Using a sleep app in the park (Antonio Guillem / Shutterstock.com)
Getting a good night's sleep is one of the most important things you can do for yourself – clocking enough slumber helps process learning and cleans up waste in the brain. And that's to say nothing of the scientific truth behind "beauty sleep." While taking some time away from technology before hitting the sack can up your chances of getting a good night's sleep, those very same screens can actually help you get well on the way to sweet dreams – sleep apps can crunch the numbers and tell you exactly when to go to bed and when to get up, collect and analyze data on your sleep patterns, play calming sounds to lull you off to sleepy land and come with props to ensure the perfect nap.
So without further ado, here are the five best sleep apps around - have a read, see what suits you best, and sleep well.
1. MUJI TO SLEEP
This sleep app comes with an amazing accessory – or more accurately this amazing accessory comes with a sleep app. The MUJI to Sleep portable neck cushion doubles as a support for face-down sleeping (on your desk, for example), a hip cushion and a side support – perfect for napping on the run. And when you're using it, fire up the beautiful app – available for Android and iPhone - which provides a sleepy soundtrack and a timer for your nap.
EXTRA ZZZ: All six of the natural sounds on this sleep app are recorded using a "dummy head" - a special microphone that resembles the head of a person to make the outdoor experience as realistic as possible.
2. SLEEPYTI.ME
This simple sleep app is web-based – though you can easily access it from your smartphone's browser. Basically an advanced calculator, the sleep app works out the best time for you to fall asleep, given your wake up time – ensuring you wake up at the end of a sleep cycle rather than in the middle.
EXTRA ZZZ: Falling asleep takes an average of 14 minutes, so make sure to take that that into account when selecting your bedtime.
3. UP BY JAWBONE
Another fantastic app with accessories, UP is an integrated system that tracks your daily activity in terms of physical movement, nutrition and sleep, by way of a funky wristband and smartphone app. It then suggests simple adjustment in all three spheres to help you live a healthier, happier life.
EXTRA ZZZ: UP's graphs give you an in-depth picture of your sleep patterns, and the Power Nap and Smart Alarm features encourage you to fall sleep and wake up at optimal times.
4. LONG DEEP BREATHING
While not technically a sleep app, Long Deep Breathing will help you calm your mind before bed – setting you up for a good night's sleep. With simple design and instructions, the iPhone app includes a series of guided exercises which aim to help stimulate your internal organs, release feel-good endorphins and even lower blood pressure.
EXTRA ZZZ: The special program "Using Long Deep Breathing to Help Overcome Insomnia" is a safe, natural way to get your sleep back on track.
5. POWER SLEEP
Full disclosure: This app won't really help you get more sleep, but it is technically a sleep app, and it's brilliant. The free Android app by Samsung lets you donate your mobile phone’s unused computing power to scientific research – so you can become part of a "super computer" serving a greater good, while you sleep.
EXTRA ZZZ: The app works on Android smartphones and tablets from version 2.3 upwards – not just Samsung devices.
