Certain models of in-ear headphones are designed to isolate outside noise by 35dB. Best used for airplane rides, studying, or while meditating to
Shure SE530 Sound Isolating Earphones
Etymotic ER-6i
Sony Fontopia in-ear headphones
USE A BRIGHT LIGHT ALARM
Everyone has their preferred method of waking up. If jumping out of the bed to an obnoxious buzz isn’t your thing, then you might prefer a light alarm. Light alarms wake you up with, well, light. The light gradually increases in intensity for an easy transition into wakefulness.
USE A SUN BOX
Sunlight resets the body clock and stabilizes circadian rhythm, which promotes proper timing and release of hormones. This is why lack of sunlight causes depression and low energy.
Sunlight is good, but we can’t control its timing or intensity. There will always be cloudy days and winter months. This is where technology comes in.
Light boxes simulate sunlight by producing a wide spectrum of light. Normal artificial lights do affect circadian rhythm, but not nearly as much due to their limited wavelength spectrum.
Unfortunately, few people think to use light boxes outside of therapy for S.A.D. or circadian disorders. Yet they’re the perfect sleep hacker tool for even healthy sleepers.
Turn on a light box for 30 minutes in the morning as you work at your desk. Circadian rhythm balances, energy increases, sleep quality increases, performance and mood increase.
Cheat nature by using a light box during winter months or cloudy days. Strut around with better mood and more energy while everyone around you mopes because they assumed light boxes were only for those with "disorders".
The two most popular models currently are by
THE SLEEPTRACKER WATCH
SleepTracker watch. You wear it at night like any watch, but it can detect where you are in a sleep cycle. In light stages your body tosses and turns a bit, although we never know it. In REM our bodies are paralyzed and in deep sleep our muscles are relaxed and motionless. The SleepTracker watch can detect movement from light stages, so it always knows when you’re in a light stage and when you’re in a non-light stage. Its alarm only goes off during light stages. You wake up feeling refreshed and energetic.
Your brain cycles through the different stages of sleep, oscillating between Deep sleep, and light/REM sleep at a period of about 90 minutes.
Deep sleep is very important for cognitive performance. A lot of "neural housecleaning" occurs during deep sleep, which makes it so important for mood, performance, motor skills, productivity, and creativity.
Deep sleep has specifically been evolutionarily programmed to not be interrupted. Some researchers suspect that one of the main reasons light sleep evolved was to act as a transition stage to and from deep sleep and to provide opportunities for awakening. During deep sleep your cerebral cortex – the consciousness part of your brain – nearly shuts off. Neural activity in the cerebral cortex break down into little islands that can't talk to one another.
This is why we feel groggy when we’re woken up from deep sleep. Our cerebral cortex (i.e. our consciousness) is turned off! It takes 20m of waking activity for it to reboot itself. There are thought to be health consequences too, since you’re not giving your brain the opportunity to finish what it started.
A cool sleep hacker tool is the
USE AN MP3 ALARM CLOCK
Use your computer as an alarm clock. Download alarm clock software to play your favorite mp3s as an alternative to the obnoxious
Picking your favorite wake-up song has some advantages. Choose something that really strikes a positive nerve in you. Waking up will be easier. Or go for a gradual wake-up process choose a long mp3 that you can soak into your conscious for a few minutes before hopping out of bed.
Got a Mac?
Use Windows? Download beep beep beep beep... Use Alarm Clock 2.0 for OS X. Citrus Alarm Clock. NatureBright and Apollo. - $40. Can be found on Amazon for around $25. Sound quality is average (but much better than the default iPod headphones). Reduces outside noise by 10dB, compared to 35dB from the Etymotic ER-6i’s. Still the best in the low-end price range. - $150. Optimized for use with iPods. Stellar sound quality. Isolates outside noise very well (by 35dB… you won’t be able to hear the TV). To the extent that a human being can fall in love with tiny headphones, I have certainly fallen in love with these things. Amazon has them for $75 now.- $500. Expensive, but these headphones are heavenly. A dream for audiophiles. Easily the most popular headphone in this price range. Amazon has them for almost $100 off. meditation CDs.
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