If one is feeling particularly restless lately, they are not alone: A study from Iowa State University reveals that over five million Americans experience difficulties falling asleep each night. It is crucial to dedicate time to unwind with a soothing bedtime routine to optimize sleep quality. However, quieting the mind at the end of the day can often pose challenges, as what works for one person may not work for another.
According to a wellness expert from the Good Housekeeping Institute, meditating and reading can serve as excellent tools for many individuals, while others may prefer using an app to help them sleep. Now we will look at the best sleep-tracking apps, as well as apps that help you put your thoughts in order and fall asleep.
Benefits of Using Sleep Apps
Some of the benefits of sleep-tracking apps include:
- They give you a better idea of your sleep patterns. To enhance sleep patterns, individuals must have a comprehensive understanding of them. Many sleep tracker applications collect copious amounts of data regarding sleep, encompassing information such as sleep onset, wake-up time, regularity, and duration. This critical sleep data offers intricate insights into how sleep patterns impact individuals throughout the day, including mood, productivity, and more.
- Sleep phase tracking. There are typically four sleep phases: wakefulness, light sleep, deep sleep, and REM. Each phase plays a vital role in determining one’s post-wakeup state. Sleep tracker applications often furnish a detailed analysis of an individual’s sleep phases, including the duration spent in each phase. Certain sleep tracker apps utilize sleep phases in conjunction with intelligent alarms to awaken users at optimal times, as elaborated further below.
- Picks the perfect time to wake up. Sleep trackers utilize sleep phases and an in-app smart alarm clock to gently awaken users at the optimal time, reducing morning grogginess and promoting feelings of restfulness. Furthermore, some sleep tracker apps provide a wake-up window that gradually rouses individuals over a specific time period.
Top Sleep Apps
#1 Calm
Calm is widely recognized as one of the most sought-after sleep apps due to its versatile functionality. Not only does it assist with achieving a peaceful night’s sleep, but it also serves as a comprehensive well-being application. Renowned for its ever-expanding collection of stories, guided meditation, and stretching exercises, Calm contributes to enhancing overall health. With additional offerings such as soothing soundscapes, relaxing music, wellness master classes, and captivating nature scenes, Calm continues to captivate users seeking tranquility and serenity.
#2 MyNoise
Convenient and simple sleep noise app. Both Dr. Winter and Dr. Dimitriu suggest that individuals listen to white noise when trying to fall asleep in noisy environments. According to Dr. Dimitriu, white noise or brown noise, such as the sound of a fan or ambient noise on an airplane, can help some people achieve restful sleep. The key is to choose something that is not overly stimulating and allows the mind to settle. Selecting the right type of noise is a matter of personal preference. If one enjoys listening to white noise for relaxation, MyNoise offers a wide range of customizable ambient white noise generators that can be downloaded. All that is needed is a pair of noise-canceling headphones for optimal results.
#3 Sleep Cycle
One thing worth noting is that the Sleep Cycle app can be downloaded for free, although it does offer in-app purchases. Despite not being entirely free, it stands out as the top-rated free sleep app due to its abundance of fantastic free features, making in-app purchases unnecessary for many users.
The app primarily focuses on monitoring sleep patterns and utilizing the gathered data to wake users up during the optimal stage of light sleep. As a result, users feel refreshed, well-rested, and most importantly, not groggy upon waking up.
You can install at least 10 apps to improve sleep, but in reality, you only need a few of them. It makes no sense to litter your smartphone, otherwise, it will start to work slowly. If you have already encountered this, you need to clean up more memory on your device. You can boost your phone manually by deleting your photos and videos. You don’t have to clean pictures, you can use smart cleaning. This function of Phone Cleaner removes everything unnecessary from the phone, cleaning which you will not even notice. During smart iPhone cleanup, you get rid of duplicates, temporary files, downloads, etc. This will free up memory without touching your data.
#4 Relax Melodies
Mattress Clarity is an advocate of sleep sounds and white noise. They consider them an effective way to unwind and drown out any unwelcome or disruptive external sounds. The Relax Melodies app claims to have 50 million satisfied users, indicating its success in providing a positive sleep experience.
Moreover, the app offers a trial period for free, giving users the option to upgrade to the full version or “Premium” with a weekly, monthly, or yearly subscription. With a wide range of over 100+ sounds and noises, including baby lullabies, ASMR, and nature sounds, Relax Melodies provides a comprehensive sound library.
#5 Rise
If one is seeking to enhance decision-making for a more restful sleep, the recommended app is Rise. According to sleep medicine specialist and psychiatrist Dr. Chester Wu, “Rise informs individuals of optimal timings for various activities, such as the final cup of coffee or the wind-down period before bed, all based on their own biological rhythm.” Besides functioning as a sleep tracker, alarm clock, and audio guide for relaxation techniques, Rise stands out with its ability to predict a user’s energy levels.
Conclusion
Sleep tracker apps are a convenient, effective way to track your sleep patterns. Many such apps offer comprehensive features and detailed analyses that can help individuals learn more about their sleep health. These applications provide critical insights into an individual’s energy levels throughout the day, as well as determine optimal times for going to bed and waking up.
MindOwl Founder – My own struggles in life have led me to this path of understanding the human condition. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy before completing a master’s degree in psychology at Regent’s University London. I then completed a postgraduate diploma in philosophical counselling before being trained in ACT (Acceptance and commitment therapy).
I’ve spent the last eight years studying the encounter of meditative practices with modern psychology.
