Tag: Sleep deprivation

The Struggle Is Real If You Can’t Sleep

posted by under SnoreRX , ,

We all can’t wait to hit the bed after working or studying so hard during the day. Our feet take us to faraway places and we get to push our body’s limit but our body badly needs to rest and recuperate once night time falls. You can only do so much during the day and the effort and exertion will take its toll on your body.

However, there are instances when going to sleep is easier said than done. Aside from too much preoccupation with smart gadgets and social media, there are sleeping conditions that affect our sleeping patterns big time. Have you ever heard of sleep apnea? Probably not. However, you have likely heard snoring people for years now, right?

Sleep apnea refers to interrupted breathing during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most common form of sleep apnea. It is a serious disorder that causes the throat to close until airways become blocked and breathing gets interrupted or stops for a varying amount of time during sleep. This may decrease oxygen supply to the brain, causing people to wake up multiple times in the middle of the night.

Common symptoms are breath pauses, frequent snoring and choking or gasping sounds during sleep. Those who suffer from sleep apnea often feel fatigue throughout the day and, in some cases, people will unintentionally fall asleep at undesired times. The lack of sleep causes people to wake up feeling unrefreshed and with morning headaches. Untreated sleep apnea can worsen and in some cases result in medical problems including high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and depression.

(Via: http://triblive.com/news/healthnow/inaheartbeat/12210626-74/how-to-identify-and-treat-sleep-apnea)

While snoring is a symptom of sleep apnea, not all snorers actually have the condition. It is why getting yourself checked in a sleep clinic is crucial if you are worried and want to confirm diagnosis so you can get appropriate treatment as well.

Bonk, a Hockessin resident, dismissed his symptoms as a side effect of working too hard at his former job as public relations director for the Blood Bank of Delmarva. But things kept getting worse. He began to fall asleep while driving at night, only narrowly avoiding collisions on a few occasions. While on a camping vacation with his daughters, Bonk was kicked out of the tent for snoring too loudly.

Finally, he decided to get professional help. His doctor ordered him to get a test for sleep apnea, a disorder that disrupts a patient’s breathing while sleeping. The test revealed Bonk stopped breathing as much as 30 times an hour.

“I was shocked,” Bonk said.

Bonk is one of 22 million Americans who suffers from sleep apnea, according to data from the American Sleep Apnea Association. The same organization estimates that more than 80 percent of sleep apnea cases are undiagnosed

Sleep apnea is characterized by loud snoring that occurs before a person stops breathing. The breathing pause can last a few seconds or several minutes and may happen many times during the night. It has been linked to daytime sleepiness and a host of other diseases.

(Via: http://www.delawareonline.com/story/money/2017/04/21/businesses-benefit-sleep-apnea-awareness/100706878/)

It is not only your health that is compromised with sleep apnea but your safety, as well as other bothersome symptoms, can put your life at risk, not to mention the scary part of breathing pauses while sleeping at night. As awareness about the condition increases, more and more people who have sleeping issues get themselves checked in sleep clinics to save themselves from potentially deadly complications. Partners of snorers also lose sleep because the snoring is just too loud that falling asleep is virtually impossible.

Fortunately, newer technologies also enabled the experts to come up with innovative solutions to this annoying and deadly problem of sleep apnea. Anti-snoring mouthpieces like https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution can offer relief from snoring and save the snorer from those deadly breathing pauses while you can also look into https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/snorerx as a possible solution. There are much more similar products in the market so you can be sure you’ll be able to find one that can offer you relief without having to go under the knife or use an inconvenient old remedy like CPAP.

Sleeping Issues Adults Can Avoid

posted by under Good Morning Snore Solution ,

There are many things we do in life out of familiarity without really knowing the reason behind these practices. At times, they are pretty harmless but there are also times when continuing such a practice can be bad for us especially for our health. Let us take our sleeping habits for example. You’d be surprised at the number of sleeping mistakes most of us make on a daily (nightly) basis.

