Human Interest Six in 10 Americans Say They're Now Relying on Technology to Improve Their Sleep The survey of 2,000 Americans found 66 percent would actually like to incorporate more technology into their nighttime routine By Lindsay Kimble Lindsay Kimble Lindsay Kimble is a Senior Digital News Editor and the Sports Editor for PEOPLE Digital. She's worked at PEOPLE for over seven years as a writer, reporter and editor across our Entertainment, Lifestyle and News teams, covering everything from the Super Bowl to the Met Gala. She's been nominated for the ASME NEXT Awards for Journalists Under 30, and previously wrote for Us Weekly while on staff at Wenner Media. People Editorial Guidelines Published on March 10, 2020 01:52 PM Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Getty More and more Americans aren’t looking away from the screens at bedtime — in fact, they’re using them to get better sleep, new research finds. Commissioned by Eight Sleep and conducted by OnePoll in advance of World Sleep Day on March 13, a survey of 2,000 Americans found that 57 percent say tech has started to become beneficial in improving their sleep. From using smartphones to set their bedtime and apps to limit evening screen time, to using a watch to note their biometrics, 66 percent of Americans said they would actually like to incorporate more technology into their nighttime routine. It’s no wonder people are looking for something to improve their sleep, as results found the average respondent received just five hours and seven minutes of sleep per night — much less than the recommended eight hours. New Survey Finds Nearly 40% of People Have Swiped Right on Dating App to Meet Someone’s Dog Not only that, but almost half admitted to having an inconsistent sleep schedule — in fact, 61 percent regularly have trouble falling asleep. “The human body has an internal thermostat, so when you are ready to sleep your brain begins to lower your body temperature, and that mild drop in body temperature induces sleep,” says H. Craig Heller, PhD, professor of biology at Stanford University. “The most impressive new technologies will utilize contactless, nonwearable biometrics tracking and react to thermal environment using in-home data to improve sleep.” The solution seems easy to some. Thirty-nine percent of respondents believe technology could make it easier for them to stay asleep, while the same number think it could help them to have a more restful sleep. Interestingly enough, 37 percent believe technology could also encourage them to go to bed at a more consistent time. Not only do respondents think technology can help to improve their sleep, but they also want more data about their nighttime habits. Eighty-seven percent believe receiving data about how they sleep would help them to sleep better. One Third of Pet-Owning Parents Prefer Their Furry Friends over Their Kids, Survey Finds And the data they think would be the most helpful? Respondents would most like to know their heart rate throughout the night (43%), the percentage of deep sleep (43%) they receive and their respiration rate throughout the night (42%).