Did you know that there are apps to help you sleep better and deal with sleep disorders? As a healthcare professional, you may work nights or variable shifts. In this context, it is not uncommon to have sleep disorders. And as you probably know, difficulties falling asleep can affect your physical and mental health.
Eating a healthy diet and being physically active contribute to better sleep.
You can also help yourself with technology. We present you the top 9 apps of the moment to help you sleep better and be well rested to take care of your patients. But first, a little insight into the impacts of poor sleep quality.
Consequences of poor sleep
The consequences of poor sleep are numerous:
- Decreased sensory perception;
- Slowing of motor reaction time;
- Fatigue;
- Irritability;
- Difficulty concentrating
- Daytime sleepiness;
- Increased risk of accidents at work or in traffic;
- Loss of motivation;
- Pain;
- Risk of depression;
- More difficult to learn, etc.
Applications to help you sleep better
There are many free apps to help you relax and sleep better.
1. Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle tracks and analyzes your sleep patterns. All you have to do is choose your wake-up time and the application will gently wake you up during your lightest sleep phase. This way, you wake up rested and ready to face your day.
This application provides graphs and analysis of your sleep phases. You also have data like sleep quality percentage, sleep and wake up times. It can even detect, track and measure snoring!
2. Sleep Time
Sleep Time analyzes sleep and provides comprehensive information about your sleep patterns. It also monitors your movements throughout the night and generates data of your sleep cycles in easy-to-read graphs.
Just like Sleep Cycle, this application wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase.
3. Relax Melodies : Sleep Sounds
This application was created by a Quebec-based company. It allows you to create your own collection of sounds, music or meditations from a large selection: rain, birds, ocean, zen, night, vacuum cleaner, thunder, heavy rain, chimes, river, music box, etc. Relax Melodies will help you relax or fall asleep.
4. Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep
This application allows you to choose from a list of 6 different high quality relaxing nature sounds. These sounds include thunder, ocean, sea, bird sounds, rain, etc. Nothing like it to help you relax and sleep.
Available for Android.
5. Sleepa
Sleepa offers a large collection of high definition sounds that can be mixed into relaxing moods with a timer designed to automatically shut down the app. You can create soft alarm notifications by choosing from 32 sounds in four categories: rain, nature, city and meditation.
6. Sleep Sounds
Available only for Android, Sleep Sounds offers high-quality soothing sounds to help you sleep better uninterrupted. You can choose from 12 customizable nature sounds and set the timer duration. The app will then automatically turn off once you’re in the arms of Morpheus…
7. White Noise Lite
This application comes with several sounds. Can’t find any sound good enough to help you fall asleep? White Noise Lite lets you create your own combination of sounds. You can even record your creations and play them back whenever you need to get over your insomnia.
You can also set a gentle alarm to wake you up.
8. Pzizz
Pzizz applies the science of psychoacoustics, a branch of psychology that explores sound perception and its physiological effects. The mix of sound effects, music and voice-over optimized for sleep, soothes your mind and puts you to sleep for the optimal time to feel refreshed when you wake up.
9. Headspace
It is a meditation and sleep application. It includes hundreds of guided exercises to de-stress or to sleep better. Headspace also offers “mindfulness” exercises to do while cooking or going to work. Do you like stories? The application offers several to help your mind relax.
Conclusion
To find the best mobile app for you, it’s essential to understand what sleep disorder you have. We recommend you visit the Sleep Foundation website to learn more.
Even if you work nights or on a flexible schedule, it’s possible to get good quality sleep. In addition to a healthy lifestyle, there are mobile applications that can help you sleep better. Don’t hesitate to try several of them to find the one that suits you. You will finally be able to sleep like a baby and be well rested to take care of yourself and your patients.