We don’t think of a lot of things when we hit the sack. It is especially true back then when we still didn’t have smart gadgets to entertain us 24/7. Sleep matters more than we give it credit for. Many times we sacrifice a good night’s sleep because of our various pursuits and responsibilities and is quite common during your productive years.

You’ve crawled into bed after a long day and you’re so tired you can barely keep your eyes open. But somehow, even though you’re exhausted, you have a lousy night’s sleep. This problem is more common than you might think. According to research conducted by the Sleep Health Foundation, between 33 and 45 per cent of Australians either struggle to sleep well or don’t sleep for long enough—and it’s impacting on our health and how we function through our days. 

When we don’t get enough sleep, everything is more difficult. It affects our mood, how we feel about ourselves and our lives, the food choices we make (say hello to that 10am muffin and coffee and 3pm chocolate biscuit binge!) and how we speak to those we love most in the world. Lack of sleep can increase inflammation in the body, which in turn is a risk factor for type-2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and poor digestive health and it adds another layer of stress to the body since it doesn’t have sufficient time to repair and restore. We can’t fight our biology, sleep is essential to our very being and getting quality sleep at the recommended 7-9 hours each night can make the world of difference to our energy and vitality.

(Via: http://www.harpersbazaar.com.au/beauty/health-wellness/2017/4/tips-for-sleeping-properly/)

Sleep restores our body’s vitality and allows us to perform at our best during the day. Sleep deprivation is one of the most underrated factors as to why people get sick these days and one of the most challenging issues to overcome in this tech-crazed modern life.

Hitting the Snooze Button

Alarms are a noisy (and annoying) reminder that we have to lift ourselves out of the bed and face the day. It’s hardly surprising that many of us reach for the snooze button for an extra 10 minutes of shut-eye, however snooze buttons are actually the enemy.

Watching TV Before Bed

We’ve all, at one time or another, fallen asleep on the sofa while watching TV after a long and hard day. Many, however, see this as something to replicate in the bedroom when we can’t fall asleep — this is a very common sleep mistake.

Having Too Much Light

Our bodies require darkness in order to produce the sleep hormone melatonin, which helps to prepare us for our sleep cycle. When our bodies detect light, production levels of melatonin are decreased, meaning artificial lights (such as the sorts that come from lamps, devices, TVs and other technology) damage our sleep.

Eating Sugary Snacks Before Bed

Refined sugars can disrupt the organs that control hormone regulation. When blood sugar levels and hormones fluctuate, this can cause you to wake up during sleep cycles and therefore cause fatigue the following day.

(Via: https://www.sitepoint.com/10-sleep-mistakes-that-could-be-hurting-your-productivity/)

Those are just some of the things we are guilty of doing that actually messes up our sleeping pattern without us knowing. The majority of Americans nowadays are actually guilty of doing all four sleeping mistakes and are likely to keep on doing it indefinitely. It is better to address these habits early on before you’ll ultimately be unable to correct them and leave you feeling run down, exhausted and stressed every single day.

While these mistakes are born out of habit, there are sleeping issues we have little to no control over. These are often sleep-related disorders that are the bane of the existence of some people yet seldom talked about in public. For example, sleep apnea affects lots of Americans these days but it is rarely addressed for the condition that it is and mostly talked about because of the annoying snoring that characterizes it. If you happen to suffer from sleep apnea, there are anti-snoring gadgets you can use to relief you of many of its discomforts. https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/good-morning-snore-solution or https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/sleeptight is good for starters but if your condition is more severe, your doctor can prescribe other sleep apnea treatment such as CPAP or a more invasive surgery to correct the issue.

Fitbit Sleep Tracker: Track Sleeping And Monitor Snoring Easily

posted by under Sleep Health , ,

Technology is all around us. From the outside world to our very homes, we are surrounded by technology big and small. From the moment we wake up until we doze off for the night, our gadgets are the last thing we hold. It is no wonder why people have a hard time sleeping these days.

Our addiction to any smart gadget can’t be denied – whether it be a smartphone, tablet or iPad, smart TV, smart watch and so on. We have managed to integrate these technologies into our daily lives, which has a good and bad effect depending on the person. One of the inevitable consequences of too much technology use is losing precious sleep. But what if I tell you that you can actually make technology work for you, so you don’t compromise your health because of its use.

