In today's modern society, health care has become an indispensable part of daily life. Many people use health monitoring devices and step counters to monitor physical activity, with the goal of achieving 10,000 steps per day or controlling calorie intake. However, an equally important factor that is often overlooked is sleep, the time for the body to rest and recover.
According to Dr. Bhumesh Tyagi, consultant and general practitioner at Shardacare, Health City, Noida (India), sleep plays an important role no less than exercise. In fact, sleep helps the body recover, repair damage and prepare energy for the new day. Without quality sleep, it will be difficult for you to maintain good health no matter how much exercise you have.
Health impact of sleep
Sleep disorders can cause many serious problems. Lack of sleep affects hormone balance, slows metabolism, reduces the immune system, and even affects memory and decision-making ability. In addition, long-term lack of sleep also increases the risk of diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and depression.
Monitoring your sleep helps you recognize your actual sleep habits, which can be adjusted to improve sleep quality. Current sleep tracking devices can measure total sleep duration, deep, light sleep stages or REM, wake frequency and sleep effectiveness.
The link between sleep and physical activity
According to Dr. Tyagi, sleep and movement are like two sides of the same bill. Regular exercise will help improve sleep quality, while adequate and deep sleep helps improve mobility and resilience. If you don't get enough sleep, you won't take full advantage of the exercises or the steps you have taken.
Technology to support sleep monitoring
Nowadays, sleep tracking is easy thanks to devices such as health monitoring wristbands, smartwatches, phone applications and even smart mattresses. These devices provide detailed information about sleep habits and suggest ways to improve sleep, such as adjusting bedtime, reducing the time spent using electronic devices before bed.
How to improve sleep based on monitoring
After monitoring your sleep, you can apply simple steps to improve sleep quality such as:
Establish a fixed bed and wake time every day.
Limit caffeine intake and eat too much in the evening.
Create a habit of relaxing before bed to signal the body.
Adjust your sleeping environment: keep the room quiet, dark and cool.
