Guides

5 Sleep Apps to Boost Your Productivity During the Day

A good night's sleep is essential in order to feel your best. From health benefits to productivity levels, clocking in the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night can seriously improve your day-to-day life. But for those who struggle with actually falling asleep, help is now available in the form of sleep apps.

While the digital age has many benefits, it can make it harder for people to slow down and get the rest they need. In fact, roughly 35% of Americans aren't getting the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night. This sleep deficit can lead to imbalanced hormones, respiratory and heart problems, and just an overall low mood. Productivity levels can decrease, and your immune system can suffer from not enough overnight rest; A large price to pay for such a common problem!

So if falling (and staying) asleep is a struggle for you, try out one of these sleep apps tonight and get ready to wake up refreshed and rejuvenated!

Sleep Cycle.

There's nothing worse than the shrill cry of your alarm clock in the midst of a deep sleep. And while no one really loves the process of waking up, you can make the experience less painful by regulating your sleep schedule.

Sleep Cycle works by analyzing the user's sleep cycle and patterns to identify the optimal time to wake up. During the night, everyone's bodies go in and out of different phases of sleep. The deep sleep phase, also known as REM, involves a significant amount of brain power. Your heart rate and breathing rates increase, and vivid dreaming may occur.

Waking up during any part of the deep sleep phase can cause extreme drowsiness during the day, regardless of how many hours you slept. But by using the Sleep Cycle app, your sleep cycles will be tracked, making sure that your alarm doesn't disturb you during your phases of deep sleep.

To wake you up, the app begins a 30 minute process that wakes users up softly. It monitors signals from your body and uses them to awaken you in a gentle, sleep-conscious way. At the end of the 30 minutes, you'll be fully woken up at your ideal alarm time, but you'll feel more rested than you would if your alarm simply went off at a single, arbitrary time.

Relax Melodies.

If actually falling asleep is your main concern, Relax Melodies is a great option. Simply crawl into bed, open the app, and unwind from the stresses of the day.

Relax Melodies is different from most sleeping apps. Instead of monitoring your sleep all night long, this app focuses on its main job of sending you off to sleep. Through calming nature sounds, meditation guides, and gentle background music, Relax Melodies is a useful tool for getting into the sleeping state of mind. Relax Melodies also recently received recognition as the #1 sleeping app in the app store, with over 35 million users. And with a 4.8 star rating, they must be doing something right.

Pzizz.

Sometimes sleep requires a scientific approach, which is exactly what Pzizz is here for. Out of the hundreds of sleeping apps available, this one is unique in its detailed psychological approach to move users towards a more fulfilling night of sleep.

Pzizz uses the science of psychoacoustics to help users fall asleep fast, and stay asleep throughout the night. Psychoacoustics works by utilizing specific sounds, music, and voiceover sequences during each distinct phase of the sleep cycle. Each time slot of the app is made specifically to complement each individual phase to ensure quality, undisturbed sleep. Users can also take advantage of Pzizz's napping sequence, for those days where you need a little pre-bedtime snooze.

Noisli.

At the end of a hectic day, Noisli makes it easy to achieve inner peace and relaxation. Noisli is a sound-centric sleeping app that makes it possible to drown out the noises around you so that you can achieve the peace that you desire. Users can choose from a large list of background noise options such as rain, rustling leaves, storms, and even coffee shop bustle. Then, simply combine your favorite sounds to create a personalized atmosphere for stress-reduction.

Aside from helping you sleep, this app is also great for meditation, studying, or using as background noise while you read. If you choose to leave the app open, there is an additional option for ambient colors that can enhance the peaceful experience. A built-in timer is also included, should you want to take a power nap during the day, or just take time out for few minutes to relax.

White Noise.

This sleeping app is a no-frills option that will send you off to sleep in no time. If you rely on a quiet environment to fall asleep, white noise is an excellent way to drown out the noises around you. Plus, this sleep app is a great option for helping babies to fall asleep and stay asleep, without being disturbed by outside noises!

White noise is basically just a static sound that covers up any other noises that can interfere with sleep and relaxation. With the White Noise app, there are a handful of different white noises to choose from. The solid background sound from the app makes sure that users can stay asleep without being disturbed throughout the night, which improves sleep quality and stabilizes energy the next day.

Purple.

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Getting the recommended amount of quality sleep is really the cornerstone of health. If you're having trouble sleeping, give any (or all) of these sleeping apps a try. Your motivation, productivity, and overall mood will improve as you give your body the rest it needs and deserves. If you make yourself a priority, your quality of life will improve drastically. Sweet dreams!