Whether you want to understand your mind and body more or simply need something to help you drift off, support is out there at the tap of a button. Here, James Dixon compares the best sleep apps today.
Around a third of us suffer from sleep deprivation, a condition caused by inadequate sleep. In recent years, the prevalence of sleep deprivation has increased, which is of grave concern – it can have a direct impact on your cognitive and emotional state, and on your mental and physical wellbeing.
Understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatments of sleep deprivation can help prevent these health concerns from affecting us.
One of these treatment forms is relatively new – sleep apps. They are a breed of app designed specifically to help you to improve your sleep quality and quantity through a range of means, from teaching you healthy sleep habits and tracking, monitoring, and then tweaking your sleep routines, to promoting relaxation and setting your mind and body up for success.
Quick Verdict
If you have complex and deep-seated sleep concerns, you may require extensive insight and feedback to identify the root of the problem. You may benefit from more comprehensive coaching and advice.
Sleep Reset is a great bet. It provides access to an actual sleep coach, along with tracking abilities, user-friendly navigation, and ongoing support. Although it comes with a high price tag, the benefits it offers can be life-changing.
What are sleep apps?
Smartphones have become an essential component of daily life, including our sleep routines, with approximately three quarters of the US population owning one. They are used for various purposes, including streaming news, accessing social media, playing games, scheduling our lives, and even aiding in our quality of sleep.
New sleep apps have the potential to be a useful resource for improving sleep quality. If you are experiencing sleep disturbances or think that you may be sleep-deprived, it may be worthwhile to consider using one.
Sleep apps offer a range of features, such as playing soothing sounds, teaching relaxation methods, providing guidance from sleep experts, and functioning as alarm clocks with extra capabilities.
By using the accelerometer in smartphones, sleep tracking apps can gather and evaluate sleep-related information, such as movement patterns and audio recordings. These apps can also wake users during the lighter stages of their sleep cycle and offer insights to assist with data interpretation.
It is important to consider the type of support needed when choosing a sleep app. Sleep tracking features may include tracking time awake, time asleep, position changes, resting heart rate, and different stages of sleep cycles.
App-based alarms may use soft sounds or vibrations that grow progressively more intense to ensure you wake up on time. Relaxing music, white noise, ambient and nature sounds, binaural beats, and sleep stories can help you relax and fall asleep more easily.
Some apps also offer video tutorials on meditation and guided breathing. For people with ongoing sleep issues, some apps put you in touch with relevant healthcare professionals or certified sleep coaches who can help you in forming a plan of action for improving your sleep.
Although studies on the efficacy of sleep apps are still in progress, and more data are needed, many individuals find them to be convenient, cost-effective, and beneficial for enhancing their sleep quality and enabling them to adopt healthy habits.
Our top sleep apps
Calm
If you struggle with relaxing before bed to get a good night’s sleep, the Calm app may be just what you need.
It offers a range of features designed to help you unwind and prepare for a restful night’s sleep. With soothing music, sleep stories, guided meditation programs, and breathing exercises, the Calm app is a comprehensive tool for anyone looking to improve their sleep quality.
One of the best things about the Calm app is its user-friendly interface. The app is easy to navigate, and you can quickly find the features you need to help you relax.
After completing a brief survey about your reasons for using the app, you can select the programs that most interest you. These include guided meditations, breathing exercises, mindful movement programs, relaxing music, sleep stories, and soundscapes.
Calm’s ambient recordings and ASMR (Autonomous sensory meridian response) programs are particularly noteworthy. These features use sound to create a calming atmosphere that can help you to relax and fall asleep far more easily.
Whether you prefer the sound of rain falling, waves crashing, or birds singing, Calm has a range of ambient recordings to choose from. ASMR programs use gentle sounds and whispers to create a sense of relaxation and calm.
You’ll need to set up a subscription in order to use the Calm app. This done, you can download the app and start using its features right away. The app is accessible for both iOS and Android devices, so you can use it no matter what type of smartphone or tablet you have.
The Calm app’s home page provides access to programs based on the user’s selected interests during setup. Users can track their usage o