Everyone, to some degree or another, has felt the negative consequences that occur from a lack of sleep.

A bad night’s sleep can range from a host of reasons, from external noise such as rowdy neighbors or snoring, to an over-active mind that refuses to stop the chatter, to worries or anxieties, to an over-active bladder which wakes you up several times a night – a wealth of reasons!

Sleep is Important!

Without a good night’s rest, we can feel cranky, moody and irritable; it can begin to take its toll on our skin and overall health; we may, on the more serious end of the spectrum, find that driving or operating machinery becomes dangerous because we are so tired we want to fall asleep during the working day.

So yes – a good night’s sleep is crucial! You might have tried everything to improve your sleep quality and found nothing works, or that something works for a limited amount of time before you are back to the sleepless nights again and the desperation to get back on track.

Why are Sleep Tracker Apps Beneficial?

This is where sleep tracking can help. One of the best things about sleep tracking is that it helps you ensure you get enough sleep. It is also very important in regard to diagnosing whether you have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea.

For many, using a sleep tracker app can mean the difference between a good night’s sleep that leaves you feeling bright and bushy-tailed, ready to take on a new day or feeling sluggish, worn-out, moody and ready to crawl back into bed at the next available opportunity. People can fall into negative sleep patterns for a variety of reasons, but there is always a way to conquer this debilitating lifestyle and one of the ways to do so is to utilize the benefits of sleep tracker apps.

1. Easy Waking Time

Sleep tracker apps will often have a function where they track your sleep and monitors the various sleep phases so it can wake you during the lightest sleep phase. This is especially beneficial for heavy sleepers and, what’s more, when you are woken during the light sleep phase you are less likely to feel groggy.

Related Article: Does Oversleeping Make You Tired?

2. Detailed Reports of Your Sleeping Pattern

Sleep tracker apps will often provide detailed reports of your sleeping pattern. One of the most important parts of getting a good sleep routine is to understand how your sleep is actually doing and how it is progressing. A sleep tracker app can monitor your sleep from the time you fall asleep to when you wake up and then provide reports for how to improve your sleep quality.

3. Sleep Aids

Sleep tracker apps will often have sleep aids that help you fall asleep. A busy chattering mind can seem impossible to switch off at times; endless hours of tossing and turning can result in extreme distress for someone who just can’t seem to switch their mind off. Sleep aids can be very beneficial in this sense. Apps may have things such as meditation music, guided sleep meditation, audible stories to help you fall asleep and other functions such as waterfall or wave sounds that can help relax the mind and send it to sleep.

4. Checking Your Habits During Sleep

Some sleep tracker apps have the ability to check what habits you’re struggling with during the night – this could be things such as snoring, grinding your teeth or talking in your sleep. This can also be helpful in terms of monitoring sleep disorders. For example, intense snoring and halting breathing for a period of time during sleep can be a sign of sleep apnea.

What are the Best Sleep Apps Out There?

There are so many you can try which have received excellent feedback and below are a few of our favorites to get you started.

Sleep Cycle

Sleep Cycle is an app that has, among other useful things, sleep aids to help you fall asleep, a clever alarm that wakes you up at the lightest sleep phase, snore detection and analysis which helps you understand your own sleeping pattern better.

Pillow

Pillow is a free app which the option to unlock added features for $4.99. This app records your sleeping so you can hear yourself snoring, sleep talking or sleep apnea; you also get a detailed analysis to understand your sleeping pattern better and there is also a heart rate analysis to monitor how your heart rate changes as you sleep.

Sleepzy

Sleepzy is an app with plenty of relaxing sounds to help you drift off into a sound sleep, lets you wake up to your favorite music so you look forward to hopping out of bed, track your sleep patterns and know the quality of your sleep - and get weather forecasts of your location so you can easily plan your day ahead!

Sweet Dreams

Sleep tracker apps are a revolutionary form of technology that can greatly benefit anyone struggling with their sleep. Sleep is absolutely vital to our well-being and can result in a host of health problems if it is not addressed. If other methods are not working, then it may be worth investing in a sleep tracker app. Many apps are inexpensive and there have been many reports of these apps changing people’s lives as they find their sleep beginning to get back on track again.

A good night’s rest means finding it easier to cope throughout the day, feeling happier and more productive. Don’t let a poor sleep schedule take over your life; sleep tracker apps exist for a reason and could be the solution you are looking for.

Next: Try these guided meditation apps that we love!