We've all heard it before — the general rule of thumb is that a good night's sleep consists of about seven to eight hours. But with late-night work, stress or Netflix binges, achieving the perfect amount of shut-eye can be difficult.
From guided meditations to nature sound playlists, there are a handful of apps out there to help you get the sleep you need and want. You probably already sleep next to your smartphone, so why not take advantage of what these apps have to offer?
Our top 10 Apps for better sleeping
We rounded up a list of 10 apps to help you prepare for a restful night and turn off your brain. Yo can try one by one and decide which is the best for you. Check them out below.
1. Relax Melodies
Escape restless nights by listening to custom mixes of sounds from a selection of 64 high-quality ambient melodies. This sleep assistance app includes two binaural beats, an alarm and a timer system. You can also save, name and replay your favorites easily.
2. Relax & Sleep by Glenn Harrold
If you can't clear your head before bed, try a self-hypnosis meditation app like this one. Fall asleep to the soothing British voice of Glenn Harrold, an experienced clinical hypnotherapist. The free audio clip runs for about 27 minutes.
3. Pzizz Sleep
If you're serious about regulating your sleep, Pzizz may be worth the download. This app claims to be the solution to insomnia. Due to its scientifically proven techniques that combine NLP (neurolinguistic programming), binaural beats and sound effects, the app is on the pricier side. With several sounds available, this software will mix a new playlist every time, so you never hear the same tune twice.
4. Sleepmaker Rain
Plug in your earbuds and zone out to the natural sound of rain. There are 20 audio clips available that range from gentle, medium and heavy sounds of realistic rainfalls. From choices like "gentle onto forest foliage" to "heavy torrential downpour," you'll be sure to find one that suits your taste.
5. Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep
Drift off with the peaceful and healing sounds of nature in this app. Along with water and sounds, Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep includes sounds of the sea, jungle, snow, birds and more. Not only can you use the melodies to fall asleep faster, but also to relax anytime throughout the day.
6. Relax Melodies: Oriental Meditation
Created by the same developers of Relax Melodies, this app focuses on sounds of oriental nature. Close your eyes and listen to traditional Asian music from the Chinese flute, harp and more. You can mix and match the tunes as well as control the volume of each sound. The app also includes a basic alarm clock and timer.
7. aSleep
If you're looking for an app with a variety of sounds, you'll enjoy this app. Along with nature, instruments and lullaby tunes, there is a category called "Life" that allows you to listen to helicopters, showers, bubbles and the rhythm of a heart beating. There are also contemplative meditation tunes.
8. Long Deep Breathing
Calm your mind by doing breathing exercises before bed. This app will guide you in a series of exercises and will help relieve any stress before falling asleep. The app also includes an advanced options feature that allows you to set the length of your inhales and exhales manually.
9. Proactive Sleep Alarm Clock
If you're interested in keeping tabs of your sleep progress, take a look at this app. It features a "sleep diary" in which you can record your sleep habits and keep track of your exercise and other health behaviors. You'll receive personalized feedback based on the information you share with the app.
It also includes basic features such as an alarm clock, snooze button and ambient music.
10. Alarm Tunes
If you prefer to fall asleep or wake up to your favorite music, you may find this multifunctional alarm clock handy. You can doze off to your own customized playlists with the app's built-in music player and timer. The app has other convenient features, like shake to snooze, music fade-in and more.
Source: mashable.com
