Struggling to sleep? These apps will help you nod off in no time.
Sleep health has become topical over the past few years. Why? Because the quality of your sleep impacts everything – your mood, weight gain, anxiety and stress, motivation to exercise and performance as well as cognitive functioning. It’s no wonder we’re all trying to find ways to sleep better! And these apps can help you.
- Fitness tracker apps with sleep monitoring
The first step to getting better sleep is to understand what your sleeping patterns and habits look like. Most fitness trackers, like Garmin watches, are able to track your sleeping habits too and provide you with the data you need to start addressing your sleep situ. If you struggle to wear a watch at night, there are new devices being released, such as the Oura Ring, which also tracks sleep and activity. Apps are free with the purchase of a tracking device. - Headspace
This app is known widely for its guided meditations, but it also offers great sleep support in the form of breathing exercises for better sleep, meditations for sleep, music for better sleep and other sleep health information. Headspace has a seven or 14-day free trial, depending on your option, followed by a $69.99 (about R1300) annual subscription.
- Calm
This app provides a list of services for better mental health, focus and improved sleep, but they are best known for their bedtime stories read by celebrities. Some favourite soothing voices include stories read by the likes of Stephen Fry, Harry Styles, Matthew McConaughey. Calm also has Calm Kids with stories and sounds aimed at helping your children sleep better. R599 for the annual subscription.
- Stella Sleep – great for kids!
This app is scientifically created to help your children sleep better. You can customise your child’s bedtime routine by constructing your own playlists and saving favourite stories and sounds. Rates are from $7.99 (R150) per month. Visit Stella for more information on childhood sleeping disorders, bedtime guidelines and more helpful information. - Spotify
While this has predominantly been a music streaming service, it now hosts thousands of podcasts, including “Sleep Cove” as well as other great playlists to help you wind down. So if you’re already an active music listener on spotify, simply search “sleep” and you’ll find great sounds to get you snoozing, for free.