Fitbit wants to help you better understand your sleep patterns and quality. With its latest software update, you will be able to find out exactly how much REM, Deep and Light sleep you are getting each night.

Your kip time plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.

During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. The way you feel while you’re awake depends in part on what happens while you’re sleeping. Better sleep starts by knowing what’s happening at night.

Its fair to say, Fitbit’s sleep statistics are not its strong point right now. They will tell you how long you slept, how many times you woke up and the number of times you were restless during the night.

(Via: http://gadgetsandwearables.com/2017/03/07/fitbit-sleep-tracking/)

We understand very well how important sleep is to stay strong and healthy. And discovering how we can benefit from Fitbit to managing normal sleeping patterns and maintaining excellent sleep quality aside from just working out is good news for all.

Fitbit, whose devices encourage people to walk 10,000 steps each day, now wants to put them to sleep as well.

The company said data collected by the millions of Fitbit trackers in use show that people are averaging less than seven hours of sleep a night. And the Zs people do get aren’t necessarily the right kind of sleep.

So Fitbit will offer deeper sleep tracking on some of its devices.

Fitbits already track how much sleep people get and use sensors to measure periods of being awake or restless while in bed. Now, using a built-in heart-rate monitor, the devices will break sleep into clinically defined stages.

(Via: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/90132149/fitbit-tracks-your-steps-now-it-wants-to-chart-your-sleep-too)

For individuals who may have some sleeping issues (not severe ones like sleep apnea) but are still hesitant to go to sleep clinics to get themselves checked, Fitbit may come in handy to let you know how you fare once the lights go out.

Finally, like all Fitbit’s trackers, the Blaze will also benefit from Sleep Stages and Sleep Insights. With this update, you will be able to find out exactly how much REM, Deep and Light sleep you are getting each night. The values are calculated by combining accelerometer data, heart rate variability (the time between beats), and Fitbit’s proprietary algorithms. You’ll also find your 30-day average and benchmarking stats.

Furthermore, the app will use all your activity and diet statistics to discover trends and then dish up personalized guidance on how to improve sleep. The more you wear your tracker to bed, the more personalized insights you may receive. You can choose to like or dislike each insight and send feedback directly to Fitbit’s team.

(Via: http://gadgetsandwearables.com/2017/03/28/fitbit-blaze-software-update/)

Fitbit is serious in helping people with fitness and sleeping issues as they continue to make helpful and relevant upgrades that take their service to the next level. Those who have no trouble sleeping may just shrug off technologies like these but they are actually helpful for those who struggle to get a good night’s sleep each day. At least, you finally have a better use for technology and not just for pure entertainment only.

Sleep Clinics For Snorers

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Snoring is a constant drag and a distraction at night especially for couples. Imagine being woken up from your deep slumber by a snoring spouse or partner – so irritating, right? However, as annoying as losing some well-deserved rest, snoring is also a cause of concern as sleep apnea is the likely reason for that annoying sleeping sound.

To find out if you suffer from sleep apnea, a visit to a sleep clinic and undergoing some sleeping tests can help you a lot. A doctor who specializes in the field of sleep management can help you determine if your snoring is indeed because of sleep apnea and which snoring device best suits your case. Sleep clinics can likewise help you make important lifestyle changes so that insomnia and sleep apnea will just be distant nightmares of the past.

The sleep testing services market is expected to be valued at US$ 8,395.7 Mn by the end of 2021, reflecting a CAGR of 12.9% during the forecast period (2016–2021). Full polysomnography sleep testing has strong penetration in in-lab sleep testing services owing to the reliable outcome and diversified scope in terms of disease diagnosis. Moreover, the ready availability of reimbursement and higher awareness level of PSG tests positively impacted the growth of full polysomnography testing segment in 2015. Reimbursement policies are playing a vital role in sleep disease diagnosis, and are also responsible for the commercial success of home-based sleep testing solutions. Preference in the leading market of North America is shifting from laboratory-based sleep testing services to home sleep testing services owing to lower cost and easy availability of services.

