Health is one of the biggest concerns people have today. Especially in the wake of global events like the bushfires and the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Health always begins at home.
People with a safe and stable home environment can work to their best, ensuring a healthy and happy life. How can we use technology to make our homes healthier?
There has never been a more exciting time than today when it comes to technology. A lot of the things we saw in science fiction stories before the turn of the millennia are coming true at home today.
Here are some ideas in leveraging technology and the Internet of Things to improve your health.
1. Air Quality Monitoring
The air that you breathe is one of the invisible factors that can make a huge impact on your health over time.
Indoor air quality tends to be worse than outdoor air quality due to lack of ventilation, small spaces, and the build-up of pollutants over time.
Fortunately, today, there are many internet-enabled solutions that track and monitor air quality. And let you know when the quality drops instantly through notifications on your phone.
For instance, if there is an increase in particulate matter in your bedroom while you are sleeping, a smart air quality sensor can let you know immediately.
So, you can take steps to correct the problem. Particulate matters can be a channel for viruses to latch onto and can affect your immune system. Monitoring it will help not only keep your home clean but also keep you healthy.
Some of these devices can even interface directly with other smart home devices like smart HVAC systems to automatically clean the air once pollutant build-up is detected.
2. Smart Sleeping
Rest and recuperation factor heavily into good health. There are many products out on the market today which can improve the quality of your sleep.
Some do it by controlling the ambience of your bedroom, automatically dimming the lights, controlling the air temperature and playing soothing tunes as you doze off.
Others do it by monitoring your vitals and creating a comprehensive set of action plans to help you get better results while sleeping.
The end result is a much more productive night of rest, and this pays off dividends as you go about your day.
3. Chronic Disease Tracking
Wearables are one of the popular categories for IoT and are very good at tracking your body’s health as you go about your day. Everything from asthma monitors, blood sugar sensors, and musculoskeletal trackers are available.
Supported by technology that brings the data to the healthcare team providing support. There are technologies like the “Parkinson’s House” which has sensors in everyday appliances.
Surfaces like the refrigerator, the cupboards, doors, and beds which track an out patient’s vitals, allowing people to stay at home instead of being confined to hospitals.
4. Medication On-Demand
Lastly, technology has progressed to the point where it’s viable to have medical supplies delivered regularly as needed. You may be familiar with refrigerators that order groceries by itself once it senses certain items are running out.
The same technology has been applied to medicine, such as smart pill bottles that track your medicine and let the pharmacy know when you need more.
Ultimately, our health depends on the steps we take to ensure we live healthy lives. But it’s always better to make use of the tools available and do things smartly.
It’s never been easier to use technology to make the process easier, and you can build a very health-friendly smart home today. Using the-shelf products available from many companies and start-ups to improve your quality of life.
