How can a smart alarm clock improve life?

Intelligent alarm clock is a completely new concept that is gaining increasing popularity among individuals looking to maintain an adequate amount of sleep each night. For many people, waking up in the morning is often the worst moment of the day. Before opting for an intelligent alarm clock, they often try to replace the wake-up sound with a song or recording of bird singing. However, this does not yield the desired results, necessitating a change.

A standard alarm clock differs drastically from an intelligent alarm clock. While the former rings at a set time, the intelligent alarm clock monitors sleep duration and chooses the moment to initiate the wake-up process. Of course, only within a predefined time frame selected independently. The use of such a sleep monitoring application can bring many benefits.

Human sleep is divided into two main phases, which depend on eye movement. The first is the REM phase (rapid eye movement), in which the eyes move rapidly. The second is the nREM phase (non-rapid eye movement), in which the eyes do not move, and any movements are slow. An intelligent alarm clock combined with equipment measuring body parameters, such as an advanced smartwatch, can recognize these phases to adjust waking accordingly.

Each sleep stage is associated with specific brain waves and neuron activity. During a typical night, each of us goes through these stages multiple times. The closer it is to morning, the longer the REM phases become. On the other hand, the stages dividing the nREM phase become shorter.

The first stage of the nREM phase is the transition from wakefulness to sleep. During this short stage, sleep is still shallow, and we may feel like we're not yet asleep. Heart rate, breathing, and eye movements slow down, and muscles relax. Alpha waves are replaced by slower theta waves.

The second stage of the nREM phase is a period of light sleep. In this stage, we can still wake up relatively easily. Muscles are even more relaxed, and heart and breathing rates slow down further. Additionally, body temperature decreases, and eye movements basically stop. Sleep spindle waves are noticeable in the electroencephalogram (EEG) at this stage. Dreams usually do not occur in this stage, although we spend most of the night in it. However, some people may experience a sensation of falling from a height during this stage.

The third stage of the nREM phase is a period of deep sleep. This is essential for feeling rested in the morning. It occurs in longer periods, mainly in the first half of the night, becoming less frequent later on. Maximum slowing of heart rate and breathing occurs, leading to a reduced pulse. Delta waves appear, but they are mixed with theta waves. It's worth noting that it's most difficult to wake up from this stage of sleep.

Only after this does the REM phase appear, usually entering it around 90 minutes after falling asleep. Characteristic of this phase is that the eye movements occur rapidly from side to side, despite closed eyelids. Brainwave activity with mixed frequency approaches that observed during wakefulness. Breathing becomes faster and irregular, and heart rate and blood pressure rise to levels close to those during wakefulness.

Most dreams occur during the REM phase. Muscles of the arms and legs are temporarily paralyzed during this phase to prevent harm to oneself or sleeping with others. However, with age, the time in the REM phase gradually decreases due to a natural decline in melatonin levels. While it was once believed that only the REM phase is essential for maintaining psychological comfort and memory consolidation, it is now known that memory consolidation requires both REM and nREM sleep. However, REM sleep remains crucial for emotional balance.

The sleep cycle described above repeats typically 5-6 times a night. We feel best when we wake up during the first or second stage of the nREM phase. This is where the intelligent alarm clock comes into play, as well as other sleep monitoring applications. Thanks to them, we ensure an adequate amount of sleep, allowing for better regeneration. It is worth mentioning that sleeping naked is beneficial for the body and influences the occurrence of phases.

Fortunately, an intelligent alarm clock does not require us to connect to an electroencephalogram (EEG) every day. Sleep monitoring applications often rely on data transmitted from a smartwatch, and sometimes even a smartphone or tablet alone may suffice. Installed on a smartphone, an intelligent alarm clock can measure sleep using the built-in microphone, gyroscope, and accelerometer.

The microphone used in measurements sends information about breathing to the intelligent alarm clock, while the smartphone's built-in gyroscope and accelerometer allow for position tracking. Since we move only during shallow sleep stages, the intelligent alarm clock can recognize them. This allows sleep monitoring applications to determine sleep phases with great precision.

To properly detect movement, the intelligent alarm clock must have the ability to track it. This can be challenging on visco mattresses, which cause the body to sink in, sometimes preventing free movement on the mattress surface. They also have difficulty functioning on spring mattresses, which not only produce unwanted sounds but also transfer motion due to weak dynamics.

When considering using an intelligent alarm clock, we certainly think about how to ensure maximum sleep comfort. Both for improving sleep quality and for the proper functioning of sleep monitoring applications, the best choice will undoubtedly be sleeping on a highly elastic foam mattress. It provides optimal sleep conditions, including full ventilation and the ability to change sleep positions.

Often, manufacturers of intelligent alarm clocks that monitor sleep quality recommend observing the application's operation for the first three nights and, if necessary, placing the smartphone closer or farther from the head to improve its performance. Of course, the smartphone should be switched to airplane mode to avoid disrupting sleep. A smartwatch has the advantage that it can also measure heart rate and blood pressure. Advanced devices of this type can even measure saturation, which works well in combating sleep apnea.

In principle, an intelligent alarm clock is intended to make us stop experiencing an unpleasant feeling of waking up in the morning. Such sleep monitoring applications work not only on smartphones or tablets but are also available as intelligent alarm clocks within bands, rings, or even plush toys.

Some intelligent alarm clocks offer not only waking with sound but also with ambiance, i.e., gradual light imitating sunlight. There are also those that wake with vibrations or scents. Technological progress is increasingly becoming fully responsible for maintaining proper sleep hygiene.

The ongoing technological development also allows for the offering of ideal sleep products, such as the best on the market Osaka Air mattress from ONSEN®, the purchase of which is risk-free thanks to the possibility of a return within 100 days. Its production in design thinking technology guarantees the highest quality.

We also encourage you to explore other articles on the best sleep and health blog, as well as the Encyclopedia of Healthy Sleep prepared by the ONSEN® team of specialists. For those who care about spine health, we recommend a set of spine exercises prepared by our physiotherapist.