Best Sleep Cycle Apps

Getting enough sleep each night is crucial to your long term physical and emotional health. Sleep deprivation can lead to many negative side effects, but often pinpointing our chronic lack of rest is difficult to do.

Luckily, with the advancement of certain technologies, it is easier than ever to support a proper night’s rest and narrow down what issues you may be experiencing. Sleep cycle apps for your iPhone and Android supported devices, as well as those that work with additional products, have become incredibly popular and useful to help control your own sleep.

Below we’ve highlighted the differences between various app choices and provided some of the best sleep cycle app reviews for you to consider.

Importance of Sleep

Sleep is involved with the healing and repair of your body, it supports mental processes, and allows you to properly address both the physical and mental process of day to day life in an effective manner. Adults need 7 to 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep a night for their bodies to cycle through sleep stages, allowing each step to properly heal physically and process mental stimulation from the previous day.

If you are sleep deprived you are increasing your risk for vehicular accidents, chronic physical ailments, and negative effects on how you think, react, learn, and communicate. Over time this can create high blood pressure, heart disease, and even increase your risk for diabetes.

What a Sleep App Is

Sleep apps can be anything from a simple option that provides soothing audio for mental stimulation, to those that measure heart rate, respirations, and movements through the night. These may work independently of a secondary product, or work in conjunction with a smartwatch, fitness tracker, or even a pillow or pad that you sleep upon.

For reference to this particular article, we are going to explore those apps that are a bit more comprehensive in nature- and provide a wide range of information pertaining to your sleep habits. These apps provide advanced technology with both wearable, and non-wearable devices to help track the details mentioned above and provide you an insight into your own nocturnal issues.

Main Types of Apps

The various types of apps that exist can be used in a variety of different ways. Some may even be used in conjunction with one another. The categories that are widely accepted include:

Noise Blocking Apps

Audio disruptions to your sleep happen more often than you may even be aware of. Using an app that provides a blocking noise, such as white noise or more consistent natural sounds can keep you sleeping deeply and uninterrupted.

Calming Apps

Apps made specifically for mental relaxation are also well worth considering if you are stressed or anxious, or have a busy mind right before bed. These very and offer soothing voices, music, descriptions of peaceful scenes, etc..

Bad Habit Correction Apps

These work almost like an online journal to help you recognize habits that might be making your nights less than restful. Tracking eating habits in the hours before bed, light exposure, physical activity, and the times you sleep can help you determine where changes need to occur.

Sleep Tracker Apps

Sleep tracker apps are amongst the most comprehensive options you can choose from. These can be used on your phone or on a product that syncs or downloads to an app. They can provide movement, noise, breathing, and often heart rate information to you. They also provide an idea of your sleep cycles and may include smart alarms to wake you.

Are Sleep Apps Accurate?

Although these apps may not be as accurate as those closely monitored tests done in a doctor’s office, they can provide quite a bit of insight to your own issues. They are sold as entertainment and lifestyle options since they are not medically approved, but even many doctors claim the initial information they provide helps raise awareness and can bring attention to harmful habits, such as what time you get to bed, or if you are snoring- an indication of more serious issues.

What To Consider Before Buying a Sleep App

Before purchasing a sleep app, it is important to consider what your recognized problems are. Do you have trouble falling asleep each night? Are you struggling with insomnia? Do you wake anxious through the night? Do you feel snoring may be a culprit of your poor sleep? Or do you struggle to wake each morning?

These are all important considerations to help guide you in which apps might be best for your own particular needs.

Top 5 Sleep Apps to Consider

The following apps are popular and well used by thousands of people to aid in various sleep ailments. Although there are many apps that are support system-specific, these seem to be the best across both Apple and Android products.

Good Morning Alarm Clock

Specs:

• Type: Noise Blocking/Bad Habit Correcting
• Support System: Apple/Android
• Cost: Free or a small cost

The Good Morning Alarm Clock has a built-in smart alarm that works to wake you during your natural waking phase so you feel less tired and more rested upon rising. You are able to use relaxing sounds or your favorite music playlist to fall asleep to as well. Because it tracks your sleep length you can check sleep debt and sleep quality.

