Technology & Sleep: An Awkward Alliance
Technology: Help or Hinderance?
I recently came across an article that talked about how we can use technology to impact our sleep, in both positive and negative ways. The article had some sound advice like, stop doomscrolling, and use your fitness app to track your sleep. Technology & sleep certainly have an awkward relationship. We can get into all sorts of trouble on our devices. But, we can also access a vast array of tools and resources to help us sleep. In this blog post, I want to focus on just one aspect – music! (of course).
Winding Down to Music
The article I read suggests using music to relax as part of a nighttime routine. They also suggest going to your favorite streaming service and searching for terms like “sleep sounds” or “bedroom beats.” Now, this might result in some great relaxing music. But, you want to be careful because not everyone who creates relaxation music understands the impact that music can have on the nervous system. For example, a lot of the music that you hear in the background of meditation or yoga audio is that low droning sound. This is actually really bad for the nervous system. For someone who has ever been through trauma, it’s even worse.
When I learned this fact, I felt compelled to create something that could help folks relax and leave the stress of the present moment. The Relaxation Vacation is a guided meditation that I recorded, using acoustic guitar, to slow down the nervous system and help you relax. If you don’t have it yet, you can get it HERE.
When live events were still going on, I would often lead the group in the Relaxation Vacation at the end of a keynote presentation. Quite often, I would see folks in the audience asleep by the end. I might be the only speaker on the planet that considers his audience falling asleep a compliment! LOL! When was the last time you fell asleep that easily? If you’re having trouble falling asleep at night, give it a try!
Relaxation Music Resources
In my podcast, Reduce Your Stress, I provide 1-2 new instrumental songs a month. These songs are meant to either relax you or uplift you…depending on what you need at any given moment. I have also been interviewing artists that write and record relaxation music, to learn more about their process and how they approach relaxation music. These folks are legit! If you are looking for some masterfully created relaxation music, check out these artists:
Relaxation Apps
Recently, I read that there are literally thousands of relaxation apps to choose from. Wow! I’ve had the opportunity to try out a few, and I’ve created a list that I’ve shared with my clients when they are looking for a technology-assisted way to relax. (There’s that awkward alliance between technology & sleep again!)
If you’d like a list of my favorite apps, along with links to demos, you can download the Relaxation App Guide HERE.
Imagine a New Relaxed You
Using these and other tools, you can absolutely benefit from technology as a way to relax and fall asleep. The key is to make the technology work for you and not against you. Just think, instead of using your phone to doomscroll because you can’t sleep, your phone could be playing relaxing music to help you fall asleep!
What technology do you use to help you relax and fall asleep? Drop me a comment below. I’m always looking for new tools and I’d love to hear about what is working for you.