An increasing number of individuals diagnosed with sleep disorders is expected to promote the use services. In-lab sleep testing services sub-segment accounted for 69% share of the diagnostic sleep testing services segment share in 2015. However, the segment is expected to witness the reduction in terms of market growth owing to increase in adoption of cost-effective and less time-consuming home sleep testing services over the forecast period.

On the basis of service type, the sleep testing services market is segmented into diagnostic services and treatment monitoring. Diagnostic sleep testing services are segmented into in-lab sleep testing and home sleep testing. In-lab sleep testing services segment is further sub-segmented into electroencephalogram, full polysomnography, CPAP/BiPAP Titration, multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), and maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT). Full polysomnography test sub-segment is expected to witness highest growth potential during the forecast period. High revenue from this sub-segment is attributed to high cost of full PSG sleep testing. However, the in-lab sleep testing sub-segment is anticipated to witness a significant growth in terms of revenue, owing to transition to home sleep testing services.

(Via: http://www.military-technologies.net/2017/03/24/sleep-testing-services-market-is-anticipated-to-expand-at-a-healthy-cagr-of-12-9-by-2021/)

The growth of these sleep clinics and sleep-related services proves that many people indeed suffer from sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea. However, there is a recent controversy surrounding sleep clinics and fraudulent Medicare claims involving sleep studies.

“It’s rewarding to see the alleged fraudsters held responsible. Because of the close cooperation and work between the whistleblower and the government, we were able to recover significant funds for the government,” Hayes Hartman said in a news release. “It is gratifying to represent people like Elma Dresser, who bravely stepped forward with knowledge of her employer’s wrongdoing. Many do not appreciate the risks whistleblowers face to hold alleged wrongdoers accountable.”

The company owns 20 clinics in Northern California that treat patients with sleep disorders. According to the suit, the clinic’s owners and operators, Anooshiravan Mostowfipour, 58, and Tara Nader, 58, had billed Medicare going back to April 2002 for sleep tests by technicians who did not have the needed certification.

According to the news release, the lawsuit “alleged that the defendants fraudulently billed Medicare for sleep studies conducted by unlicensed individuals in unapproved locations; improperly dispensed durable medical equipment from unapproved locations using unlicensed technicians; and paid doctors for referrals in violation of the federal Anti-Kickback Statute.” The company’s owners did not admit to or deny liability.

Michael Khouri, a lawyer for the owners, said in the SFGate.com report they “continue to deny any wrongdoing. The case was settled because my clients believe in spending their time making money rather than litigating in the courthouse.”

The settlement was announced by the U.S. government on Dec. 28 and as part of the settlements, the owners are not allowed to make any Medicare claims for three years.

(Via: http://norcalrecord.com/stories/511093045-government-settles-2-6-m-whistleblower-suit-against-sleep-clinics)

While a sleep clinic faces a sensitive legal issue like this one, there are plenty others out there who run a legitimate operation without ripping people of their hard earned money. These sleep clinics support people who have sleeping issues and help them identify what sleeping disorder they have so appropriate medical interventions can be taken to promote restful sleep. Some of them even recommend certain sleep apnea products: https://snoringmouthpiecereview.org/zquiet.

You should never take the issue of sleep lightly because chronic sleep deprivation predisposes an individual to a long list of health conditions that could have been avoided had they been able to sleep well at night. And the best way to age gracefully is to also get that 8-hour sleep daily, something we should all keep in mind if we want to look young and feel young always.

The Importance of Sleep

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Getting eight hours of sleep daily is not just important, it is a must. Our day is packed with activities and stressors that the least we can do for our body is to give it a rest once night falls. Important body processes take place while we sleep without us knowing.

Imagine waking up the following day after a deep and peaceful slumber (that may be with help of this). It feels as if you are ready to take on the world. You feel more energized and in a better mood that no amount of sweets or energy drinks can manage to give you – only a good night’s sleep can. And the truth is, your overall health improves when you get that much-needed snooze each night.