Pros

• Provides a gentle alarm to wake up to
• Personalized playlist
• Ability to check sleep debt

Cons

• No detailed sleep cycle information

Relax and Sleep Well

Specs:

• Type: Noise Blocking/Calming
• Support System: Apple/Android
• Cost: Free, Cost for extra topics

Hypnotherapy and meditation are the basis of the Relax and Sleep Well app. Free for all support systems, this choice was created by a clinical hypnotherapist and offers additional support for a cost surrounding topics such as insomnia, anxiety, weight loss, mindfulness, confidence, and self-esteem. Soundscapes and a soothing voice provide support for a dreamy state.

Pros

• Self-support for a healthy lifestyle
• Soothing and calming

Cons

• No support for sleep cycle

Sleep Time

Specs:

• Type: Sleep Tracking
• Support System: Apple/Android
• Cost: Free

Algorithms are used to analyze sleep and provide insights into your sleep patterns when you use the Sleep Time app. It monitors movements over the course of the night and provides charts and graphs to provide you comprehensive information on your own sleep patterns. A smart alarm and soundscapes are also included to provide you other supportive sleep options.

Pros

• Provides insight to sleep patterns
• Soundscapes block sound and are soothing
• The alarm is gentle to wake to

Cons

• No detailed sleep cycle

Sleep Cycle

Specs:

• Type: Sleep Tracking
• Support System:  Apple/Android
• Cost: Free

The Sleep Cycle app analyzes sleep patterns through a basic tracking program using the phone’s built-in microphone. With the ability to pick up your sleep movements and vibrations, it generalizes where you are in your sleep cycle to wake you gently. It also can detect and measure snoring.

Pros

• The microphone provides excellent snoring tracking
• Picks of sleep movements
• Gentle alarm

Cons

• No detailed sleep cycle
• Animals can set off the microphone

Pzizz

Specs:

• Type: Noise Blocking/Calming
• Support System: Apple/Android
• Cost: $1.99

Toted as a power nap and sleep system, Pzizz is designed to help you fall asleep fast and stay asleep through the night. It uses the science of psychoacoustics explores sound perception and its physiological effects on how you sleep during various stages of the sleep cycle. Sound effects, music, and voiceovers are used throughout the night to provide you the sounds scientifically proven to support your sleep. This also works for napping.

Pros

• Helps block noise
• Great for napping

Cons

• No detailed sleep cycle information

Device Dependent Apps

Although various apps can work with your phones, there are others that are incorporated into devices that either work on their own or sync with apps. Two of the best include Fit Bit, that works with both Android and Apple devices, as well as the Apple Watch, specific only to iPhone downloads.

Fit Bit

Specs:

• Type: Sleep Tracking
• Support System: Apple/Android
• Cost: $$$-$$$$

Fit Bit is a popular fitness tracker of various models, with many including a comprehensive sleep tracking app that provides detailed accounts to your sleep habits. Heart rate and movements are all measured along with an estimate of sleep cycles. Sleep coaching and habit suggestions are also offered to provide a way to get the rest you are seeking.

Pros

• Detailed heart rate and movement tracking
• Accurate sleep cycle suggestions
• Smart alarm

Cons

• Not all models have the same readings
• More detailed coaching requires a subscription

Apple Watch

Specs:

• Type: Sleep Tracking
• Support System: Apple
• Cost: $$$$

The Apple Watch is equipped with state of the art sensors to estimate your sleep cycles. It works like a coach to help support a healthy night’s sleep, learns your routines, and offer suggestions for improvement. It also provides a smart alarm and a sleep score to keep you focused on the habits you need to get the sleep you deserve.

Pros

• Accurate sleep cycle readings
• Helpful sleep coach
• Sleep score works towards sleep goals

Cons

• Only specific to Apple products

Conclusion

If you struggle with sleep and are looking to support your rest, various sleep apps might be exactly what you need. Everything from sound blocking to detailed tracking is available for you to learn about your own sleep habits so you can improve upon them. The above choices highlight only some of the best and most popular, but many others exist to meet your specific needs.