Gadgets and apps geared to help you tackle your sleep issues and ensure you get a good night’s rest.
Research shows that a continual lack of adequate rest can increase the risk of developing several health conditions. Sleep is essential for our well-being, yet many of us don’t get enough of it. If you are having trouble falling or staying asleep, the following apps promise to get you the peaceful slumber you need.
AUTO SLEEP
Auto Sleep automatically tracks sleep from your Apple watch. The app provides all the necessary data you require to promote better shuteye such as sleep duration, rating, blood oxygen, respiration rate, environmental noise measurements and so forth. This helps you make the necessary adjustments to optimise your snooze time. Kim Lee, a habitual user, appreciates the fact that the app calibrates how well she has slept and finds it convenient to use as it is integrated to her Apple watch. “I wear my watch when I sleep and when I wake up, I’m alerted by a vibration on my wrist,” she reveals.
SLEEP CYCLE
Sleep Cycle tracks your sleep with your smartphone. A major benefit is that the app works with your smartphone’s microphone to distinguish different sleep phases by sound, eliminating the need to keep your device in bed with you. It is able to differentiate between light and deep sleep from the sounds you make. You can also check for activity at night when you wake up or toss and turn, employing this information to improve your sleep. This app is available for downloaded on iOS and Android.
OURA RING
The Oura Ring is a smart device equipped with sensors to track a variety of health metrics, which are available to view on the company’s Oura app. It also tracks the user’s nightly shuteye and provides sleep insights. The ring delivers research-quality data, and has been validated against polysomnography (PSG), the gold standard sleep laboratory test. Its unobtrusive design allows for comfortable sleeping tracking without bright screens or notifications disrupting your sleep. Oura has a highly sensitive accelerometer that measures movement and detects differences such as twitching during a dream, turning over in bed, or getting up for a night-time trip to the bathroom.
REVERI
This self-hypnosis app has been shown to help users fall asleep faster, reduce insomnia-related emotional distress, and increase deep sleep. Users have reported that Reveri sends them straight to slumberland in a matter of minutes, and allows them to wake up refreshed. Available for iOS and Android at a monthly charge of US$14.99. The first seven days are free.
INSIGHT TIMER
Incorporating guided visualisations in your nightly routine can help you knock off like a baby. Insight Timer boasts a specific sleep section that houses a wealth of free meditations, nature sounds, ambient music, and bedtime tales to enable you to do just that. When you first log onto it, you will be asked a series of questions to tailor the home screen to your needs. After that, check in each day by describing your mood. In response to your answers, you’ll get a range of meditations, talks and musical passages to suit how you are feeling. This engaging app is available for download on iOS and Android .