A new study is making a huge claim about sleep, and particularly regarding those who have trouble getting to sleep: researchers at the European Society of Cardiology have just discovered that there may be a link between insomnia and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

The findings, which were published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, add to the growing volume of research about how important sleep is to our bodies and brains in so many different ways, but the level of impact it is how on our risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease surprised scientists.

(Via: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3229516/sleep-insomnia-risk-heart-attack-stroke/)

So, if you suddenly find yourself unable to sleep for whatever reason, try your best to revert back to your normal sleeping pattern or risk putting yourself at higher risk of deadly cardiovascular diseases.

Studies of more than 160,000 people found a clear association between sleep problems and a heart attack or stroke, the Express reports.

Experts say the results show that sleep should be prioritised as part of a healthy lifestyle alongside exercise and diet.

Difficulty getting to sleep, staying asleep, and waking up not feeling refreshed increased the risks by 27 per cent, 11 per cent, and 18 per cent respectively.

Women are at a slightly higher risk than men as they are more prone to insomnia because of differences in genetics, sex hormones and reaction to stress.

And since women are more prone to suffer from insomnia than men, the health risks are higher too.

“However, we do know that women are more prone to insomnia because of differences in genetics, sex hormones, stress, and reaction to stress.

“It may therefore be prudent to pay more attention to women’s sleep health.”

(Via: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3229516/sleep-insomnia-risk-heart-attack-stroke/)

So, there’s no denying the fact that you’ve got a lot to lose aside from your precious snooze. Unfortunately, we live in a day and age where losing sleep is common in both men and women, the young and the old. And in the United State, the numbers will show you just that.

Facts are that here in the U.S., we are not getting enough sleep. We are a nation that loses sleep working, studying, taking care of personal and family needs, having fun and too, slaying a few dragons. The demands and expectations of our fast-paced 21st century lives have placed increasing loads on our time. And more than ever, people are making up for those strains by cutting back on sleep.

At the same time, it is becoming increasingly clear that the cost of insufficient sleep is much higher than most people recognize. It can compromise output, resulting in reduced efficiency and overall poor productivity. Awareness can help you improve your sleep habits and in turn your well-being and productivity in order to “rise and shine” to accomplish what you really want (and need) to do on any given day. Here’s some of the impact that a lack of sleep has on our success with projects at work, school, or home.

And the immune system is one to get hit first (and bad):

Weakened immune system: Not being able to function at optimum health
While you are sleeping, your body recharges and rejuvenates your immune system. Conversely, sleep loss can impair your ability to fight off germs. So while you may feel very productive staying up late or even pulling all-nighters, you become more vulnerable to infections that can result in slowing your abilities and production way down, even to a standstill.

(Via: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/31/health-sleep-and-productivity/)

Getting enough sleep is important no matter how old you are. You may hate being told to go to sleep as a child but you’d think of sleep more of as a luxury as an adult when adult responsibilities deprive you of your much-needed snooze. Your body will tell you that it needs sleep. All you need to do is to listen to it and say goodbye to all your cares in the world – at least for the night.

Sleep Suffers With Technology Use

posted by under Sleep Health ,

Sleep is a basic necessity. We’ll have a hard time going through with our day if we weren’t able to sleep soundly the night before. We lose focus. Our memory fails us. Even simple tasks become unmanageable and sleep deprivation can compromise our work or studies. You aren’t just your usual self when you don’t get your recommended eight-hour of sleep at night. But at the rate the world is going nowadays, far too many distractions keep us from falling asleep when we hit the sack. Back then, you have nothing left to do once the lights go out and you’re all tucked in bed, but today, the hours pass by when you’re using your smartphone or tablet that you don’t realize the sun has already risen and you’re still wide awake, much to your horror.

We enjoy all the things we do with these gadgets that we don’t realize how much time passes us by and how much damage it causes to our body. We only realize that once our health deteriorates, we become more prone to sickness because of our abuse and neglect. Sleep is fundamental to normal growth and development of any individual – big or small. And too much technology use is the main culprit we become more sleep deprived as the days go by.

