Some say that technology makes us lazy. Instead of going out for a jog we spend hours on the sofa watching telly or playing videogames. And rather than walking to a colleague’s office to have a chat, we send them an e-mail.

With home automation, it looks like we’ll be spending more time sitting down because from our smartphone and tablet, we can control almost anything, from changing the living room temperature to checking what’s in the fridge. Soon, we will not even have to push the buttons on the remote control because thanks to facial recognition technology, the television will recognise us and fire up our favourite shows.

But just like anything else in life, it all depends on how we use technology. True, we can use gadgets to laze about just doing nothing. However, technology can also help us sleep better, maintain good posture, and monitor our health.

Lack of sleep, for instance, is a major health issue. Interrupted sleep will drain our energy and increase our stress levels. Other sleep disorders, such as sleep apnoea, are potentially more dangerous.

Thanks to technology, however, we can monitor our sleep patterns and take action against what is keeping us awake. The Beddit sleep monitor keeps track of tiny respiratory movements and your heartbeat and sends this data to an app. This app then gives you advice on how to get a better night’s sleep. Other gadgets are intended to help you monitor how your child is sleeping. The Mimo Baby Monitor uses sensors built into a child’s pyjamas to check temperature and movements – this will help you keep an eye on your child even when you’re not in the room.

Interrupted sleep will drain our energy and increase our stress levels

Light is essential to sleeping. Too much bright light or stark blackness and your sleep is ruined. The Holi Sleep Companion, showcased at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, US, is a light bulb designed to sync with your body’s rhythms. Originally developed by NASA to help astronauts sleep on the International Space Station, the Holi Sleep Companion will slowly wake you up in the morning with a warm glow and dim down to a cooler light at night.

Music or white noise can also help us sleep better. However, ear buds or headphones can be uncomfortable, especially when you’re trying to sleep. The SleepPhones headphones are inbuilt into a soft headband which will not disturb you – then plug the headband into your music player, or use Bluetooth connectivity, to listen to your favourite relaxing music.

Modern life is a rushed affair and anxiety and stress can take their toll on anyone. So any form of technology that helps us distress is certainly welcome. There are various activity trackers on the market but Spire is that little bit different. By clipping it onto your belt, Spire will constantly track your breathing patterns and feeds them into an algorithm. A dedicated app will then determine whether you are calm, tense or agitated and sends you a series of meditation and relaxation suggestions.

Posture is also key to good health. Good posture means that your bones are properly aligned and your muscles are working as nature intended. This means that you will feel less stress and fatigue and be more productive yet still comfortable. The Lumo Lift device is a tiny wearable developed by Lumo Bodytech. The pebble-shaped device, which can be worn under your clothing, will track your posture and send you warnings – in the form of vibrations – when you slouch or adopt a bad posture. The Lumo Lift will also coach you into adopting good posture by tracking your posture hour by hour, rating it and giving you suggestions.

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