Welcome to the first-ever TechRadar Sleep Week, our in-depth look at all things slumber, which runs from Sunday 31 October to Sunday 7 November. To mark the occasion, we’ve interviewed doctors, psychologists and neuroscientists to get their tips and techniques for how you can sleep better, starting tonight.
We’ve also rounded up the best sleep products to ensure you’re comfy in bed and clued up on what’s happening with your shut-eye. So set aside some time to dive into our round-ups of the best mattresses, as well as the top sleep trackers and other essential kit.
Getting consistent, good quality sleep has big benefits for your physical and mental wellbeing. It lowers your risk of heart disease, reduces levels of inflammation in the body, and benefits the immune system. Good sleep also helps the brain to function properly, and you’ll feel more positive and productive after a good night’s kip.
Sleep doesn’t come easy to everyone though, so we’ll be looking at ways to get you all snoozing a little better. This could be spotting the signs of sleep deprivation, or figuring out why you keep waking up at night. Getting up at the same time each day is one of the best things you can do for your sleep, as well as creating a relaxing bedtime routine to help you shut-off.
We’ll be updating this article daily with the freshest Sleep Week features, buying guides and reviews, so bookmark this page and keep checking back for everything you need to know about sleep and how to do it better.
TechRadar Sleep Week 2021: tips, guides, reviews
We have plenty of great content lined up for the forthcoming week, all designed to help you get a better understanding of good sleep, how to do it, and why stressing over poor shut-eye only makes it worse.
How comfortable you feel in bed affects how well you sleep, so we’ll also be looking at ways to boost your in-bed comfort. This includes tracking down a cracking pillow for your favorite sleeping position, and a good mattress topper to extend the life of your current bed and save you money.
For old or worn-out mattresses that can’t be saved, this is a great time of year to upgrade as we’ll soon be flooded with holiday season shopping offers. Our guide to the best Black Friday mattress deals talks you through what to look for and how to snag the biggest discounts.
Best mattress: how to find your dream bed
Our expert guide will walk you through the comfiest mattresses for a range of sleeping positions and budgets. So whether you’re a side sleeper who loves sinking into super-soft beds, or you snooze on your stomach and enjoy a firmer feel, we’ve got you covered with this easy-breezy guide to the latest and greatest mattresses.
Best sleep trackers: understand your zzz’s
When used correctly, a sleep tracker can track your slumber so that you can get a general overview of what’s going on when you close your eyes at night. Not all sleep trackers are made equal though, which is why we have been reviewing the best in the game. These are the ones we’d recommend.
How to adjust your sleep to the changing of the clocks
The clocks have now gone back in the UK, but in America the time change takes place on Sunday 7 November. For our friends in the UK, we’re looking at how you can capitalise on that extra hour of sleep and make this autumn and winter your best seasons for sleep. And for our friends in the US, we’ll help you prepare for the coming clock change.
Smart Clock 2 review: smart-en up your nightstand
The Lenovo Smart Clock 2 is a phone charger, alarm clock, nightlight and smart speaker in one, with Google Assistant baked in. Yes it can stream songs from Spotify and YouTube Music, but has it done enough to outsmart the Google Nest Hub 2? We put it to the test to find out, and to discover whether it should be your next bedroom tech buy.
Nectar mattress sale: save on comfy sleep at Nectar
We'll be covering plenty of great mattress deals during Sleep Week, kicking off with this Black Friday-beating offer from Nectar. There are discounts for UK and US shoppers, and depending on the mattress you choose you'll receive free gifts with your purchase. The Nectar Memory Foam is a good choice for all sleeping positions and offers decent motion isolation, making it great pick for couples. In the sale you can buy the Nectar from just $499 in the US, and from £341.40 in the UK. Superb value.
Best wake-up lights: sunshine on darker mornings
Rise and shine in the depths of winter with a cheery sunrise alarm clock. These clever alarm clocks bathe your room in a warm glow each morning, and have a soothing sunset setting to help you relax ahead of sleep at night. Waking up on winter mornings just got a whole lot easier.
Best sleep apps: the smart way to drift off
Sleep apps are designed to help you doze off a little easier, with some working their magic through a range of soothing sounds, while others take you on a guided meditation to get the job done. We’ve rounded up the most potent ones here to help you sleep better tonight.
Best white noise machines: dim the din
Noise, like heat, is a disruptor of sleep for some people. A white noise machine can help by masking certain noises so that they have less chance of waking you up. These bedside machines also play a range of white noise sounds capable of relaxing you and helping you sleep through the night.
Why the clock change is a good time to talk sleep
The good news is that the one hour time difference when the clocks go back isn’t as disruptive as when they go forward (when we lose an hour’s sleep). We’ll be looking at this more closely in our forthcoming feature on how to adjust your sleep when the clocks go back, but for now here are some quick tips to get ready (if you need to) ahead of Sunday:
1. Reset your own (biological) clock
Insomnia experts Sleepstation say that if you are sleeping well at the moment, it isn't crucial that you adjust your sleep routine to tie-in with the clocks going back, as chances are it will be pretty easy for you to adjust quickly. However, if you are struggling with poor sleep or you are undergoing sleep therapy, then you will need to gradually shift your usual bedtime routine a little each night as of Friday.
To do this, Sleepstation advises staying up a little later each night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday to prepare for that 2am clock windback. Aim for 15 mins later than your usual bedtime on the Friday, 20 minutes later on the Saturday, and 25 minutes later on the Sunday.
2. Go for a morning walk and soak up that daylight
This is good sleep advice for anyone. Light impacts how well we sleep at night, and evidence shows that getting outside into natural daylight is best. There are plenty of mental health benefits of walking outdoors too, especially in nature, so you’re onto a double win here.
If you can’t or don’t want to head outside for various reasons, then you might benefit from using a light therapy lamp each morning instead. These aren’t suitable for use by everyone though – certain health issues and medications will preclude you from using one – so check the guidelines before you buy, or ask your health practitioner if in doubt.
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