7 Apps to Help You Fall Asleep

We are always on the go and most everyone has a smartphone these days. If you find sleep is evasive at night, you are not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 25% of the population does not get enough sleep on some nights and approximately 10% report suffering from chronic insomnia. There are several apps out there that can come to your rescue with different uses and help you get the zzz’s that you need to feel refreshed. They just might make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep longer.

Sleep Cycle is a free app for both iPhone and Android users that collects data on your sleep cycles and wakes you at the optimal time when you are in a lighter form of sleep and will feel less groggy upon waking up. It includes graphs that are easy to read on your sleep patterns and can even detect snoring, when you are in a deep sleep and it would be best not to wake up at this time.

Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep is a free Android app that gives you soothing sounds of nature to fall asleep. You can choose from a large variety of noises such as city sounds or waves crashing on the beach. It includes a start and stop timer so you can hand tailor it to listen as long as you want to. You can also use these soothing sounds as your alarm or ringtone on your smartphone.

Sleep Genius is a smartphone app for $4.99 (available for iPhone and Android devices). It was designed with algorithms to create specific sounds that actually guide you through the complete sleep cycle. This app is based on information that was used by NASA to help the astronauts sleep. You can select a timed sleep program or a relaxation program. When it is time for you to wake up, it signals you with a gentle alarm for you to awake slowly so you are less groggy.

White Noise is an app that costs $0.99 (available for iPhone and Android devices). It is designed for light sleepers that wake up with the slightest noises. It helps you by drowning out the noises so you can relax, fall asleep and stay asleep. The individual sounds are represented by images and you can even mix and match the sounds to make your own unique sound. You can also record sounds and add your own images to this app.

Sleepo is a free app for Android phones. It includes a large library of 32 relaxing sounds from which to choose. Some examples are white noise, instruments, rain, city sounds or nature sounds. You can mix and match them to find the perfect sound to put you to sleep and it doesn’t need an internet connection, so you can use it anywhere and anytime you need to sleep or nap.

Sleep Easily by Shazzie is a free app for iPhone and Android users. It has meditations by Shazzie who has written 5 books on meditation and includes music by an accomplished musician and healer. The session lasts for 26 minutes and is therapeutic so you can relax and get into a deep sleep. You can also set an alarm in the app to wake you at any time during the session.

Sleep Well Hypnosis is a free Android app that uses relaxing sounds and the gentle and kind voice of a certified hypnotheraptist to relax you and help you get to sleep. You can easily click the icons to navigate the app options and set the sessions to loop the entire time that you're asleep so that you can stay asleep for a longer amount of time.

For anyone that often travels between time zones, suffers from sleepless nights or has difficulty falling or staying asleep, these apps could be worth a try. Read the reviews on the apps and it's evident that they have certainly provided relief to many people, helping them awaken refreshed in the mornings and full of energy to get through the day without feeling sluggish or tired.