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"What's the deal with sleep apps, really?" "There are too many apps to choose from when I try to use one."
Many people feel this way. Indeed, there are many types of sleep apps, and it's hard to tell what makes each one different. There's no point in trying an app only to find it's not what you expected. So, this time, we'll introduce how to choose a sleep app that you can actually use.
1. What are the benefits of using a sleep app?
First, let's look at the benefits of using a sleep app.
There are five main benefits:
- 1. Improved sleep quality
- 2. Monitoring during sleep
- 3. Waking up at the optimal time
- 4. Understanding your sleep cycle
- 5. Reviewing your sleep habits from an objective perspective
Overall, your sleep quality will improve, and you'll gain a deeper understanding of your own sleep. Discovering things you never noticed before is a significant advantage.
1-1. Improved sleep quality
By reviewing your sleep habits, you can improve your sleep quality. While simply using a sleep app won't magically improve quality, reviewing and making changes will gradually lead to better sleep.
It might feel strange at first, but once you get used to it, the long-term benefits are a welcome bonus. You can expect improvements in your work quality, increased daytime activity, and many other positive outcomes.
1-2. Monitoring during sleep
Even if you try to remember what happened during your sleep, you can't because you weren't observing it. However, with a sleep app, you can monitor your sleep from an objective perspective. You might discover new things you wouldn't normally know.
It becomes easier to analyze your sleep cycle and determine when you are most likely to wake up. By taking measures based on these tendencies, you can improve efficiently.
1-3. Waking up at the optimal time
Many people have experienced the difficulty of waking up in the morning despite getting enough sleep. This might be because your wake-up time is not optimal. More precisely, your timing for waking up is off. People tend to wake up feeling refreshed if they can wake up during REM sleep.
However, it's hard to know when REM sleep occurs. A sleep app can set an alarm to go off during your REM sleep cycle. This leads to a refreshing awakening.
1-4. Understanding your sleep cycle
Related to waking up at the optimal time, using a sleep app allows you to understand your sleep cycle. By understanding your sleep cycle and being able to control your wake-up time effectively, you can eliminate the morning grogginess.
Furthermore, by calculating backwards from your desired wake-up time, you can still achieve comfortable sleep even when you have limited sleep duration. Make sure to review your sleep carefully with the provided reports.
1-5. Reviewing your sleep habits from an objective perspective
Being able to review your sleep habits from an objective perspective is a major advantage. The more data you collect, the more accurate information you'll gain, so consistency is key.
By reviewing your habits throughout the year, you'll discover how sleep quality changes with seasons and weather. As data accumulates, and you review your sleep habits over time, you can also reassess actions you typically perform without realizing.
2. What can sleep apps measure?
Sleep apps typically measure the following three main items:
- Sleep duration
- Bedtime and wake-up time
- Sleep efficiency (REM and non-REM sleep)
- Sleep duration
- Bedtime and wake-up time
- Sleep efficiency (REM and non-REM sleep)
- Snoring
- Is it easy to use?
- Is it compatible with your operating system?
- Does it have the features you want (snoring, deep sleep rate, sleep music, etc.)?
Of course, the specific details vary depending on the sleep app, so it's a good idea to research each one.
2-1. Sleep duration
Sleep duration is the absolute basic. By reviewing it alongside notes of your daytime activities, you can learn your true sleep needs. You might discover that a shorter sleep duration is actually fine, or that the sleep you thought was sufficient was actually not enough. This allows you to make decisions based on data rather than vague assumptions.
2-2. Bedtime and wake-up time
Bedtime and wake-up time are particularly important points to observe for those who struggle to fall asleep even after getting into bed, or find it difficult to wake up in the morning. You can reflect on why you can't fall asleep quickly or why you can't get out of bed immediately after waking up.
2-3. Sleep efficiency (REM and non-REM sleep)
Sleep efficiency helps you understand if your sleep quality is maintained and provides useful information for improvement. It can also serve as a clue to identify factors preventing you from entering deep sleep.
3. It's often more informative if a sleep app can also measure snoring.
The three measurement items mentioned above are typically measured by most sleep apps. However, if you want to understand your sleep more deeply, it's desirable to have "snoring" measurement in addition to those three.
You can't tell if you're snoring on your own, and it's not practical to have someone else observe you. Snoring can also cause a sore throat upon waking and can be an important indicator for other health aspects beyond sleep.
There's also the possibility of sleep apnea, and unexpected risks might be hidden. Precisely because it's something you can't detect yourself, it's necessary to measure it with a sleep app. Ideally, choose a sleep app that can measure the following four things:
4. 3 tips for choosing a sleep app that's right for you
When choosing a sleep app, there are three main points to consider:
It's a waste if you install an app but can't use it as intended. Make sure to narrow down your choices based on these points beforehand.
4-1. Is it easy to use?
A sleep app won't reveal your sleep patterns after just one day of use. It's about collecting data to understand your sleep. Therefore, whether you can continue using it is very important. If the structure is complicated and makes you reluctant to use it, data will be harder to collect.
4-2. Is it compatible with the OS you are using?
Different sleep apps work with different operating systems. They are divided between Android and iPhone, and you cannot use an app on an unsupported OS. You can check this on the website or app store beforehand, so make sure to see if it's compatible with your smartphone.
Also, it's necessary to check the OS version. While most apps support newer versions, some apps may not be compatible with older versions. You can check this in the app's overview, so it's essential to check when you install it. While checking OS compatibility, it's also convenient to check if it's compatible with smartwatches. If you have a smartwatch, don't forget to check that too.
4-3. Does it have the features you want?
It's also important to identify your sleep concerns and check if the sleep app has features that address them. Some sleep apps specialize in snoring, others in falling asleep, and each has its own characteristics. Picking out a few desired features and using them as a basis for your search will reduce the chances of making a wrong choice. Prioritizing will make it easier to narrow down your sleep app options.
