Smart alarm meets sleep tracker.
This app is great as it tells it as it is:
a) Lets you know both the real amount of sleep, and the quality of your sleep by tracking your movement at night. b) Lets you wake up in your body’s natural waking cycle. Based upon your movement the app wakes you up intelligently, when your body’s most ready for the day (within a 30min window you’ve determined).
c) Tracks your sleep debt (the amount of sleep you’re behind on) so you can improve your consistency of sleep, and catch up on sleep without feeling guilty about it.
Your drive home safe App: “StayAwakePro” www.georgeapps.com ($0.99)
Keep yourself awake and responding with this “drive home safe” app featuring your new chatty friend, “Victoria”. “Victoria” talks with you asking for your response, and sounds an alarm if you fail to respond. Unlike other “drive home safe” apps it requires no car mount or calibration. BONUS Alternative App: If you would prefer a silent (yet safe!) drive home, and have a car mount, try this micro sleep detector that works by detecting dangerous “microsleep” eye-lid closure: “WakeMeUp”- powerapp.ch/product/wake-eye-lid-detector-microsleep-warning/ ($0.99)
3. Your White noise App: “SleepPillow” www.clearskyapps.com/portfolio/sleep (Free)
The solution for sleep when ambient noise may interrupt your snoozing (family, traffic, TV, dogs lawnmowers). Soothing “white noise” will cause your hearing to not be disturbed by outside noises. Use on its own or in addition to quality earplugs.
9 different white noise soundtracks (including a river, birds, whales, a storm, a crackling fire, and my person favourite: soothing spa music)
Create mixes of the different tracks (add birds to the river) at different volumes.
c) Set a timer so the white noise stops up to 2 hours after you’ve drifted off. d) Want more sounds & up to a 12 hr timer? There’s a PRO version you can upgrade to for $1.99.
4. Your Meditation timer App: “Meditation Timer” www.maxwellapps.com/apps_7_meditation_timer_pro. (Free)
This is the app I use every day. It is so simple, but has all the varying features you need to make consistent relaxation throughout the day so easy to remember.
Set your preparation time.
Set your relaxation/ meditation time.
Set interval times (ex: 3x 1min) to help keep you focused.
Set “rest” times to create repeating reminders to relax throughout the day (ex: every 3 hours).
Choose from 4 different soothing tones to chime when it’s time to start/ stop/ rest.
Set daily reminders to engage in relaxation (& a personalized message for why ;))
Change the background to a photo that’s meaningful to you, to help you remember why you’re using this time to relax (ex: deep sleep to be present with your loved ones)
5. Your Guided Relaxation App: “SimplyBeing” www.meditationoasis.com ($1.99)
This app is fantastic and has been widely reviewed as effective for new and existing meditators alike.
a) Only have 5minutes? Choose from 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, & 30min options.
b) Listen with or without music.
c) Only want music? Listen with or without voice.
d) Want a break at work? Download their free option “TakeABreak!” for 7 or 13min meditations designed to help you relax at work.
6. Your Sleep-Supporting Exercise, Weight, & Nutrition App: “MyFitnessPal” www.myfitnesspal.com (Free)
This app is amazing. While losing sleep won’t cause us to gain weight, it can make it more likely that we’ll mindlessly reach for sweets, carbs, & calorie-laden caffeine to for a “quick-fix” of energy (that unfortunately burns and then leaves you feeling more tired…) Studies have shown that as people gain excess weight their sleep quality tends to get worse (likely due to flattened temperature rhythms). However, regardless of weight, as someone chooses to exercise their sleep quality improves. As food quality increases, sleep quality tends to increase too. Makes sense to pay attention to your food and exercise, eh? This app lets you: a) track what you’re eating (even the brand. It’s super easy.) b) track your water intake
c) track your exercise
d) track your sleep
e) set weight goals & stay on track with corresponding daily calorie goals
f) understand your nutritional breakdown (basic, but useful)
g) share your progress with friends to support each other
Right now, go visit the app store. Download the ONE app that you know will add the MOST VALUE to your life right away. Create a routine with it starting TODAY. Set an alarm (right now) to remind you to use it.
Warmly,