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There’s a Sleep App For That: Smartphone Apps To Help You Sleep Better

We all know that electronics such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops contribute to the nation-wide lack of sleep we experience in this day and age. These devices not only keep us awake with their distracting games and apps, they also put out blue light which suppresses melatonin and keeps your body alert and awake when it should be resting instead.

Clearly, the ideal solution in this case is to put away the electronics at least a couple hours before bed. Doing so would certainly have a positive effect on the amount and quality of sleep you are getting. However, before you go putting your phone away for the night, why not download some apps that can actually help you sleep?

From sleep tracker apps to noise machine apps, there are plenty of sleep promoting apps to choose from. We have listed some of our favorites below, and we are sure you will find at least one that helps you relax and catch some extra shut-eye at night.

– Sleep Trackers and a Smart Alarm –

The first step in increasing your nighttime sleep is knowing how much sleep you are already getting currently. Many people have no idea how many hours of sleep they are actually getting each night, and several of these people would be appalled to see how small the number is. By using a sleep tracking app you will learn this information so you can begin to take steps in the right direction.

Sleep Cycle

This brilliant app tracks your sleep cycles without ever touching your bed. It does this using your phone’s microphone, and it seems to work pretty well.

In addition to its sleep tracking function, this app also has a built-in smart alarm that uses data collected to wake you at your body’s ideal waking time. You do set a time to wake, of course, but the app takes this time as a rough idea of when you would like to wake up, and instead of blaring in your ear and pulling you out of a deep sleep, it wakes you slowly and gently when your body is in its lightest sleep.

Sleep Bot

This app takes the features of the app mentioned above and combines them with the ability to record sounds throughout the night. This is perfect for keeping track of things like when the baby woke up or when you got up to use the restroom. This additional data might prove very helpful depending on your situation.

– Sound Apps –

All too often the sounds of the world around us prevent us from falling asleep or getting a good, solid 8 hours of sleep. Airplane noise, train noise, and the sound of traffic and emergency vehicles are all our enemies when we are trying to rest. Luckily we have smartphones, and they have plenty of apps available that will fill our ears with relaxing nighttime sounds and soothing music.

Relax and Sleep by Glenn Harrold

Use self-hypnosis to drift off to dream land while listening to the soothing voice of Glenn Harrold. The app provides users with two nearly-thirty-minute tracks for free. The best part? They work! These tracks will have you sleeping like a baby in no time.

Pzizz

This relaxing noise app takes things to the next level. Each session uses a new combination of music, sound effects, and inspiring words to put you to sleep, meaning you will never have to listen to the same combination of sounds.

Additionally, the app is very customizable. Choose whether you wish to sleep for the night or take a power nap, adjust the volume, and decide on an amount time you would like your sounds to play.

– Yoga and Meditation Apps –

Practicing yoga and meditation throughout the day and just before bed promotes positive thoughts and helps you rid yourself of unnecessary stress that may be keeping you awake at night. Never practiced yoga and have no idea where to start when it comes to meditation? No worries! These apps have got you covered.

Yoga for Insomnia

Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, Yoga for Insomnia can help you catch some Z’s. The beautiful and clear graphics on this app make the poses easy to follow and understand, and the relaxing poses included in the app will have you fast asleep before you know it.

Omvana

This app has an enormous collection of meditation sessions for all occasions. Whether you are taking a break at work, need a cool-down session, or are getting ready to hop in bed, this app has the session for you.

Additionally, the app syncs with HealthKit and monitors stress levels to help keep you cool and calm. It also offers a background music mixer. These things work together to offer a highly personalized meditation experience.

– Dream Diary Apps – 

Intense, terrifying, or outrageous dreams can contribute to sleep deprivation. These dreams often wake sleepers and make it difficult to fall asleep again.

To combat these sleep-stealing dreams many people keep a dream diary in which they record their dreams. They can then use these notes to analyze their dreams so they can change the things in their daily lives that may be contributing to these over-the-top dreams.

Some people also use their dream diaries as a tool to train themselves to have lucid dreams. Lucid dreamers are able to control and resolve their dreams while remaining fast asleep.

Dream Journal Ultimate

This app is, as the title says, the ultimate dream journal. In fact, it’s so good that we didn’t even feel the need to add any other journal apps to this list. The functions of the app include a journal, a dream sharing program, and “reality check” reminders to encourage lucid dreaming.

The journal can be set as private so a PIN code is required to get in. However, dreams can be entered without putting the code in. This makes it easy to enter dreams quickly and easily before they leave your mind.

Once you have entered a dream, you can choose to keep it private or to share it with others via the dream wall. You can also use the dream wall to read and comment on the dreams of others, making this app a great way to connect with other dreamers.

The app also includes an option to set up “reality checks”. When it is time for one of these checks, you will hear a tone reminding you to check if you are dreaming. These tones continue throughout the night and train your brain to check if it is dreaming even while you sleep. This increases your likelihood of having a lucid dream.

Of course, one of the best ways to improve upon the amount and quality of sleep you are getting is to own a high-quality mattress. After all, who wants to sleep on an old, worn-out mattress? And since we sleep for a third of our lives, it is high time you invest in a high-quality mattress that can provide you with high-quality rest.

To get started finding the perfect mattress for you, please contact your local Urban Mattress store. We are certain we can help you ditch the sleep-deprivation that is currently haunting you!