5 Steps To A Better Night’s Sleep: The Tech And Tips You Need

Step 1: Track Your Sleep

Are you having trouble falling asleep? Or waking at 2am but can’t get back to sleep? More than one-third of Australians typically wake up at least three times a night, so you have company. Diagnosing your particular sleep issue is the best way to plot a way out of your sleep funk. The latest smart watches can help you do it. By tracking your heart rate, blood oxygen levels, the time you spend awake or restless and your sleep stages (light, deep and REM sleep), you can see how your sleep schedule stacks up.

Step 2: Subscribe To A Relaxation App

Establishing a solid wind-down ritual is crucial if you’re striving for a good night’s sleep. Swear by a book and bed routine for the kids? It could work for you, too. Go digital with any of the myriad relaxation, meditation and sleep training apps available for download on your smartphone. Calm.com’s library of Sleep Stories really brings the stars out – superstars that is, like Matthew McConaughey and Laura Dern telling bedtime stories for adults.

Shop Smart Devices For A Better Night’s Sleep

• Samsung Galaxy S22 128GB is fitted with quality Dolby Atmos stereo speakers and 5G connectivity, so you’ll hear Matthew McConaughey loud and clear.
• Lenovo Smart Clock Essential No phones in the bedroom? Link up with this voice-activated smart clock, nightlight and speaker in one. “Hey, Google. Play us a bedtime story.”
• Sony True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds Bed buddy not keen on your night-time routine? Pop in these petite, ergonomically designed, cordless earbuds for a solo serenade.

Step 3: Get Your Steps Up!

Exercise boosts the body's production of natural sleep hormones like melatonin. Timing is critical though. A recent Harvard Medical School sleep study found morning workouts in bright sunlight were best for a deep, restful sleep. Having the right home gym equipment means you can tick exercise off the to-do list before work. A fitness tracker will log your progress.

Shop Fitness

• BH Fitness SB2.6 Spin Bike A sturdy, reinforced structure makes for a smooth, quiet ride – perfect for getting your kilometres in before the rest of the household is up.
• Altius Multisport Smart Watch with GPS If your workout routine is a bit of a fitness fruit salad – walk, cycle, treadmill, climb – this is the fitness tracker for you. Clever multisport tracking will log them all!
• BH Fitness S1RW Program Rower Row in the living room one day and on the back deck the next. A handy folding rail and wheels make it easy to switch it up between indoor and outdoor workouts.

Step 4: Get Cosy

Forget counting sheep! Keeping your bedroom at the perfect temperature is the best way to get to sleep and stay asleep. Studies show around 18 degrees celsius is the sweet spot to match the body’s resting core temperature at night. The right heating and cooling appliances will help warm you up and cool you down, and have you sleeping like a log.

Step 5: Scent Your Space

Diffusing essential oils like lavender can help soothe an overstimulated nervous system to restore calm and send you drifting on a scented cloud to sleep. Add an essential oil diffuser to your sleep kit to turn your bedroom into a zen zone.