Sleep technology: How it could revolutionise your slumber

Over the past few years, there has been a real interest in how technology can improve the quality of sleep. And, with a number of tech advancements now available on the consumer market, there has been a boom in companies offering innovative products that can help us nod off, track our sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed.

From apps that collate data to smart nightwear, there is a whole variety of sleep technology to choose from if you want to revolutionise your own slumber. To help you out, we've but together this quick guide to some of the best tech out there so you can upgrade your own bedroom. Read on to find out more.

Smart alarm clocks

Gone are the days when you would wake up to the shrill ring of your wind-up alarm clock — there are now smart clocks that can give you a much more pleasant greeting first thing. The list of features that these gadgets can offer is long: some can offer a warm glow and the sounds of the rainforest, others will only give you a limited amount of snoozes, and the most advanced models can even connect to your coffee maker, so you wake up to the scent of a fresh brew.

Many of these smart alarms have features that are designed specifically to ease the transition between deep sleep and waking up, allowing you to start the day feeling much better rested. What's more, the Telegraph recently published a round-up of smart alarm clocks that are clinically proven to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — a condition we've covered before that is closely linked to sleep — showing that these gadgets can improve our quality of rest for better health.

Mattress technology

Having the right level of comfort and support is key to getting a good night's rest, so it goes without saying that having a quality mattress is essential. One of the most revolutionary sleep technologies to have emerged in the last century has been memory foam, which has provided consumers with a level of personalised support not achievable with other types of mattress.

However, in the last few years, the mattress industry has really taken the production of memory foam to the next level. Combining new technologies with the strengths of the foam, we've seen a range of innovative products making their way onto the market. For instance, our very own Octaspring mattress uses a three-dimensional foam spring design to add bounce and breathability, eliminating the overheating and sinking drawbacks of regular memory foam.

Another innovation in the field of memory foam has been the inclusion of carefully selected treatments during the manufacturing process, creating mattresses that are more hygienic to sleep on. Here at Dormeo, our Memory Aloe Vera and Memory Silver mattresses are made using real aloe vera extract and silver threads respectively, both of which are naturally anti-bacterial and anti-odour. Thanks to this tech, your bed remains fresher and cleaner for a better night's sleep.

Activity and sleep trackers

One of the biggest trends in sleep technology has been the popularity of activity trackers and other wearable tech. This looks set to continue, with CCS Insight forecast figures predicting the number of units sold globally will almost double by 2021.

Combining features like motion tracking and heart rate sensors, these trackers can monitor your sleep and provide you with data to analyse your sleep. The beauty of this is that you can then look back and see whether you're getting too much or too little rest, then adjust your routine or eliminate bad habits to improve the quality of your sleep.

While the effectiveness of these devices for improving fitness has been debated, one study found employees of a company who wore activity trackers benefitted from an average of 30 extra minutes of sleep each night over the period of a year. If you're looking for an effective way to examine your sleep pattern, then investing in a tracker is a great way to do so.

Sound machines

Whether your nights are disturbed by a dog barking, a noisy nocturnal housemate, or the blare of a car horn outside, placing a sound machine on your bedside table could be the ideal solution. These gadgets use the power of gentle white noise to help your brain ignore these sudden or unusual sounds, lulling you into sleep with their steady sound loops.

If you are a very light sleeper, a sound machine could be a great investment that allows you to get a full night's rest without any disturbances. You can find out more about the science behind how they work, as well as how to choose the best one for you in this comprehensive guide from Sleep Junkies.

The technologies that we've covered here are just a small selection of the innovations out there, so be sure to keep up with the latest developments if you want to continue using sleep tech to improve your shut eye. For more great sleep advice, be sure to read this blog and visit our advice centre. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any sleep-related questions.