Apple Tech Leads The Battle Against Sleep Problems

Apple has been a front-runner in health and fitness apps for several years now. They recognize that the average adult isn’t getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep each night. And as technology continues to advance, Apple’s sales will only increase along with the number of apps and devices becoming available. So, how can we use our Apple devices to help us fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake up feeling refreshed?

From Pillow Talk to Pillow Sleep

Although it may seem counterintuitive, a full night’s sleep is critical for your reproductive health if you and your partner are looking to start a family. Lack of sleep takes a toll on our bodies in many different ways, especially if we are sharing our beds with partners who snore or talk in their sleep. Instead, take advantage of Apple’s internal or third party solutions for falling asleep, despite all those distracting noises.

There are many things you can do on your own to improve your quality of sleep as discussed here. If that doesn’t help, there are apps that might.

Pzizz provides a variety of music and background noises to lull you into a restful sleep. It is fully customizable and provides over 100 billion possible combinations. And that’s not an exaggeration. The more you use it, the more it learns what you like and don’t like. It does all of this and more, without the need for an internet connection.

Calm provides meditation sessions and bedtime stories to put us in the right mindset as we fall asleep. The mediation sessions are great for beginners, but also get more involved with each use. Its Sleep Stories provide a variety of stories that distract us from the day’s events and allows us to slip into a sound sleep. And if you’re looking for something more physical, it provides short pre-bedtime stretch sessions to relieve any leftover tension from the day.

Analyze Your Sleep Patterns

Our restfulness during the day depends on how uninterrupted each stage is throughout our sleep session. When and how we wake up also plays a significant role in getting ourselves motivated for the day. Apple offers two apps that will wake us upon the right side of the bed, every morning.

Sleep Cycle tracks our nightly sleep patterns and determines the best possible time to wake us up. Our movements and our sounds are different for each stage, allowing the app to recognize how much time we spend in each one. Once it reaches your alarm clock window, the app will begin to wake you up with gentle melodies. The best part? There are two ways to place your phone as you sleep. If you feel more comfortable having it on your nightstand, you should place it face down for the most effective microphone access. If you prefer to have it in the bed, it’s important to leave it uncovered on the mattress corner closest to your head.

Pillow Automatic Sleep Tracker does all of that and more. It syncs up to your Apple Watch and directly tracks your pulse and heart rate as you sleep. Unlike Sleep Cycle, it includes three nap modes: power nap, recovery nap, and full cycle. It provides the same data as the main mode, assuring you have the most productive nap possible. As an extra perk, all modes use your phone’s microphone to record episodes of snoring, sleep talking, and sleep apnea. This could make it easier for doctors to diagnose various sleep disorders, eventually improving your overall sleep habits.

You can learn more about the State of Sleep in the US with some interesting statistics from a Sleep Study prepared by Slumber Yard and available here.

Helpful Tech, Happy Heart

When we give our bodies what they need, they will repay us in more ways than one. And Apple Tech has only just begun to provide a variety of tools that are beneficial to our minds and bodies. Keep one eye open and get ready for even more advances coming our way soon.

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Karoline Gore

Karoline Gore spent many years in technology development before becoming a full-time freelance writer.

This article was originally published on May 8, 2019 and was last updated on July 18, 2020.