Everybody goes through periods when they're not getting enough sleep or staying on a consistent schedule. We all have our tired days (or weeks), but despite our hectic schedules, a good night's sleep is still a real possibility. The answer could lie in your sleep cycle, which is a time span of about 90 minutes during which we typically experience the five stages of sleep. We repeatedly move through these stages during the night, but sometimes sleep is interrupted or curtailed. That's where finding a sleep cycle app might come in handy.
While a number of different physical and environmental factors affect our sleep cycles, it certainly helps to know the stages and how they function. While you may know about stages 1–4 and REM sleep, how can you track them? Sleep cycle apps are designed just for that purpose: to tell you how you're sleeping and show you how to improve your habits. Check out these sleep cycle apps to find one that's best for your lifestyle, and you could be on your way to a better night's sleep and more pleasant mornings.
Sleep Cycle
Waking up during deep sleep can be particularly jarring. Sleep Cycle is a simple app that analyzes your sleep behavior and wakes you during your lightest sleep phase. This makes for a more peaceful start to the day and will leave you feeling less disoriented. Graphs also show you your sleep patterns over time.
Sleep as Android
The Sleep as Android app is packed with features to improve your sleep hygiene. It determines the optimal time to set off an alarm based on your sleep phase, then gently wakes you with pleasant nature sounds. Keep tabs on the factors that influence your sleep cycles, such as snoring, stress, alcohol consumption, and medication, all tracked with lifestyle tagging and statistics.
SleepBot
SleepBot takes all movement and sound into account when assessing your sleep patterns, including outside noises that negatively impact your sleep. SleepBot also helps you wake up at an ideal time and provides actionable recommendations and tips to continuously improve your sleep. You can keep a record of your sleep statistics online.
MotionX 24/7
MotionX 24/7 functions like a combination of a fitness tracker and a personal coach, motivating you to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Track daily steps and calories burned, and monitor your heart rate. The insights gleaned from this information will help you attain deeper sleep, as well as keep you on board with your greater health goals.
It comes down to you taking control of your schedule to get enough sleep on a consistent basis, but the right sleep app can guide you toward a healthier routine.
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