If you’re struggling with sleepless nights and disrupted sleep, trade in the old “counting sheep” remedy for a nifty smartphone app that will help you get a good night’s sleep.
According to experts, we’re sleeping less and less. In fact, chronic sleep deprivation has been called “the disease of our times”. It’s no laughing matter though – not getting enough sleep can significantly impact your health and your quality of life. In fact, studies have shown that poor sleep affects the immune system, and that sleep deprivation is tied to anxiety and an increased risk for diabetes and obesity.
Fortunately, technology is making it a lot easier to fall asleep and track your sleep cycles, giving you the opportunity to wake up feeling as fresh as a daisy. Download one of these apps before your next journey into Dreamland, and reap the rewards:
For iPhone users
Hypnotic Sleephour
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hypnotic-sleephour/id525798568?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Create the perfect sleep environment with nature ambience and sound. The hour-long composition claims it will lull you to sleep. Not only does it aid in sleeping, the app can also be used for self-hypnosis and meditation, and includes four hour-long sleep programmes.
Pzizz sleep
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pzizz-sleep/id341324632?mt=8
Pzizz claims to be your personal sleep assistant, which can help cure insomnia and sleep problems. Its soothing sounds help you to stay asleep all night long. Its features include, “inspiring words, enchanting music and delightful soundtracks”. What makes it unique is that it creates a new track every time you press start.
For Blackberry users
Sleep Cycles App Alarm
http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/content/18491/?lang=en
This app offers a regular alarm with a twist, as it helps you to wake up better and fresher. During sleep, we go through different stages – from deep sleep to light sleep. With this app you can set the optimum wake-up time.
The app’s features include a soft wake-up alarm that will go off before the main alarm. There are three relaxing sounds to choose from that will help you move from one stage of sleep to another, making waking up easier. Other features include a scheduler that enables you to set different alarms for different days, a nap alarm and bedside mode to reduce screen brightness.
For Android users
Sleep as Android
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.urbandroid.sleep&hl=en
This nifty little app features an alarm clock with a sleep-cycle tracker – similar to the one offered by Sleep Cycles App Alarm (see above).
It wakes you gently in a “light” sleep phase, making it easier to get up. In addition, it features your sleep-graph history, sleep-deficit and deep-sleep statistics, social sharing, nature alarms, lullabies for pleasant asleep, CAPTCHA to wake up on time, and other features.
Deep sleep with Andrew Johnson
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hivebrain.andrewjohnson.deepsleep&hl=en
This is a guided meditation app that uses relaxation techniques and visualisations to guide you into sleep. It claims to help overcome insomnia and sleep problems, and is also available as an iPhone app.