Sleeping is vitally important to our physical and mental health and wellbeing – yet 70 million Americans struggle to get enough of it. Insomnia is triggered by a variety of causes — mental health issues, physical issues/pain, and most commonly, stress. As stress levels rise with current global issues, mounting pressure at work, and general emphasis on “hustle culture,” our sleep has been taking a major toll.
Driving while tired is said to be more dangerous than driving with a few cocktails under your belt! So imagine how impaired we are when attempting to function in our jobs, lives, relationships – every day – on too-little sleep.
Fixing sleep problems can be tricky; things that can help are improving diet, getting plenty of exercise, improving sleep hygiene (schedule, bedtime routines), and lessening stress. One modern option is to try an app. There are thousands of apps that cater to getting better quality sleep- and they focus on different issues. From meditation apps to noise makers to sleep analysis, all are worth trying to secure that elusive but oh-so-important shut eye.
Ten Percent Happier
A personal favorite, Ten Percent Happier is a meditation app with podcasts and varied guided meditations, including a robust sleep section. There are a slew of incredible meditation teachers to choose from. You can also tailor how long you’d like to listen for – from 5 minutes to 45. This app never fails to lull me to sleep. Excellent podcasts, too!
Calm
Calm is another popular meditation app on the scene. It uses Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, which encourages people to use their internal resources to manage stress. One fun feature of Calm are the sleep stories narrated by celebrities such as Harry Styles, Bob Ross, and Matthew McConaughey.
Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle tracks and analyzes your sleep, presenting your own data to help you better understand your sleep cycles. The ultimate goal of Sleep Cycle is to give you the tools you need to improve rest and recovery. It even provides an “intelligent alarm” that wakes you with a natural wake-up call while you’re in a light sleep stage. Talk about a gentle wake up.
Relax Melodies
Some people struggle with getting to sleep, while others have more of an issue staying in slumber mode. Relax Melodies is a sound generating app that assists with both. Ambient sound can be super helpful if you live in a city, or any place with disrupting noise. Listen to white noise, the ocean, crickets, or even breathing techniques.
