Sleep is not just for the weak.
In fact, not getting enough sleep is probably what’s making you weak.
The long-term effects of sleep deprivation are real. It drains your mental abilities and puts your wellbeing (physical and mental) at real risk. Science has also linked poor slumber with all kinds of health issues - from weight gain to a weakened immune system.
And worryingly enough, Hong Kong ranked last out of 15 places in a recent wellbeing survey of the Asia-Pacific region. The survey also found Hongkongers were sleep-deprived. Although local respondents said they wanted to sleep eight hours daily, they said they got an average of 6.5 hours of actual sleep.
While it may be difficult to get a full 8 hours of slumber, maybe a good alternative would be to make sure you get uninterrupted, quality rest in the remaining hours you have available. And one simple way to do so is through music!
Here are some tips for using music on Sonos to help you sleep and rest better.
Set an alarm... to go to sleep
Come 11 p.m. (or 12 a.m. for those of you who just can't sleep any earlier), try setting a “Go-to-bed” alarm to your favorite winding-down playlist. It’ll set the right mood and serve as a reminder to stop binge-watching Netflix until tomorrow.Own a Sonos speaker? Let your favourite playlist set the tone for bedtime. From the menu in your Sonos app, tap Alarms, then set your Bedroom alarm playlist to play for a duration that will allow ample time for pillow talk and a slow drift into sleep.
Make sure the tunes you play are relaxing
Getting through the work day is stressful enough already. While we understand the love for rock-n-roll and some K-pop dance tunes, playing those at night may not signal to your brain that it’s time for some downtime.Instead, opt for some quiet ambient music or slow ballads. Or if you want to get even more efficient rest, put on some white noise or nature sounds. Most streaming services on Sonos will have a playlist or album that you can fire up quickly.
Ready to drift off into lala-land? Set the sleep timer for the speaker to shut off whenever you’d like, close your eyes and let sleep take over.
“Many people probably aren’t aware of how much they rely on music to regulate their moods throughout the day,” says Dr. Müllensiefen. Using music to drift into deep sleep quickly is your solution to morning grogginess.
Hit the snooze button - once only
How? By trying out this sleep hack: Instead of spending a half to full hour of sleep hitting the snooze button again and again and dozing off into what researchers call “fragmented sleep” (which has consequences for your ability to function throughout the day), you set two alarms. One is set for 90 minutes before you want to wake up and the other for when you actually want to wake up.The theory, explains Chris Winter, MD, medical director of the Sleep Medicine Center at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Virginia, is that the 90 minutes of sleep you get between snoozes is the full sleep cycle, allowing you to wake up after your REM state, instead of during. Goodbye drowsiness.
And to wake up even more energized, make sure the second alarm set on your Sonos speaker plays your favourite playlist! Here's one we recommend:
So, close your peepers and start counting those sheep. We hope these tips help you to get the quality rest you need. Be sure to tune in for our last blogpost on staying #SoundAtHomeWithSonos. Coming to you soon!
