Sleep better tonight with these top-rated apps and accessories
Get the rest you need with these simple tweaks to the tech you use.
I know I need a good night's sleep to really take on the day and function well. However, sometimes I find myself tossing and turning in the night trying to get myself to fall asleep, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. A recent sleep study conducted using Apple Watch at the Brigham and Women's Hospital shows that just 31% of us are getting a good night's sleep.
Fortunately, the very technology that may be keeping us up, can also help with putting together a sleep strategy. That's why I've gathered some of the best sleeping solutions to help you get the rest you need.
Best Meditation Apps/Videos
iPhone 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)
Android 4.5 stars (at time of publishing)
Headspace offers a guide tools and techniques to help you relax. (Kurt Knutsson)
Headspace offers a guided experience that has tools and techniques to help you relax your body. You can also try their 30-day sleep course to help change your relationship with sleep. Headspace offers a 14-day free trial. It is available for both iOS and Android phones. At the time of publishing, Headspace had 4.8 stars on the App Store and 4.5 stars on the Google Play Store.
‘Headspace Guide to Sleep’ on Netflix
You can download the Netflix app on iOS and Android phones to watch "Headspace Guide to Sleep." (Kurt Knutsson)
If you already have Netflix and don't want to join Headspace, try this seven-episode series. Headspace teaches you how to sleep better and includes a guided wind-down at the end of each episode. You can download the Netflix app on iOS and Android phones to watch the series.
iPhone 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)
Android 4.4 stars (at time of publishing)
The Calm app includes sleep stories, music and more. (Kurt Knutsson)
The Calm app is an excellent app for sleep stories, music, meditation and more. Sleep stories are narrated by celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey, Laura Dean and LeBron James. It even has masterclasses for meditation and breathing exercises to help you relax. You can try the Calm app with a 7-day free trial, and then you'll need to subscribe to get all the perks of the app. The app is available for both iOS and Android phones. At the time of publishing, this app had 4.8 stars on the App Store and 4.4 stars on the Google Play Store.
iPhone 4.9 stars (at time of publishing)
Android 4.2 stars (at time of publishing)
Peloton offers themes within meditation, including sleep, breathing, deep relaxation and more. (Kurt Knutsson)
The popular bike offers more than just spinning classes. With over 1,300 meditation sessions available, if you're a Peloton subscriber, you're sure to find one that works. They offer over 20 themes within meditation, including sleep, breathing, deep relaxation, gratitude, healing and more. The app is available for both iOS and Android phones. You can sign up for a 30-day trial to try out a variety of meditation styles with different instructors. At the time of publishing, this app had 4.9 stars on the App Store and 4.2 stars on the Google Play Store.
iPhone 4.8 stars (at time of publishing)
Android 4.5 stars (at time of publishing)
The BetterSleep app gives you a personalized sleep experience. (Kurt Knutsson)
The BetterSleep app gives you a personalized sleeping experience. You can try it for seven days free, and then it's a yearly subscription fee of $59.99. The app offers an easy-to-use sleep tracker, a sleep recorder, over 300 premium sleep sounds, over 100 bedtime stories and over 250 soothing guided meditations.
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You can also set bedtime reminders on the app, and there's a section to add your favorite sounds. The app is available for iOS and Android phones. At the time of publishing, this app had 4.8 stars on the Apple Store and 4.5 stars on the Google Play Store.
Follow these tips to help you get a better night's sleep. (BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images, File)
Pro Tip: Reduce blue light on your device before bed
Blue light exposure from the various screens we look at all day may cause eye damage. While scientific research on the long-term damage isn’t yet clear, if you stare at blue light screens too long, you may experience symptoms such as blurry vision or dry eyes. This is especially bad for when you're trying to fall asleep as well, and there have been numerous studies reporting that you should avoid blue light for at least an hour before you go to sleep. Here's how to turn down blue light on iPhone and Android devices.
How to turn down the blue light on my iPhone
- Open your Settings app
- Go to Display & Brightness
- Click Night Shift
- Use the slider at the bottom to make your screen less warm
- Toggle on the Scheduled option to schedule when you want your phone to adjust before bed. You can tap on the time frame to adjust what time you want.
How to turn down the blue light on my Android
- Open your Settings app
- Tap Display
- Select Night Light
- Toggle on Use Night Light
- Tap on the times to adjust the time frame to what you want.
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If you don't see the Night Light option:
- Under Display tap Eye Comfort Shield
- You can tap Adaptive to have the screen adapt for the time of day, or tap Custom to adjust the color temperature and make the screen warmer
- Tap Always on to choose how often you want the blue light turned down.
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