Sleep has got to be at the top of my list of priorities as a parent. The tech world has taken note: in Apple’s latest iOS update, they announced the release of a new feature called Night Shift that will adjust the balance of your iPad or iPhone after sunset. Apple cited studies that have shown that exposure to bright blue light in the evening can affect your circadian rhythms and make it harder for people to go to sleep.
If there’s one constant topic of conversation I had throughout my pregnancy and continue to have with other parents on a weekly basis, it’s sleep. How much sleep are the kids getting? How little sleep are you getting? I can’t sleep. Sleep is never going to be what it was like before kids. That’s just a fact. But if I hear one more, “Wow! Did you get any sleep last night?” comment from a coworker, I’m just about going to go insane.
Last year I went on a mission to do everything I could to get a better night’s sleep, and I turned to my smartphone as a first step. In my case all it took was one good app and some planning, and my daily intake of caffeine was reduced significantly.
If you’re looking for a solution to your sleep woes, look no further than this list. From apps to a couple brilliant gadgets, here are some new apps and gadgets that’ll help you get a better night’s sleep whether you’re at home or on the road.
Feature image: Getty/Sally Anscombe
More Tips for a Good Night’s Sleep:
Having Trouble Sleeping? 8 Apps That'll Help You Sleep Better
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Sleep Better from Runtastic
Get it: Free for iPhone and Android
This app is definitely the top rated all-in-one sleep app for your phone. Place your phone by your bed every night and it'll automatically track your sleep, giving you a better snapshot of when you're most deeply asleep. It even has a smart alarm that wakes you up at the ideal time in a wake-up window that you set (rather than pull you out of a deep sleep at a set time, the alarm will go off when your phone senses when you're in a lighter sleep cycle, so you don't feel as tired in the morning.
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Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock
This is the app that started it all for me! Just position your smartphone near your pillow at night, turn on the app, and wake up to a daily readout of sleep trends.
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Sense
Maybe it's not you but your sleep environment that's causing problems? Enter SENSE, an observer of not just your sleeping patterns, but the entire atmosphere of your sleeping environment. It takes measurements of the noise, light, temperature, humidity, and even the particles in the air and aligns them with your sleeping trends to help you make positive changes in the environment for sustained rest. -
Sleepyti.me Sleep Calculator
Did you know that you go through multiple sleep cycles throughout the night and that you might be feeling extra groggy in the morning because you woke up in the middle of one? Use this website to find out what time you should set your alarm for based on the time you're headed to bed, or what time you should head to bed nightly to make it to work happy and on time!
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Pzizz Sleep
Need a gentle soundtrack to head to sleep but can't stand the constant of white noise or music? This app will create a unique soundtrack nightly for you and will run for anywhere between ten minutes and ten hours!
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Beddit
Get it: $149If you'd like to track your sleep cycle without a body monitor or sleeping with your smartphone next to your head, Beddit is an easy way to do it! Just place it under your fitted bed sheet, and it will not only record your sleep patterns, but will also vibrate to wake you up in the morning! -
Sleep Number x12 Beds
If you're looking for the easiest way to track your sleep, just get a smart bed from SleepNumber! Sensors for the SleepIQ system are built directly into the mattress and update you daily on your sleeping habits via your mobile device. That means all you have to do is manage to fall asleep in your bed, and it will track the rest without you having to wear anything or turn a device or app on.
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Neuro:On
If you need more than just passive monitoring, the Neuro:On sleep mask will help monitor all the signs of your sleep patterns through eye movement, muscle tensions, and heart rate and wake you up with light at the optimal time in the morning. -
Aurora
If you need some serious intervention in order to get to sleep, then this headband that plays various lights and music to enhance your sleep throughout the night might just do the trick!
