brains to fight against our bodies natural response. Using timers and dimmers, you can adjust the lights in your home at specific times to prepare your mind and body for bed.
2. Calming Sounds
Isochronic tones, delta waves, white noise, nature sounds, string orchestras, etc. The list is almost un-ending when it comes to the types of sounds that can assist in calming your mind. The question is, do you have the audio system to play those sounds throughout your home at the proper volume and times? A quality sound system can help ease your mind, filling it with peaceful music, lessening the room for the thoughts and worries that could otherwise plague a restless mind.
3. Lighting Color
Dimmers and timers are not the only factors to consider when choosing lighting. The lighting color is also important. Warm yellowish lights are going to help you feel more relaxed than any bright white light will. The colors are more natural and easier on the eyes than stark white, aiding in an easier transition to sleep. Another light color problem is fluorescent and blue lights which can be straining on the eyes as well as the brain. Switch on blue-light mode, or for an even better effect, switch off the screens. It’s a lot easier to fall asleep reading a book than watching videos on your phone, so don’t let blue light keep your body from getting the rest it needs.
4. Alarms for Sleep Patterns
Ensure that you don’t wake up in the middle of a sleep cycle by setting your alarms in accordance with the time you go to sleep. Trying to wake up in the middle of deep sleep could be setting yourself up for failure. Instead, set alarms that are in tune with your body’s sleep cycle to make sure you are getting the best sleep possible.
5. Reminders
With how busy most people are these days, reminders are almost a necessity. However, they don’t just have to be about business meetings or when to send an email. Reminders can tell you when you should drink water at the ideal time based on your sleeping and eating habits. They can also remind you when you should walk a few more steps to keep your heart healthy. Use reminders to help your body maintain patterns of a healthy lifestyle.
6. No Alerts
While most people have limited the amount of notifications they receive, at some point it may be good to turn them all off. It is hard to rest if your mind is subconsciously waiting for another ding. Pick a time to turn off notifications, or even all your gadgets, to let your mind be at peace.
There are many other ways as well that you can use technology to work for you, but these are some of the quick and easy ways that you could begin doing, likely even right now. If you have a smart home (or if you want one), consider making some of these changes automatic, and if you don’t know how, that’s where we come in. Let us know how we can make your technology work for you.
Sources: Hall, Matt. “Soft White vs. Warm White: Which Should You Use in Your Smart Home?” MakeUseOf.com. 21 April 2021 (visited March 6, 2022).https://www.makeuseof.com/warm-white-vs-soft-white-smart-home/