Tag Archives: sleep

Balance App for Stress and Insomnia

Good app for helping with stress issues and insomnia. It has a very positive rating and they are offering a fully featured one-year trial (just remember to cancel if you stop using it.)

Features:

• Sleep meditations and nature sounds to help you rest deeply and wake up refreshed
• A growing library of meditation Plans, personalized to your goals
• Bite-sized Singles you can use while walking, eating, commuting, and more
• Comprehensive progress tracking on 10 concrete meditation skills
• New materials each month to improve your stress, mood, focus, and more

https://balanceapp.com/

More on Sleep – The ‘Sleepy Girl’ Mocktail

Leave it to TikTok to come up with strategies on how to sleep better. I’m told the “sleepy girl mocktail” is the latest recommendation. It’s a concoction of  tart cherry juice, magnesium powder and soda water, poured over ice. Cherries are a natural source of melatonin and also contains tryptophan, which combined with magnesium is purported to calm down your nervous system for better rest.

Here’s one recipe for the Sleepy Girl Mocktail (there are many variations.) You’ll need a few ingredients and a large glass. Give it a try and let us know if it works for you in the Comment section.

Fill a glass of your choosing with ice. Next, pour in the ½ cup of cherry juice. Add 1 tablespoon of magnesium powder to the liquid and stir well. Then top it off with your favorite lemon-lime flavored beverage. Some people also add two teaspoons of elderberry syrup.

Popular myths about sleep, debunked

“Sleep has a huge impact on our health. It helps our brains function, protects against heart disease and supports our immune system. And without it we would die. 

Although for something so important, we aren’t formally taught how to do it right, says Rebecca Robbins, a sleep scientist at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “In America, you learn about nutrition or sex ed in school, but never about sleep.” 

It may be why only a third of Americans get the recommended amount of sleep each night, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
https://www.npr.org/2024/01/09/1196978496/debunking-popular-myths-about-sleep

Best Sleep Tracker

TL: DR My two favorites: Autosleep on iPhone and Sleep as Android

In today’s fast-paced world, getting a good night’s sleep is more important than ever. To help you monitor and improve your sleep patterns, there are numerous sleep tracker apps available. My recommendations are Autosleep for iPhone and Sleep as Android. In this blog post, we’ll compare these two sleep tracker apps, highlighting their features, user interfaces, and overall performance to help you make an informed choice for tracking your sleep.

Autosleep

Autosleep is a dedicated sleep tracking app exclusively available for iOS devices. Developed by Tantsissa, it offers a user-friendly interface and a robust set of features tailored for iPhone and Apple Watch users.

Automatic Tracking: Autosleep uses advanced algorithms to automatically detect when you fall asleep and wake up, eliminating the need for manual input.
Sleep Score: The app calculates a Sleep Score based on the quality and duration of your sleep, providing insights into your sleep patterns.
Sleep Rings: It visualizes your sleep data in a ring format, making it easy to understand at a glance.
Detailed Sleep Analysis: Autosleep provides in-depth statistics about your sleep cycles, heart rate, and more.
Integration with Health App: The app seamlessly integrates with the Apple Health app, allowing you to centralize your health data.
User Interface: Autosleep boasts an intuitive and visually appealing interface, making it easy for users to navigate through their sleep data. The Sleep Rings feature is particularly engaging and informative.
https://autosleepapp.tantsissa.com/home

Sleep as Android

Sleep as Android is a versatile sleep tracking app available for Android devices. Developed by Urbandroid, it offers a wide range of features and is known for its extensive customization options.:

Comprehensive Tracking: Sleep as Android tracks your sleep cycles, snoring, and even your sleep talk to provide a holistic view of your sleep quality.
Smart Alarms: The app offers smart alarms that wake you up at the optimal time within a set time window, reducing grogginess.
Integration with Wearables: It supports various wearables and sensors, allowing you to use devices like smartwatches and fitness trackers for sleep tracking.
Sleep Notes: You can add custom notes about your sleep, which can help identify patterns and triggers affecting your sleep.
Captivating Sleep Charts: Sleep as Android generates detailed sleep charts and graphs for in-depth analysis.
User Interface: While Sleep as Android offers a wealth of features, some users may find its interface less intuitive compared to Autosleep. However, its customization options make it suitable for those who prefer to tailor their sleep tracking experience.
https://sleep.urbandroid.org

Summary

Both Apps are excellent sleep trackers. Autosleep happily does not require a subscription and only costs $5.99, a worthwhile investment. Autosleep works much better if you have an Apple Watch. Sleep for Android requires a subscription or initial $40 one time payment and also works much better if you have a wearable device.

The Sleep Habit More Important than Getting 8 Hours

“A recent study looking at sleep and longevity found that sleep “regularity”—going to bed and waking up at consistent times with few mid-slumber interruptions—matters more than how long you sleep. Sleeping six hours every night on a consistent schedule was associated with a lower risk of early death than sleeping eight hours with very irregular habits.

The study adds to a growing understanding of the links between sleep and longevity. Research in recent years has shown not only how important sleep is for health and lifespan, but also that the duration of sleep isn’t the only thing that matters.”
https://apple.news/A4A2DDlHuRE-VmYWV0pngRg