Is WhatsApp keeping you up way past your bedtime? Yo u’re not the only one, say doctors at Bengaluru-based National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans).

A study has revealed that the use of internet for Facebook and WhatsApp is making people put off sleep by more than one and a half hours (100 minutes) every day .

In a 2016 study by the Service for Healthy Use of Technology (SHUT) clinic at Nimhans, researchers found that use of internet was also making people wake up 90 minutes later.

The study , published in January in the Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, also fo und that while the quality of sleep was above average, most people usually checked their phones and tablets at least four times after going to bed.

The prescription: shut off devices as you near bedtime.

Sleep disorders and sleep loss, say doctors, can contribute to conditions varying from heart disease to anxiety.

(Via: http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/technology/apps-social-media-pushing-back-sleep-time-over-1-5-hrs/57699803)

Many people are guilty of doing this – overindulging ourselves in a little bit more social media before drifting off to sleep that we unconsciously sacrificed valuable sleep time for a juicy story you picked up on Facebook or Twitter.

Research has shown a clear link between technology use before bed and compromised sleep that affects our health and wellbeing.

While effects can vary from person to person, it may be as subtle as your thinking not being as sharp as it could be, your energy a bit sluggish, your vigilance a bit down, your mood a bit less stable.

We should will ourselves to give up this bad habit for good. It may be tempting to check your news feed for updates or find out what’s the most captivating photo on Instagram but you got to do what you got to do. Your body suffers when you lose sleep, so better get your act together and resist the urge to tinker with your smartphone especially when it’s already bedtime.

Technology use in the evenings may make it harder to drop off to sleep and can also reduce the quality of sleep and make you feel sleepier the next day.

Using a screen for 1.5 hours or more seems to be when problems start, although not everyone is affected the same way.

The impacts on sleep are related to both the stimulating effects of interacting with a device and the effects of light from the screen.

Passive activities like reading an e-book or watching a movie are thought to be less disruptive than interactive ones like playing a video game, making posts, or messaging.

(Via: http://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2016-10-21/how-technology-use-messes-with-your-sleep/7950336)

But don’t feel bad because not all technologies are awful. Some can actually help you sleep better like this smart bed that will help you sleep better sans technology.

A bed that adjusts itself in the night to stop people from snoring. A princess and the pea-style gadget that fits under a mattress and monitors sleep. A “water-based, app-controlled mattress topper”, which will encourage deep slumber.

Sleep technology is one of the biggest trends at CES, the world’s premier electronics show, which opened to the public on Thursday.

The range of products on show reflects the growing interest in solutions to insomnia and other sleep problems – as well as the predictions that the global sleep market will be worth $80bn by 2020.

Sleep Number’s 360 Smart Bed is among the most eye-catching products. The mattress can detect a change of body position during the night and uses air chambers in the mattress to contour to the sleeper’s frame.

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jan/05/sleep-technology-ces-2017-las-vegas-new-products)

Just like any other thing, using things in moderation is the key to a long and healthy life. You may be hooked on social media and all but you have to understand that only you can set limits to your tech use. No matter how irresistible it is to check your social media accounts now and then, you should never compromise your sleep because of it. Your health is far more important (and can be helped by mouthpieces like this) because you can do anything you want if you have a healthy and able body.

Technology will always be there – something to keep us entertained when we have the time but should not take our time from doing the most important things in life. The world around us now is becoming more digital than ever, so it is more crucial than ever for us to learn the discipline to overcome our tech obsession if we want to live longer in this world as healthy as we can possibly be.

Does Technology Make Us Lose More Sleep?

posted by under Good Morning Snore Solution , ,

Kids of today grow up in a world filled with technology. So, it is more common to see one holding a smartphone or tablet than seeing someone reading an actual book or playing out in the dirt. The youth have openly embraced technology because it has been there all around them growing up. Even adults nowadays also enjoy the comfort and convenience offered by these technologies.

With the constant distraction of technology and the endless things to do during the day (includes hobbies and interests, not to mention tons of homework and essays), students consequently miss out on sleep. So, the question now is whether our life really becomes easier and better because of technology or is it an unnecessary burden we can all afford to live without.

