Digital Sleep Gadgets

The digital world doesn’t stop at bedtime. There are countless little helpers designed to make it easier for us to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up.

Here is a short, by no means exhaustive list:

• Dodow is a smart light metronome. A light panel on the top of the device causes the ceiling to glow with a gentle pulsation. The idea is to synchronize your breathing with the rhythm of the light. This makes it easier to wind down and fall asleep.
• InPulser is a music player designed for restorative power naps. Special audio files feature an imperceptible pitch difference of approximately 9–13 Hz between the left and right sides of the headphones. This frequency range corresponds to brain waves in the alpha state, during which one experiences deep relaxation. The acoustic difference between left and right is designed to “tune” the brain into this frequency range.

• The Aura Sleep System uses a pressure mat under the mattress to measure all movements, heart rate, and time spent in bed throughout the night. Additionally, a unit on the nightstand measures noise levels. All this data is combined to establish a regular and natural sleep rhythm. With various light colors and intensities, combined with pleasant sounds, a gentle awakening is said to be possible. The ideal time to wake up is calculated based on sleep patterns and heart rate. The idea is that the alarm activates during a sleep phase when the sleeper is already nearly awake.

   

These are just a few examples of how technical devices are designed to promote better sleep. Whether they make sense or not is up for debate. However, all these little helpers have one thing in common: they encourage us to question our habits and view good sleep not as a given but as something we actively strive for. Why not give it a try?