Labelled as one of the biggest sleep distractions of the digital age, excess mobile usage drastically reduces sleep time and quality; taking productivity, mental health, mood, and overall physical health with it.
However, your mobile phone addiction might actually start doing you some good. The following top 5 apps cover everything between helping you sleep and waking you up, all to foster good sleep hygiene:
Table of Contents
1-Sleep Cycle:
Free Download:
Considered one of the best among sleeping aid apps, Sleep cycle helps fine-tune your internal alarm clock (medically known as circadian rhythm). You set a 30-minute window for your wake-up time, say 8:00-8:30, and the app continues to monitor and analyze your breath via microphone to determine your various sleep states (light, deep, and dream).
It then wakes you up during the lightest state (when you’re least groggy and likely to fall asleep again) within the predetermined time window. Moreover, the app also stores and displays the collected data, which you can use to discuss with your doctor for a more holistic treatment.
2-Pillow:
Free Download:
Pillow goes beyond the smart alarm and sleep tracking function of Sleep Cycle. It uses motion and sound patterns to monitor heart rate and how long it took you to get to sleep. The app also keeps track of your blood pressure, weight, dietary calories, and caffeine and alcohol consumption to provide a detailed picture of your sleep sessions by integrating with Apple’s Health app.
It also allows you to time different mid-day naps with 3 specialized settings: power (15 minutes), recovery (45 minutes), and full-cycle (120 minutes).
3-DigiPill:
Free Download: (in-app purchases required)
As the name suggests, the app is built like a digital pharmacy, where users can either purchase individual ‘audio pills’ from the in-app store (the first pill is free), or gain full access by subscribing to repeated prescriptions.
Each pill has a unique name and function, such as Power Nap (for refreshing naps), and Deep Sleep (for peaceful nightly sleep). All you have to do is select a pill, and the let the curated blend of soothing sounds and words take over.
DigiPill isn’t just for promoting good sleep hygiene though. It is an all-inclusive solution that can also help with stress reduction, increasing motivation, and weight loss, among others.
4-Pzizz:
Paid (monthly, yearly, and three-year subscriptions)
Ideal for both night sleep and power naps, Pzizz utilizes Psychoacoustics (the physiological effects of how you perceive sound) to cure insomnia by helping you fall and stay sound asleep. Users can choose from a wide collection of clinically developed Dreamscapes: mixes of tailored sound-effects, music, and voiceover.
5-Relax Melodies:
Free
Another app that alleviates insomnia, relax melodies puts a twist on standard sleep sound apps by allowing users to mix and match their own sleep-sounds from a vast library of relaxing and nature sounds, and melodies.
You can also discover mixes by other users, add them to your playlist and layer them over your existing mixes to further heighten the soothing, sleep-inducing experience.
All of the above apps are available for Android and iOS. However, if you think your sleep obstructions are due to another medical condition like obstructive sleep apnea.
You can book an appointment with a top mental health specialist in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad through oladoc.com, or call our helpline at 042 3890 0939 for assistance to find the RIGHT Doctor for your sleep-related issues.
