If anything, most of us are now fairly certain that the rise in technology has disrupted our rest time and sleeping patterns, and yet, we’re probably not doing anything about it.After all, the last thing that many of us do before we head off to sleep is to check our phones, and yet studies have said that’s pretty bad, as this article from the Huffington Post says. It makes many of us sleepless or depressed, and can allegedly even contribute to things like weight gain. So, why do so many of us still rely on techy products so heavily in our ‘downtime’, and is there anything that we can do to make their excessive use actually productive in the way we treat our bodies?
The good news is that yes, yes we can. One of the major ways technology can help with our general wellbeing is to help us regulate our work load, which in turn contributes to better rest and sleep patterns all round. Not all of us are fortunate enough to work set hours and so, depending on what you do, there are different ways you’ll need to try and achieve the right balance. If you work shifts, your sleep patterns are sadly easily disrupted, and it becomes even more of an issue if you work in different locations all the time, for example, in care work or similar. If this sounds familiar (um, hello, where am I going tomorrow please? Some help would be nice….) then you should definitely recommend online rostering software (from Webroster) to the people that employ you to help with scheduling. Not only will you have more time and ability to plan your days effectively, your clients will be happier as the technology also allows you to store notes about each one, to make the whole thing more efficient. Plus, there’s even an app to make sure you’re where you need to be at the right time, too.
Sometimes, as hard as we try though, we just can’t cope with the role we’re currently in. It can bring us down, and nothing can help by that point. If this is the case, don’t exhaust yourself any further. Consider finding a new role – one that’s perhaps a little more suited to you. The good news is that technology can help you here, as well. With great online resources for job searches like Hales Group, Indeed and TotalJobs, there are no excuses. You need a certain element of flexibility in your role for the sake of your health, and if you haven’t got this, it’s probably time to think about moving on.
In general, there are a few different technology products which can help us to actually relax, outside of our careers and daily grind. For example, both the iPhone and Android phones have special apps that you can use to regulate your sleeping habits, for example, the aptly named Sleep Cycle. You can also take to syncing your Google calendar with your phone, so that all of your plans are in one specific place.
Overall, the most important thing you can do for yourself is respect yourself enough to take the time out to have a break from time to time. If not, you’ll actually be less productive. We may all over rely on technology, but it’s not all doom and gloom. Technology, when used in partnership with our lives, can be and is a fantastic thing.