Heavy school workloads, on top of extracurricular activities, are a key reason behind an epidemic in sleep deficit. Our 14-year-olds are worried sick, even if they are not telling you. It might be anxiety over an upcoming test or friendship angst that follows your daughter home from school. The lure of the blue-lit screen resting on the bedside table adds to the problem, with the short-wavelength light emitted suppressing the sleep hormone and delaying sleep onset. In lay terms, the teen’s brain is being told it’s time to wake up.

And then, when they wake to a piercing alarm the next morning, what is their first act? That question is put to a group of Brisbane 14-year-olds. The answer is so in tune it seems practised: “Check my phone.”

Sarah goes to bed between 10.30 pm and 11.30 pm. She admits she is on Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Skype and ooVoo. Sheepishly, she also owns up to the fact that she’s only allowed social media between 4 pm and 9.30pm – so doesn’t begin her homework until 9.30pm. Her case points to another issue: few 14-year-olds have curfews, and those who do largely ignore them, tucked in their room with the door closed, while their parents, tired themselves, nod off to sleep up the corridor.

(Via: http://www.smh.com.au/good-weekend/todays-teens-are-struggling-to-fit-enough-sleep-into-their-busy-lives-20170329-gv9ego.html)

The facts do not lie and show that younger children really do suffer from too much technology use. Back in the days, young kids were already off to bed at around 8 pm or 9 pm at night. Today, kids are still wide awake at midnight or even in the wee hours of the morning and busy tinkering with their gadgets.

Three times as many children under 14 are being admitted into hospital with sleeping disorders than ten years ago as technology keeps many awake at night.

Households where both parents work are also pushing bedtimes later, with a lack of sleep raising fears of poor school performance and later life health woes.

It puts children at greater risk of developing mental health issues, catching viruses and becoming obese, according to past research. Studies have also linked a lack of sleep to low levels of emotional control.

(Via: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/04/surge-children-admitted-hospital-sleeping-disorders-many-kept/)

We can’t deny that too much technology can really mess up with your day and night whether you are young or old. However, you can also try to use it to your advantage.

Technology can be a helpful tool in tracking our sleeping patterns and reminding us when to head to bed in order to get our full eight hours of rest. But 71 percent of Americans sleep with or near their phones, according to a 2015 report from Bank of America, and we’ve all heard the negative effects of too much screen time before bed.

Take advantage of trackers

Wearable devices, like Fitbit or Jawbone wristbands, aren’t just for fitness. These trackers can monitor the quality of your sleep by measuring your sleep cycles, noting how many times you toss and turn, wake up and more, all without disturbing your sleep or requiring screen time before bed.

Use apps for relaxation

There are a multitude of smartphone apps that can track your sleep — but they require your phone to be next to your pillow, inevitably causing distractions like sending that one last email or waking up to the buzz of text messages. Instead, try a brief guided meditation through an app like Headspace before getting into bed. Or you can quietly play Pzizz Sleep, a sound app with scientifically proven techniques that combine neurolinguistic programming, binaural beats and sound effects.

Adjust your lighting

Bright lights can disrupt your biological clock, making it difficult to fall asleep. If you have a newer iPhone, take advantage of the night shift setting, which automatically adjusts the screen to appear more yellow at night. You can turn on the feature manually or schedule it around your bedtime.

(Via: http://www.ydr.com/story/life/wellness/blogs/no-sweat-york/2017/03/23/striking-balance-sleep-and-technology/99533178/)

The issue between sleep and technology is something we can’t all ignore. Although most of us only see its bad side, there are other ways to make technology work for us without our health suffering in return. And most of all, exercise discipline and moderation in technology use.

Set a specific time in the day when you will indulge yourself in an hour or two of web surfing and social media updating. For young kids, an hour will do and a little more over the weekend. Strike up a balance where you can still do all the important things in life that involves school, work, and household chores and indulge in a little bit of technology as a reward for all your hard work. That way, you do not overdo things and you still get that precious sleep at night that your body desperately needs in order to recharge and prepare for the following day.